Spotify launches a new feature. From now on, it will also be a place for online courses.
When we launch Spotify (or any other music streaming service for that matter) we expect good music. We expect that we will be able to access without problems the library of available songs, that the music collected on the website will be of good quality and that all functions related to playing songs will work properly.
However, at the same time, every streaming service today has a fairly similar selection of music available, and most of them also have apps on the same platforms. This means that competition boils down to a battle over what additional features a particular service can offer at a particular price.
Some people focus on integration with multiple devices, others invest in the quality of the music itself, and others add things to the app that have nothing to do with the music itself. Spotify is a pioneer of the latter, having added (or plans to add) the sale of NFTs, the distribution of band merchandise, and the viewing of music videos to its service. Now it's time for another idea.
Spotify challenges e-learning platforms. Courses will be offered online
As reported by the same site, Spotify is opening a new chapter in its history and now, in addition to a platform for listening to music, buying merchandise and watching videos, it will also be… a platform for online courses. The feature is already being tested in the UK and provides access to a number of courses on a freemium model, meaning that part of a particular course will be free, but the entire course must be paid for. As for where Spotify will find creators of such courses – existing collaborations, among other things, will help here. From SkillShare or BBC.
Interestingly, the prices will be the same for free users and those paying for premium and range from £20 to £80. Pricing is what Spotify looks at to determine demand for the service before deciding to roll out pricing to all users around the world. The courses themselves cover a number of issues, from issues related to music and its production, through to office aspects and application training.
The move towards interest rates had several reasons. First, it's a huge market with significant revenue potential, and Spotify is looking for alternative ways to generate revenue as the company has recently been teetering on the brink of profit, posting an $81 million loss last quarter. The reason the company is focusing on training is because of data showing that users are spending more and more time listening to educational podcasts. This was supposed to encourage the management to develop this branch and provide more to these people in the application itself. Meanwhile, the recent introduction of video formats into the show has helped implement technical training.
However, I have a slightly different question, which is: “Are you sure this is what Spotify needs right now?” In my opinion, the brand has many other, more pressing issues causing users to choose competing products, and lack of video training is certainly not one of them. Spotify still lags behind in music quality, some options are still missing when it comes to managing playlists, and although the desktop app was recently overhauled, there are still major differences between it and the smartphone app. Well, whether such a move is what the market really needs or not will be judged by the users themselves.
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