Spotify offers 15 hours of audiobooks to UK, Australia premium subscribers

Spotify Technology SA is giving its premium subscribers in the UK and Australia 15 free hours of audiobook listening per month in a broader push into that market.

The offering, which Bloomberg News previously reported was in the works, starts on Tuesday. US-based subscribers will receive the free hours this winter.

More than 150,000 titles will be included from five big book publishers. Users can purchase 10 additional hours for $11 a month in the US, or £10 in the UK. For members on family plans, only the main account holder will receive the included hours. Free users will only be able to purchase individual audiobook titles a la carte.

Spotify’s main audiobooks competitor, Amazon.com Inc.’s Audible, offers one bestseller or new release per month, in addition to a selection of additional titles and podcasts, for $15 monthly. Spotify says its selection offers more than 70% of the best-selling audiobooks.

Spotify made its intentions in the space clear when it closed on its purchase of Findaway, an audiobooks distributor, last year. Shortly after, it began offering the books for sale on its app.

“It’s Spotify’s ambition to be the destination for all things audio, both for listeners and creators,” said Gustav Söderström, Spotify’s co-president, said in the press release announcing that deal.

Spotify hasn’t been able to sell individual audiobooks through Apple Inc. due to a disagreement with the company.

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