Spotify Podcasts have come to Amazon Echo devices, meaning listeners can enjoy their favorite podcasters – or those on Spotify, at least – through any Alexa compatible speaker.
Once you've linked your Spotify account in the Alexa app – something you may well have already done, if you're a regular music streaming service user – it's as easy as asking Alexa to play a particular podcast. If you haven't, you can just go to Settings > Music & Podcasts in the Alexa app.
You can even "pause the episode you’re listening to on one Echo device and continue listening from where you left off on one of your other Echo devices, or on Spotify (web, mobile, desktop), by asking Alexa to resume the podcast by name." You know, just like when you're listening to music.
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Podcasts have been a big investment for Spotify, with the Swedish streaming company spending a staggering $200 million back in 2019 to purchase two podcasting companies, Gimlet Media and Anchor, to secure its place as the future of podcasts.
Spotify still has a bad rep for underpaying artists, of course, which can make any big expenditures hard to swallow. Podcasts are certainly going to be a big part of the company's strategy going forward, though.
The so-called 'podcast boom' can be a bit misleading, given the medium has had a pretty substantial ecosystem for many years now, but it does look like bigger companies with bigger budgets are starting to pay more attention.
All coming up Echo
That's not the only news for Amazon Echo devices, though. This year has seen a massive refresh of several Echo speakers, with the orb-shaped Amazon Echo 2020 and new Amazon Echo Dot 2020 ensuring Amazon's smart speaker range stays with the times.
Echo Show smart displays – such as the Echo Show 5 or Echo Show 8 – have also finally got Netflix support, meaning you can binge your favorite Netflix shows on a compact screen while bustling around the kitchen, or otherwise.
Previously, the only smart displays supporting Netflix were the Google Nest Hub Max and its step-down models, so it's great to see the massive streaming service arrive elsewhere. Next, we'd like it on the Lenovo Smart Clock, please.
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