Audio streaming service provider Spotify has revamped its Application with TikTok-style discovery feeds as it aims to create a home where both the creators and the platform can thrive financially.
Speaking on the virtual Stream On event hosted in Los Angeles, where music artiste, songwriters, podcasters, video content creators and writers from across the world – Nairobi News included – joined Spotify founder and CEO Daniel EK.
He said the revamps aim to grow Spotify’s 500+ million monthly active users and build careers for all content creators on the platform.
“Stream On is about all the ways we are bringing Spotify to life and letting creators at all stages of their careers know that we are open for business.
We focus on building the best home for them – a place where they can establish a career, thrive and grow. We’re enabling more creativity, discovery and personalization than ever before by providing the best resources, support, and interactivity.” Daniel EK told the audience.
During the presentation, Spotify introduced a significant redesign of its app, which capitalizes on its investments in personalization technology while also adopting a similar short-form video feed similar to the one popularized by TikTok.
In the updated Spotify mobile app, users and subscribers will access a handful of new features such as the vertically scrolling ‘discovery’ feeds, a new ‘Smart Shuffle’ mode for playlist recommendations, a new podcast auto-play feature, among others.
Certain features, like Smart Shuffle, will only be available to subscribers, while others, like the new TikTok-inspired feeds, will roll out to everyone.
Nonetheless, the features’ availability will reach some markets before others and will arrive at different intervals.
Spotify says the changes are meant to make its user interface feel more alive and interactive.
However, to some, these perks of the new revamp could be a way to address some customer complaints about how the App has become too cluttered and complex to navigate, limiting discovery.