Spotify gets a new mini player in Facebook's mobile apps

Spotify

Now, you no longer have to leave the Facebook app to listen to songs or podcasts recommended on your feed. Spotify is rolling out this feature to its iOS and Android apps in 27 countries, including Canada. The first time you use the player, there will be a prompt asking you to connect the music and social apps. You'll be asked to sign in if you haven't yet.

As you play audio content, the mini player lives on the bottom of the interface just above the navigation icons. You'll see an album or show artwork and title and artist info. Premium subscribers get the full functionality of the player, while free users have access to shuffle mode. There will also be ads playing for free Spotify subscribers, as what happens on the Spotify app. Those without Spotify accounts will get a 30-second preview of the track.

Source: Spotify | Via: Engadget

Facebook's Fidji Simo expounds on the company's upcoming audio offerings at Collision Conference 2021

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As you might have heard, Facebook is working on several audio-only products rolling out in the future. So, it makes sense that Fidji Simo, the head of the Facebook app, will talk about these offerings at this year's Collision Conference. 

According to Simo, Facebook's goal with its new products and its approach with developing products is that they "aim to understand what people are trying to do and make it easy for them."

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Facebook tipped to launch its take on Clubhouse on Monday

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As with many tech companies, Facebook is reportedly the latest company to introduce its take on Clubhouse and other audio-only social media offerings like podcasts. The social network will reportedly unveil these new features on Monday, April 19. 

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Facebook won't rule out blocking news in Canada if there was 'really no choice'

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When the Australian government passed a bill to force Google and Facebook to pay publishers for the news it surfaces on the platform, the latter tried to play hardball initially and took out all news content in the app for its Australian users. The company and the government have since worked out an agreement. But with the Canadian government thinking about passing similar legislation, we might see the same thing happening here.

Facebook Canada's head of policy, Kevin Chan, spoke before a parliamentary committee on Monday saying that if a law forces Facebook to pay publishers each time their news content is shared on the social network, it "fundamentally breaks the premise of how a free and open internet works."

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