Apple Considering Offering Audio Versions of News+ Stories

Apple News+ may provide users with an option to listen to audio versions of some stories in the future, according to publishers who spoke with Digiday:

Over the past several months, Apple has been asking the publishers participating in its year-old premium program for permission to produce audio versions of the stories distributed there, according to sources at four different publishers that have heard the pitch.

Apple will handle production costs, and compensate publishers in the same way it compensates them for the written content available on Apple News+, two sources said; Apple metes out 50% of subscriber revenue to publishers based on how much time those subscribers spend with publishers’ content in a 30-day period.

There is no timetable for when the audio versions of stories may launch.

The report also notes that many publishers remain dissatisfied with the revenue they earn from Apple News. In December, one publisher told Digiday that they generate less than $20,000 per month from Apple News+.

Speaking on an earnings call last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple News had reached 125 million monthly active users, but the company has not provided an update on Apple News+ subscribers since noting that over 200,000 users signed up for the service in the first 48 hours after it launched last year.