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LONDON: Spotify on Tuesday announced it will begin rolling out a new in鈥慳pp messaging feature this week, available to both free and premium subscribers.

The feature will allow users to share music, podcasts, and audiobook recommendations directly with friends without leaving the app.

It will initially launch in select markets and be available to users aged 16 and above, the company said.

According to Spotify, the feature can be accessed by tapping the share icon while listening to a track, podcast, or audiobook in the 鈥淣ow Playing鈥� view, then selecting a friend to send it to.

Shared content will appear in a dedicated Messages inbox, accessible from the profile menu in the top鈥憀eft corner of the app.

Messages are one鈥憈o鈥憃ne, support text responses and emoji reactions, and are secured with 鈥渋ndustry鈥憇tandard encryption,鈥� Spotify added.

The rollout comes as Spotify seeks to consolidate its position as a central platform for music discovery and sharing amid ongoing industry debates over royalties and artist rights.

The company has faced challenges in recent years, with some artists withdrawing their catalogs over revenue鈥憇haring concerns.

Spotify has also moved to make its platform more social and competitive with rivals such as YouTube Music and TikTok.

Last year, it introduced a video feature, and earlier this month it announced price increases for users as a part of wider investments aimed at reaching its target of 1 billion global listeners.

In the Middle East North Africa region, Spotify continues to face tough competition from homegrown platforms such as Anghami.