What you need to know
- Spotify is testing a new feature.
- It will allow users to vote in interactive polls in real-time.
- It will first feature in Spotify-exclusive original shows.
Spotify is testing a new feature that will allow users to vote in real-time in interactive polls whilst listening to podcasts on its app.
As reported by The Verge:
Spotify's newest interactive podcast test brings a popular Instagram feature to the platform: polls. Similarly to Instagram, respondents and hosts can see the poll results in real-time, although unlike Instagram, answers are anonymous. You'll only be able to view the results if you vote.
Testing will reportedly begin on a couple of Spotify-exclusive original podcasts, including The Rewatchables and Crime Countdown, and you should already be able to see the feature. The Verge says about 90% of Spotify users should see the feature on the iOS and Android app first, but that this will eventually roll out to all users eventually.
The report further notes that it is unclear whether Spotify will let other third-party shows use this feature.
Polls show up at the bottom of a show's episode page, or on the Now Playing page, and you can see the results in real-time after you've voted.
Recently, Spotify rolled out testing of a new feature that should let some users stream music on the platform directly to Apple Watch.
Spotify also added listings for virtual concerts earlier this month, something it says is necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cancellation of concerts:
With many tours postponed until 2021, the necessity for these virtual events is set to continue, and we want to make it easy for Spotify listeners to learn about virtual events for the artists they love, and for artists they're discovering for the very first time. In light of this, we've leveraged our partnership with Songkick—the live stream concert discovery app—and Ticketmaster to make it happen.
