This MacVoices Live! session concludes with a discussion of Spotify's new audiobook library and Samsung's pursuit of blue bubbles in messaging. The appeal and limitations of Spotify's 15-hour monthly allowance for audiobooks is debated as is Spotify's plan to use AI voices and its ability to compete with Audible, Amazon, and Apple. Chuck Joiner, Guy Serle, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jim Rea, Mark Fuccio, and Web Bixby finish up with a conversation about the ongoing competition in messaging services and Samsung trying to push Apple into a message standard. (Part 3) 

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Show Notes:

Chapters:

0:01:08 Spotify's new offering: 150,000 audiobooks for premium users 0:03:12 Spotify's audiobook service ranks third after Audible and free options 0:03:57 The limitations of Spotify's audiobook service 0:13:54 Voice Quality and AI Voices for Books 0:17:59 Samsung's push for RCS compatibility with Apple 0:21:46 Samsung and Google's attempt to homogenize messaging services 0:22:47 Need for a Cross-Platform Message App 0:23:07 Apple's Functionality vs iPhone's Great Features 0:25:48 Interfacing with Android People: No Difficulty 0:26:16 The rise of text messaging and alternative communication platforms 0:28:09 Amazon's strategic value in the book ecosystem 0:30:18 Challenges Spotify will face in disrupting Amazon's book dominance 0:33:03 The convenience of e-books and the decline in physical books 0:33:44 Discussing iPad Sizes and Models 0:34:55 Introducing the Panel and Contact Information 0:36:23 Mic Talk and Appreciation

Links:

Spotify Audiobooks is the killer feature to fight off Apple Music and Tidal streaming — and could destroy Amazon's Audible https://www.imore.com/music-movies-tv/apple-music/spotify-audiobooks-is-the-killer-feature-to-fight-off-apple-music-and-tidal-streaming-and-could-destroy-amazons-audible

Samsung joins Google in RCS shaming Apple https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/10/23910941/samsung-rcs-shaming-apple-getthemessage

Guests:

Web Bixby has been in the insurance business for 40 years and has been an Apple user for longer than that.You can catch up with him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Brian Flanigan-Arthurs is an educator with a passion for providing results-driven, innovative learning strategies for all students, but particularly those who are at-risk. He is also a tech enthusiast who has a particular affinity for Apple since he first used the Apple IIGS as a student. You can contact Brian on twitter as @brian8944. He also recently opened a Mastodon account at @[email protected].

Mark Fuccio is actively involved in high tech startup companies, both as a principle at piqsure.com, or as a marketing advisor through his consulting practice Tactics Sells High Tech, Inc. Mark was a proud investor in Microsoft from the mid-1990's selling in mid 2000, and hopes one day that MSFT will be again an attractive investment. You can contact Mark through Twitter, LinkedIn, or on Mastodon.

Jim Rea built his own computer from scratch in 1975, started programming in 1977, and has been an independent Mac developer continuously since 1984. He is the founder of ProVUE Development, and the author of Panorama X, ProVUE's ultra fast RAM based database software for the macOS platform. He’s been a speaker at MacTech, MacWorld Expo and other industry conferences. Follow Jim at provue.com and via @[email protected] on Mastodon.

Ben Roethig has been in the Apple Ecosystem since the System 7 Days. He is the a former Associate Editor with Geek Beat, Co-Founder of The Tech Hangout and Deconstruct and currently shares his thoughts on RoethigTech. Contact him on  Twitter and Mastodon.

Guy Serle, best known for being one of the co-hosts of the MyMac Podcast, sincerely apologizes for anything he has done or caused to have happened while in possession of dangerous podcasting equipment. He should know better but being a blonde from Florida means he's probably incapable of understanding the damage he has wrought. Guy is also the author of the novel, The Maltese Cube. You can follow his exploits on Twitter, catch him on Mac to the Future on Facebook, at @[email protected], and find everything at VertShark.com.

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00:01:07 Spotify's new offering: 150,000 audiobooks for premium users 00:03:12 Spotify's audiobook service ranks third after Audible and free options 00:03:56 The limitations of Spotify's audiobook service 00:13:53 Voice Quality and AI Voices for Books 00:17:58 Samsung's push for RCS compatibility with Apple 00:21:45 Samsung and Google's attempt to homogenize messaging services 00:22:47 Need for a Cross-Platform Message App 00:23:06 Apple's Functionality vs iPhone's Great Features 00:25:48 Interfacing with Android People: No Difficulty 00:26:16 The rise of text messaging and alternative communication platforms 00:28:08 Amazon's strategic value in the book ecosystem 00:30:18 Challenges Spotify will face in disrupting Amazon's book dominance 00:33:03 The convenience of e-books and the decline in physical books 00:33:43 Discussing iPad Sizes and Models 00:34:55 Introducing the Panel and Contact Information 00:36:23 Mic Talk and Appreciation