DUBAI: Streaming platform Spotify has announced the launch of video podcasts in Saudi Arabia.
The company first ventured into video in 2020 through a limited test, after which it rolled out video podcasts to select creators through Anchor, a podcast creation and distribution platform it acquired in 2019.
Last year, Spotify made the feature available to all creators in markets including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and earlier this year in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, and Mexico.
On Wednesday, the firm announced that it would be expanding its video podcasting capabilities to most global markets where Anchor was available — including Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Claudius Boller, Spotify’s managing director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “We are very excited to bring video podcasting to the region as we continue to evolve our formats of audio, interactivity, and unique listening experiences.
“This new capability allows creators to express themselves through visual storytelling and connect with global audiences,” he added.
The new feature will allow Spotify audiences to utilize the video background-play feature to switch between active watching — with video in the foreground — and passive listening — with video in the background.
