Stockholm (AFP) – Streaming giant Spotify announced Wednesday it is expanding access to its audiobook service to more than 180 markets, up from 22 currently, as the format continues to gain popularity. According to the latest data from the Swedish company unveiled at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the number of monthly audiobook listeners on the platform has risen some 40 percent year-on-year, while the number of listening hours has risen more than 30 percent.
The company said audiobooks would be available in more than 180 markets by the end of 2026, up from 22 currently, without specifying the exact number of countries. Users will have access to more than 350,000 titles, with catalogues in more than 120 languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Polish.
The company said it will also enhance its Page Match feature, allowing users to switch easily from a print or digital book to its audio version. By scanning a book’s ISBN code, users can now track their progress via the page number they are on. Launched in February, the feature has already been used by more than one million people, according to Spotify, which in June 2022 identified audiobooks as a major growth area.
Months later, it launched its service in the United States, offering some 300,000 titles for purchase. Today, Spotify says it offers more than 800,000 audiobooks from nearly 300 publishers and more than 50,000 authors. A further indication of the format’s growing popularity saw the release of Christopher Nolan’s film causing daily listening hours for The Odyssey to surge in France by 752 percent.
© 2024 AFP
