Amazon is a many-sided powerhouse ecosystem with gigantic consumer reach, so it’s not a surprise that the company is reportedly planning podcasting initiatives on several fronts. Continue Reading
Amazon released its first quarter financials. The company did see some adverse impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Its press release included some statements about measures taken to protect employees from the virus, but did not comment on the ongoing labor debates or union efforts happening among its workforce. Continue Reading
Voicebot.ai has released its latest report on U.S. smart speaker adoption. According to its most recent surveys, the U.S. smart speaker installed base has grown 32% to 87.7 million adults. Continue Reading
Amazon is continuing to make tweaks and adjustments to the experience of using its Alexa voice assistant. One of the latest developments is a long-form speaking style for the AI. This feature is designed to help skill developers to make it easier for customers to engage with a large volume of content, such as in a news article or podcast. Continue Reading
Amazon Alexa is getting some more updates for users to better control their music playback. Listeners can now request particular versions of a song when using an Amazon Music account. Continue Reading
Amazon is launching analytics for performers using its streaming service. Amazon Music for Artists is available as an app for Android and iOS devices, with a companion website. The app is launching as a beta. Continue Reading
Strategy Analytics released its latest analysis on the global smart speaker market. Its Q4 results found that Amazon is still the top brand by market share, followed by Google, although both are being challenged by companies in China. Continue Reading
eMarketer’s latest report offers a snapshot of the U.S. smart speaker market, and the outlook is still rosy for Amazon. The company’s Echo line is projected to be used by 69.7% of U.S. smart speaker users in 2020 and by 68.2% in 2021. Continue Reading
One of the more recent streaming service lawsuits is expanding its reach. In November, Sosa Entertainment and Pro Music Rights filed a suit against Spotify. Pro Music Rights has filed additional lawsuits against ten more streaming services. Continue Reading
Amazon Music announced that it has more than 55 million customers globally in its streaming music network. That growth includes a more than 50% increase in Amazon Music Unlimited subscriptions during 2019. Continue Reading
Sonos has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the tech giant infringed on patents in developing its smart speakers. The suit claims that Google infringed on five patents and seeks both financial damages and a ban on the sale of Google’s speakers, smartphones, and laptops in the U.S. Continue Reading
Audible is launching a new audio entertainment app in India. Audible Suno houses hundreds of hours of audio content, including more than 60 original and exclusive episodes of shows. The service is free to listen and ad-free. Continue Reading