Spotify expands audiobook access to family plan members for the first time

Spotify Expands Premium Audiobooks Service

Spotify has announced an expansion of its premium audiobooks service, introducing two new plans that offer additional listening hours to subscribers and allow other family members to access the service. These new options are currently only available for Spotify Premium users in select countries, following initial tests in Ireland and Canada.

New Plans Offer More Listening Hours

The first new plan, Audiobooks+, allows Premium subscribers or those who manage the household’s Family or Duo plan to add 15 hours of listening every month on top of the base plan. This doubles the current offering of 15 hours of audiobook listening, giving subscribers more flexibility to enjoy longer books or multiple shorter ones each month.

The second new plan, Audiobooks+ for Plan Members, is designed for sharing access to audiobooks. Members on Premium Family and Duo plans will be able to access 15 hours of monthly audiobook listening as well.

Future Expansion and Features

Spotify plans to introduce similar plans in the U.S. at a later date, with pricing varying by market. Users in eligible markets can visit the Spotify.com/audiobooks page to learn more about the new options. Additionally, Spotify is exploring the use of AI to expand its audiobook catalog, working with partners to narrate more books and translate texts into different languages.

With a catalog of 375,000 audiobooks, Spotify’s approach of buying audiobook hours instead of titles, like Amazon’s Audible, allows users to experiment with a wider range of content without the risk of wasting money on books they may not enjoy. This model aligns with the company’s commitment to providing a diverse and engaging listening experience for its subscribers.

Sources:
– [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com)
– [Spotify](https://www.spotify.com/audiobooks)