Spotify expands audiobook access to more than 180 markets — TechCrunch

Spotify has announced the expansion of audiobook access to more than 180 markets in Europe, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The rollout began on October 7 and will continue over the coming months. As TechCrunch reports, following the expansion, more than 750 million users of the platform will be able to listen to audiobooks.

More than 350,000 titles

For the new markets, Spotify offers more than 350,000 titles, while the service's overall catalog includes audiobooks in more than 120 languages. In particular, with the launch in Spain, users will gain access to more than 45,000 works in Spanish.

The company works with more than 300 publishers worldwide, including Planeta and Mondadori, to increase the number of books available in different markets. Previously, Spotify audiobooks were mainly available in English-speaking countries — the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand — as well as in Germany.

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Access terms and service development

Premium subscribers in selected countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Poland, Chile, Norway and Peru, will receive 12 hours of audiobook listening. Users can also take out a separate Audiobook+ subscription with a 15-hour limit or purchase individual titles.

In November, Spotify plans to add the Audiobook+ option to student plans in selected regions. According to the company, since its launch last year, Audiobook+ has attracted more than 1 million subscribers and generated more than 100 million in annual recurring revenue. Over the past year, the number of monthly audiobook listeners rose by 40%, while listening time increased by 30%.

In February, the platform also launched the Page Match feature: a user can scan a page of a printed book and find the corresponding place in the audio version. Spotify said that around 1 million people use this feature every month.