GoKawiilDhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
TL;DR A new Spotify experiment allows users to skip ads placed between podcast episodes using a dedicated “Skip ahead” button.
This feature is currently available to some Premium subscribers in the US and UK.
If widely implemented, the Skip ahead button poses significant risks to creators’ revenue, as brands may be less willing to collaborate with them.
Audio streaming service Spotify includes ads on its free tier, while Premium subscribers get no ads. However, the story is different for podcasts, where creators can place ads at varying intervals that are beyond Spotify’s control. Well, the music streaming app is now testing a feature that could change that.
Reporting by the folks at Podnews reveals an experiment that lets Spotify users skip ads in podcasts. Known simply as “Skip ahead,” this pill-shaped key sits to the right of the Chapters button just above the podcast title. Right now, it apparently takes a couple of seconds to respond, likely because it’s still an experimental feature (via The Verge).
Nevertheless, the publication found that it works pretty well, skipping the entire ad and resuming exactly where it should. Currently, Spotify users trying to navigate around ads are stuck with options like the button to jump ahead by 15 seconds, as shown in the image above.
But as frequent listeners will tell you, that key doesn’t always help since ad durations vary by podcast. However, this new Skip ahead option eliminates all of the guesswork and takes you right where you want to be. For now, this new button appears to be live for some users in the US and UK, but could soon expand to more regions.
“We’re exploring ways to make podcast listening and viewing more intuitive for Premium subscribers based on how people use the platform, with the goal of helping listeners spend more time enjoying podcasts,” a Spotify spokesperson told Podnews.
We get a sense this particular test will anger many podcasters and brands, although the company acknowledges that not all experiments become permanent features. While the ability to skip through ads is certainly helpful for listeners, it could end up costing podcasters a lot of money earned through brand partnerships and endorsements. For this reason alone, we wouldn’t be surprised if this particular feature doesn’t go beyond the experimental stage.
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