Spotify accuses Apple of impeding its fledgling audiobook business

Spotify launched its audiobook business just last month with 300,000 titles, but is now saying that Apple is engaging in "anticompetitive" behavior that is impinging the new business, the company wrote in a blog post. It said that Apple rejected its audiobook purchasing system three times due to a violation of its rules. To comply, it had to hide the price of the audiobooks and do sales outside of the main app via an email link.All of that makes it harder for Spotify to compete, as users can't easily compare prices. "[This] harms not only consumers, but, this time, also authors and publishers who now find themselves under Apple’s thumb." It's also highly inconvenient for buyers used to simply clicking on a link to buy an audiobook.Spotify's audiobooks could have easily been accepted if the company had followed the App Store rules, Apple told The New York Times. "We provided them with clear guidance on how to resolve the issue, and approved their app after they made changes that brought it into compliance," an Apple spokesperson said.Spotify could also have sold its audiobooks through the App Store's purchasing system, but Apple would then take a 30 percent cut — putting Spotify's audiobooks at a considerable disadvantage against Apple Books. "With our Audiobooks launch, Apple has once again proven just how brazen it is willing to be with its App Store rules, constantly shifting the goalposts to disadvantage their competitors," said Spotify CEO Daniel Ek.Spotify is already... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2022-10-26 07:02:10 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Spotify accuses Apple of impeding its fledgling audiobook business"


RBMedia Acquires Spain's Booka

Audiobook company RBmedia has acquired Booka, a Barcelona-based audiobook publishing company, and its full catalog of Spanish language titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-02-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Germany-Based Bookwire in 2020: Titles Up 11 Percent Over 2019

The digital distributor reports a rise in audiobook titles of 123 percent in 2020 over the previous year. Print-on-demand advanced 18 percent. The post Germany-Based Bookwire in 2020: Titles Up 11 Percent Over 2019 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-02-08 05:46:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Bridgerton star Andoh to read An Ordinary Wonder

Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in the hit Netflix series "Bridgerton", is reading the audiobook for An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon, out with Dialogue Books in March. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-08 01:26:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Lit Hub Daily: January 29, 2021

“Much of what has been created to give purpose to lonely, empty hours will not be seen by future generations—the muffins eaten, the gardens remodeled or abandoned. Words on the page, though, have longevity.” Anne Youngson considers pandemic hobbies and writing fiction. | Lit Hub What it’s like... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-29 11:30:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this


5 Audiobook Essay Collections Ideally Suited to Your Quarantine Walks

As a verb, one definition of essay is to try. As horrible as 2020 was, let’s pretend it means to try again. Audiobooks of self-contained pieces between twenty and sixty minutes seem perfectly suited for walks, commutes, and household chores. Essays might also be perfect for attention spans... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-28 09:48:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Audiobook Apps for Bilingual Readers and Language Learners

Whether you're practicing a language, or want to read a book in its original language, try these audiobook apps for language learning. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-01-20 11:39:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


5 Must-Listen Short Story Collections on Audio

These beautifully narrated audiobook short story collections tell precise, polished tales about Black women, the fantastical, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-01-19 11:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Black Friend by Frederick Joseph, Read by Miebaca Yohannes

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. Miebaka Yohannes narrates The Black Friend with a conversational tone that mirrors Frederick... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-19 09:47:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


A different Calibre: audiobook charity shares how it is meeting growing demand

North London-based charity Calibre Audio's Emma Scott talks to us about how it has navigated the boom in the audio sector to continue fulfilling it mission to provide free audiobooks to those with a print disability. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-18 13:02:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Fox on board to narrate Mason's Sorrow and Bliss

Emilia Fox is to read the audiobook of Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason, publishing with Weidenfeld & Nicolson in February.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-14 18:36:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, Read by the Author

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. The product of a self-imposed desert exile with his exhaustive collection of personal... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-08 09:46:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this


American Savior by Roland Merullo, Read by Dion Graham

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. What would happen if Jesus’s second coming occurred in America, and he believed the best way... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-01 09:00:28 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Apple removes more unlicensed games from the App Store in China

The App Store is reportedly looking a little different in China today. According to Reuters, Apple has removed roughly 39,000 games owned by developers and publishers that don’t have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) from the Chinese gover... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2020-12-31 13:01:44 UTC ]
More news stories like this


We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper, Read by the Author

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. Author and narrator Becky Cooper’s true-crime audiobook, We Keep the Dead Close, chronicles... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-12-30 09:46:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Unspoken by Ian K. Smith, Read by Amir Abdullah

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. Narrator Amir Abdullah depicts Chicago’s wealthy enclaves, struggling neighborhoods, and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-12-30 09:44:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this


I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom, Read by the Author

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. Actress and comedian Rachel Bloom narrates her own memoir, I Want to Be Where the Normal... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-12-29 09:46:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Cold Millions by Jess Walter, Read by a Full Cast

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. Narrator Edoardo Ballerini anchors a full-cast performance of The Cold Millions, a story that... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-12-28 09:00:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Flynn to narrate W&N's Octopus Man audiobook

Actor Johnny Flynn will narrate the audiobook of The Octopus Man by Jasper Gibson.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-17 17:21:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The cast for George Saunders’ new audiobook is very cool.

George Saunders’ new book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life, is out next month and promises to be a literary master class on the short story. Drawing from his teaching career at Syracuse’s MFA program, Saunders walks readers... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-12-17 17:00:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Calibre Audiobook Charity Joins the UK’s Big Give Holiday Challenge

The Calibre Audio charity for readers who have print disabilities is hoping to add 48 new audiobooks to its library this holiday season. The post Calibre Audiobook Charity Joins the UK’s Big Give Holiday Challenge appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-12-02 20:32:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this