How Can Spotify Offer a Great Podcast App? Let’s Take a Look

The streaming music giant has shared its ambitions of becoming the world’s biggest and most popular podcasting platform. Here are six suggestions.

Image via Spencer Camp at Prototypr.io

Spotify recently announced its acquisition of both Gimlet Media and Anchor, boosting up its podcasting abilities significantly. The podcasting industry is expected to grow to $700 million by 2020 in the United States alone. While Spotify has declared its intention to dominate the podcasting space, there are some things the company will need to do to become a podcasting haven.

Image via Spencer Camp at Prototypr.io

Separate podcasts and music

Spotify’s web app works very well, but once you go to mobile, the podcast tab currently is unwieldy. Finding your podcasts is not easy either as you have to go to your library and search in there. Spotify can benefit from clearly distinguishing between podcasts and music and making podcasts easier to discover and explore.

Image via Spencer Camp at Prototypr.io

Create charts, reviews and ratings

Spotify currently offers top charts for music, but is very limited when it comes to podcasts apart from an annual best list, trending and top podcast charts. Some possible improvements include adding top charts for every show category and top podcasts, like Apple does. Other possible features include allowing people to rate shows and leave reviews.

Image via Spencer Camp at Prototypr.io

Offer personalized playlists

Spotify made discovering personalized music easy and fun with its weekly playlists through Discover Weekly. Creating something similar with podcasts could help users find new podcasts. Often listeners find about podcast shows through friends, but having a direct, personal way to discover music would be appealing. NPR One app already offers this feature with personalized playlists based on a person’s listening habits.

Offer monetization options

Prior to its acquisition by Spotify, Anchor had announced a sponsorship feature where any podcaster could request a sponsorship. This allows a podcast creator to earn some money, while Anchor took a 30 percent fee. Podcasters usually have to partner with a larger podcast network to receive any ads or work very hard to even be noticed.

Provide private feeds

Private feeds enable individuals and companies to build and release internal podcast shows. Currently, Spotify does not offer this option. Apple lets you add podcasts via an RSS link.

Add call-in features like Anchor currently has

Similar to radio, Anchor offered users the opportunity to interact with their hosts. A podcast creator can field calls from listeners and even add people to conversations. When the call is completed, the podcast host can share transcribed video on social media.

By addressing the essential needs of podcast creators from content creation to distribution, monetization and interaction with listeners on one unified platform, Spotify can become a podcasting haven.

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Apple Expected to Unveil Subscription-Focused Media Event in March, Unveiling New Video Service

March media event is said to have A-list Hollywood celebrities to help promote a new streaming video service and a paying news product.

Image via Apple

The actual video service may only be available in the fall, according to sources speaking to Variety. Apple has a slew of shows in the works, with some celebrities starring in and producing these new shows, such as Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carrell, Jennifer Garner, Oprah Winfrey, M. Night Shyamalan, Richard Gere and J.J. Abrams.

Image via Apple

The exact date of the event is unconfirmed though several estimates from supply chain sources and prior media guests, collectively suggest that the anticipated date is March 25. While the full itinerary for the March 25 event at the Steve Jobs Theater remains unknown, the event is expected to focus primarily on the new streaming video service and the paid news subscription service, leaving hardware product launches for later in September at Apple’s signature launch events.

The initial report came from BuzzFeed's John Paczkowski, who has frequently been the first to report on Apple media events in the past. He said the event will focus on subscriptions and that expected hardware events such as updated AirPods and their charging cases or new iPad minis would occur only at later events.

Apple’s new streaming video service is expected to offer access to third-party subscription services from companies like CBS, Viacom and possibly HBO. The new service is not expected to offer access to Apple’s two largest competitors in the space, Netflix and Hulu. Apple is expected to follow a model similar to Amazon Channels where customers can buy different services from the same place, simplifying payments and offering centralized viewing akin to Prime Video. New content could initially be free, but then be focused on some popular shows, similar to HBO Now’s emphasis on Game of Thrones.

Apple's new video service will probably be embedded within its existing TV app. Apple is spending over $1 billion on these original shows. Apple CEO Tim Cook had already spoken of Apple’s intent to be part of the ‘breakdown of the cable bundle.’

“We will participate in the original content world. We’ve signed a multi-year partnership with Oprah.”

— Tim Cook, Apple CEO

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Apple News Magazines

Image via Apple

Apple is expected to launch a service of newspapers and magazines called ‘Apple News Magazines” with a paid Apple News subscription. The name is associated with beta version of iOS 12.2 that showed possible bundle subscriptions, linking Apple News magazines, Apple Music and an upcoming Apple video service.

A stand-alone subscription to Apple News magazines would cost $10 per month, similar to an individual subscription to Apple Music. The new Apple News Magazine service builds upon Apple’s acquisition of Texture, a digital service providing access to popular magazines, in 2018. Apple’s new version is expected to continue magazine access, while adding newspapers.

Apple’s new expected $9.99 per month subscription would allow users unlimited access previously paywalled content on news sites such as The New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. The financial terms of these deals are still being negotiated. Apple has requested 50 percent of revenue from the service, while the remaining revenue would be divided among publishers. News publishers have balked at the deal. Negotiations of exact pricing terms and access are still be hammered out.

There is also the possibility that Apple will bundle its news service with iCloud storage options and the new video service, thus offering an Apple services package for both news and video at once. The news service would also include access to magazines.

If Apple chooses to offer bundled options, this could generate significant income for the company, building upon its already successful services business today that includes the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, Apple Pay, AppleCare and licensing. The services division generated $9.19 billion last quarter, increasing 21 percent year over year. Apple Music has also seen a significant jump in users, with 56 million users across both paid and free (trial) subscriptions as of last year. 

Apple News first launched in 2015 on the iPhone and iPad. By 2016, the audience had grown to 60 million users. Apple News introduced subscriptions that year with 2000 publishers. In 2018, Apple News expanded to macOS. Apple News today is available in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. At Elf, we are launching our channel on Apple News this winter in just a few weeks!

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Apple Purchases PullString, Voice App Firm Known for Voice Systems in Toys like Hello Barbie

Apple acquires PullString, a voice app startup in San Francisco that publishes apps for Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and is known for providing the voice software system for toys.

Image via Apple

The move is viewed as part of Apple’s push into voice recognition and artificial intelligence technology, although Apple has not spoken publicly about the recent acquisition. The purchase under $100 million, brings both voice technology and talent to Apple.

Founded by Pixar executives in 2011, PullString was formerly called ToyTalk. The company’s primary product, Converse, enables customers to create their own apps with distinct voices and advanced sound options. Converse was widely used in Mattel toys, such as the popular Hello Barbie and Thomas the Tank Engine products.

Hello Barbie by Mattel

Recently, PullString has forayed into IoT devices, primarily focused on virtual assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. PullString’s Converse lets you create your own customizable interactions with users. This is a feature that Siri lacks.  Apple could be purchasing PullString to help grow Siri-enabled apps and features, which lag behind the numerous integrations available today via open sourced Amazon and Google AI.

Current Converse integrations range from customer support experiences such as troubleshooting issues to voice-enabled FAQ and games, trivia and quizzes. Converse could help accelerate Siri-powered apps by providing developers with better tools and also to provide integrations directly into the iPhone and HomePod.

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