Spotify is officially updating its user interface for to create a clearer divide between music and podcasts. The new layout for Your Library will be rolled out to all Premium users. The change seems limited to the mobile experience, at least for now. Continue Reading
Amazon announced a refresh of its smart speaker designed specifically for children. The Echo Dot Kids Edition was first released last April. Despite the new developments, Amazon and its Alexa voice assistant has raised some kid-focused privacy concerns. Continue Reading
Pandora launched a new in-house consultancy called Studio Resonate. The group will provide advertisers with assistance in audio creative development, sonic branding, strategy, visual design, rich media production, web and mobile experiences, and live activations. Continue Reading
Shazam announced a new update to its Android app that lets the software identify songs playing on a listener’s headphones. The feature is called Pop-Up Shazam, and it lets the app access other programs running on the phone or tablet in order to analyze the audio. Continue Reading
Spotify’s newest personalized playlist aims to make life more enjoyable for commuters with a healthy helping of inspiration from radio. The new playlist is Your Daily Drive, and it blends tailored music with podcast programming and news. Continue Reading
Longtime SoundCloud executive Michael Weissman has been promoted to the role of company president. He will be responsible for driving SoundCloud’s growth and strategy, including its subscription and advertising businesses, its marketing, and its content licensing. Continue Reading
Triton Digital® is announcing this morning that it has acquired Omny Studio, the Melbourne-based enterprise podcast technology and hosting company. The Omny Studio brand will continue as Triton’s podcast-facing technology suite, and Omny CEO, Sharon Taylor, along with the company’s staff, will join Triton Digital. Triton Neal Schore predicts growth in podcasting and digital audio. Continue Reading
The global smart speaker market is seeing more and more action in China. Domestic technology brand Xiaomi has been quickly growing its market share, alongside local rivals Alibaba and Baidu. Continue Reading
We’ve heard about podcast programming outreaches from PRX, Google, and Radio Public that reward winning proposals with funding for new on-demand audio programs. From the UK come the winning results of the Audio Content Fund, a funding program for new… Continue Reading
AdLarge Media’s digital audio division, cabana, announced the addition of 10 new podcasts to its roster. The new content comes from a range of publishers and covers topics including true crime, comedy, lifestyle, and business. Continue Reading
Facebook is moving full steam ahead with its Portal video chat devices. During a Vox Media event, Facebook exec Andrew Bosworth mentioned that Portal would be bringing additional form factors to market this fall. Continue Reading
If it seems like you’ve seen a lot of headlines about podcasting startups landing investment, you’re not wrong. Crunchbase shared its data about podcast deals over the past several years. At $268.9 million, podcast investment deal value in the first half of 2019 is on track to exceed the total dollars invested in all of 2018. Continue Reading