Spotify is testing ads in the US that users can respond to with voice commands. Users of the free mobile version of the service can listen to certain playlists or podcasts related to the advertising by saying ‘Play Now’.
According to TechCrunch, Spotify is holding the test with a small group of mobile listeners on Android and iOS in the US. They must be using the ad-supported free version of Spotify and have already enabled voice control support. This is the case, for example, when they use the voice-operated assistant to find and play music and podcasts in the Spotify app.
Users can disable the Voice-Enabled Ads feature in the advertising settings. Spotify itself and Unilever, among others, are experimenting with advertising with voice control. For example, Unilever’s deodorant brand Ax will promote a playlist later this month. The ad encourages listeners to say “Play Now” to launch the playlist in the app. Spotify itself will do that for the podcast Stay Free: The Story of the Clash.
Whether and when Spotify will use the feature internationally is unknown. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said last week when the quarterly figures were announced that his company is investing in voice control.