Apps
Spotify Free’s new update has on-demand playing, low data mode
Free just got better!
Spotify’s streaming service has always thrived on its freemium model. Premium users enjoyed a modicum of features — offline downloads, playing on demand, no ads. Meanwhile, Free users settled for otherwise.
Following a new update for Free users, Spotify has now begun to delineate the two types of users. The latest update introduces a few features that were previously exclusive for Premium users.
Upon opening the new app, users will notice the enhanced UI. Spotify has decluttered its homepage for a more seamless and personalized approach to your music. It reduced the number of album/playlist carousels you go through after every scroll.
Underneath the UI, Spotify finally introduced a limited version of on-demand playback. Free users still can’t play every song they want on demand. However, the app will allow on-demand for 15 playlists of their choice.
You can’t choose which playlists will come with the feature. Instead, Spotify handpicks them for you based on your listening habits and preferences. Additionally, the selected 15 will include Discover Weekly, Daily Mix, and Release Radar — playlists which suggests new songs for you to listen to. In total, they should cover a total of 750 songs.
Based on your preferences, the app can now suggest songs you can favorite as you search for songs. Previously, Spotify reserved this feature for Premium users.
Additionally, the new app will come with a “low-data” mode. This will come in handy for users with data caps and/or poor coverage.
Despite Spotify’s generosity, the new features hope to tease and entice users to switch to Premium. Regardless of the company’s intentions, the update shows that Spotify has not left its Free users hanging.
The new Spotify Free will gradually roll out to users over the coming days and weeks.
Apps
Strava is suing Garmin over alleged patent infringements
They want Garmin to stop selling its watches.
It’s always awkward when two of your close friends start to fight. For the fitness-minded, Strava and Garmin are what you might call close friends. And yes, they just got into a fight. In an odd change of heart, Strava is suing Garmin for alleged patent infringement.
The fitness segment in tech has one of the most tight-knit collections of companies. Despite how many of them there are, it’s highly likely that one will work with the other. Strava, for example, works well with Garmin’s smartwatches. The two giants were formerly adamant about working together.
Now, the situation has mysteriously changed. Strava is suing Garmin over patent infringements involving the latter’s segments and heatmaps features. The case also alleges that Garmin violated a Master Cooperation Agreement when the company developed its own heatmap technology.
For compensation, Strava is asking the courts to stop Garmin from selling any of its smartwatches which include the infringing features. That’s pretty concerning when most of Garmin’s devices have those features.
According to an official post on Reddit, the proverbial straw the broke the camel’s back is Garmin’s new policies. Partnered software must now include Garmin’s logo in activity posts. Otherwise, Garmin will reportedly revoke access to its API.
Curiously, as some commenters pointed out, Strava has done the same thing in the past. And, according to DC Rainmaker, who first spotted the case, Garmin doesn’t, in fact, require the logo.
It’s still up in the air whether the litigation will result into anything substantial. However, speculation says that Strava might eventually drop the case since Garmin can definitely retaliate.
SEE ALSO: Strava is getting AI, dark mode, and night heatmaps
Apps
Adobe Premiere now available for free on iPhone
Powerful, fast, and easy video editing for content creators on the go
In a major development, Adobe has announced that Adobe Premiere is now available for free on Apple iPhone devices.
Optimized into a powerful new app built natively for iOS, Adobe Premiere for iPhone empowers creators to make pro-quality video on the go for free. Upgrades are available for additional generative credits and storage.
The Adobe Premiere mobile app makes it fast and intuitive for creators to edit videos with precision edits, crystal clear voiceovers, and AI effects.
They can likewise access millions of free multimedia assets and send work directly to Premiere desktop for further fine tuning on a larger display if needed.
Naturally, the mobile app is tailor-made for shortform content creation for YouTube (and Shorts), TikTok, Instagram, and more apps.
Meanwhile, streamers can select their best live moments for posting online. Podcasters can likewise clean up dialogue and add studio-quality sound effects on the go.
Among the Adobe Premiere mobile app’s powerful editing capabilities are:
- 4K HDR editing
- frame-accurate editing
- bold, animated captions
- smooth speed and motion effects
- background removal
- AI audio tools for studio-quality sound, including Enhance Speech and Generative Sound Effects
- free creative assets
- one-tap exports to every major social platform
What about Android?
Android device user? Don’t worry. Premiere on Android is currently in development.
Apps
The cheaper YouTube Premium Lite finally enters the Philippines
Get rid of ads for a cheaper price.
As it stands, YouTube Premium might be one of the most bang-for-your-buck subscriptions out there. Besides getting rid of ads on the main platform, a subscription also gives users access to YouTube Music Premium. But what if you don’t care about YouTube’s music services? For that, here comes YouTube Premium Lite.
At only PhP 109 per month, YouTube Premium Lite offers only one thing for subscribers: ad-free viewing. Well, mostly.
While the original subscription will keep all videos ad-free, the new tier offers “most videos ad-free.” Users won’t get ads on ads on videos across “gaming, comedy, cooking, learning, and more.” However, they might still see some ads on music content and Shorts.
The subscription also won’t give users access to YouTube Music Premium. It also won’t allow downloads or background play. As the name says, it’s a Lite subscription.
YouTube started experimenting with the lighter subscription tier early this year. At first, the platform introduced the tier to a few countries. Now, after experimenting with the tier, it is coming to more countries just as it was advertised in the past.
The finalized version of the tier looks pretty much identical to the experimental version. Except, of course, the version in the Philippines is much cheaper than the one abroad.
SEE ALSO: YouTube is working on a cheaper YouTube Premium Lite again
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