New podcast feature: Spotify is exploring a vertical “audio newsfeed” to improve podcast discoverability, according to TechCrunch.
Podcast listeners may be interested to know that Spotify is now testing a new feature for their audio platform of choice. To mimic Instagram’s Reels or News Feed, this new feature offers a vertical scrolling option.
Users are presented with 60-second audio samples of programmes in a vertically scrolling feed as evidenced in the attached video below. Machine learning models based on 100,000 hours of audio are said to be used to automatically choose the snippets that will be shown in each video segment.
Spotify claims that the functionality is built on technology that the business acquired when it purchased Podz for roughly $49 million last summer. Because it used a TikTok-style vertical scrolling structure for the “audio newsfeed,” the firm was able to choose audio snippets from programmes without relying on podcast makers producing their own clip. This was an innovative solution to the issue of podcast discovery.
“Podcasts” buttons have been added to the app for testing purposes, which directs visitors to a vertical feed where a show’s cover image is shown as the audio clip linked with it plays. In addition, when the video plays, a transcript appears on the screen, highlighting the spoken words. Using the play and plus buttons, users may continue listening to the programme and add it to their “Your Episodes” list in the app.
According to a video posted on Twitter, the storey broke (Via TechCrunch). These users will be able to listen to 60-second audio segments that are shown in a vertical format. It is said to utilise a machine learning model trained on over 100,000 hours of audio to be able to automatically recommend chosen audio samples for each user based on their preferences. Audio streaming startup Podz claims that this will be based on the technology they obtained when they bought Podz last year for roughly $49 million.
The “audio newsfeed” was invented by Podz to aid with podcast discovery. Thus, it employed a vertical scrolling structure similar to Instagram Reels/TikTok for this operation. Noteworthy is that podcasters didn’t had to spend time creating their own audio snippets because of this feature’s ability to choose existing ones. The capability is currently being tested in a limited number of areas where users may access a specific “Podcasts” button inside the programme.
According to Spotify, it is evaluating the technology obtained from Podz, but the company did not provide a timeline for the feature’s introduction.
In an attempt to better serve our users, we at Spotify often undertake a variety of tests,” a spokeswoman stated. “In some cases, these testing lead to a better user experience, while in others they provide valuable information. At this moment, we are unable to provide any more information.”
To counter Apple’s longstanding supremacy in podcasting, Spotify has been putting a lot of resources into podcasting in recent years. After acquiring a number of popular podcasts in 2019, Spotify has also begun developing its own podcasts.
According to Spotify, it is evaluating the technology obtained from Podz, although the company did not provide a timeline for the feature’s release:
In an attempt to better serve our users, we at Spotify often undertake a variety of tests,” a spokeswoman stated. “In some cases, these testing lead to a better user experience, while in others they provide valuable information. At this moment, we are unable to provide any more information.”
To counter Apple’s longstanding supremacy in podcasting, Spotify has been putting a lot of resources into podcasting in recent years. Since 2019, Spotify has also begun developing its own podcasts and has acquired a number of well-known podcasts.