Technologies

Spotify Raises Premium Subscription Price Globally (but Not in the US… Yet)

The price of a Premium Individual subscription goes up to nearly $14 for overseas markets but remains at $12 in the US.

For many global customers, the cost of streaming their favorite music on Spotify is about to have a bigger impact on their wallets.

The music streaming service announced that it’s raising the monthly price of a premium subscription for markets in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region. The price change will vary based on each region’s local currency, but in Euro-using countries, a premium subscription will go up 1 euro a month to 11.99 euros ($13.87), and in the United Kingdom, it will go up by one pound a month.

The price for US-based subscribers will not go up — for now at least. That likely won’t last — the company raised the price by a dollar in 2023 and another dollar in 2024. It now costs $12.

In its announcement Monday, Spotify said it was introducing the price increase «so that we can continue to innovate on our product offerings and features, and bring you the best experience.»

Stuart Dredge, head of insight at Music Ally and co-host of The Price of Music podcast, calledi it «a positive move» after years of subscription price stagnation.

«More money coming in means more being paid out, which is good for artists and songwriters — even with all the arguments still going on about how that money is shared out,» Dredge said. «Personally, £11.99 a month still feels like good value for the entire catalog of recorded music, especially when you compare it to the streaming video world.»

The announcement gave a shot in the arm to Spotify’s share price during Monday’s trading, with a nearly 7% increase in the stock price at the NYSE. The share price had dropped 11.5% on July 29 after the company’s profit forecast fell below what analysts had predicted.

Music streaming remains a huge business

Spotify retains a comfortable market share lead among music streaming apps. By the end of 2024, the Sweden-based app was No. 1 with a nearly 32 percent market share, followed far behind by Tencent, Apple, Amazon and YouTube. One-third of the music streaming market is in North America,and the US market is expected to grow by 13% by 2030.

A representative for Luminate, a music and entertainment data and analytics company, said that music streams reached nearly 5 trillion globally in 2024.

«Our 2025 Midyear Music Report shows continued streaming growth, but the rate has slowed compared to recent years,» said a Luminate spokesperson. «Instead, there is an appetite for more innovation and new areas of music discovery from music listeners.

«Whether it’s streaming activity on gaming platforms or attitudes towards AI-generated content, younger listeners are more open to non-traditional and transmedia engagement,» the spokesperson added. «That should be a sign that opportunities for growth are shifting, not decreasing.»

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Aug. 6

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Aug. 6

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

I struggled with a few of today’s Mini Crossword clues. 3-Down, with the clue «Fab!» really stumped me. I eventually got it, thanks to the other clues filling in some letters. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in The Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Stylish
Answer: HIP

4A clue: Something a beach umbrella provides
Answer: SHADE

6A clue: ___ Banks, North Carolina
Answer: OUTER

7A clue: Unlikely to keep you up at night, in a way
Answer: DECAF

8A clue: The eruption of Mount St. Helens released 520 million tons of it
Answer: ASH

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Come out of one’s shell
Answer: HATCH

2D clue: Bright ___
Answer: IDEA

3D clue: «Fab!»
Answer: PERF

4D clue: Starry or Squirt
Answer: SODA

5D clue: Color tones
Answer: HUES

Technologies

Samsung Acknowledges Its ‘Upcoming’ Tri-Fold Phone on Earnings Call

It’s reportedly «preparing to introduce» the unique form factor later this year.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 may have just come out, but it appears the company is already teasing its next foldable phone that takes things to a whole other level.

In an earnings call last week, which Seeking Alpha shared, Samsung noted it’s pushing forward with its triple-screen foldable, which has been rumored for months. It also acknowledged the imminent arrival of its Project Moohan mixed reality headset, which it’s developing with Google. Samsung reportedly said it’s «preparing to introduce» the products this year.

«We will drive sales of our premium mobile AI devices, including our newly launched foldables and aim to lead the market by expanding our ecosystem through innovative form factors like the upcoming Tri-Fold device and our first XR headset,» the company reportedly said on the call.

A representative for Samsung didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

Last month, Android Authority reported that a Samsung executive said the new foldable is «ready to go.» That person reportedly told the publication: «We’ve had a tri-fold for some time, designed and everything. So it’s not a new concept to us. What we’re debating is the viability. When I say the viability, is there really a demand for this form factor?»

It’s an interesting consideration, as there arguably hasn’t been overwhelming demand for thinner phones, and yet Samsung still debuted the slim Galaxy S25 Edge in May — and then carried over that sleek design to the Z Fold 7. But it’s possible that, as Samsung said when it debuted its latest book-style foldable, «feeling is believing,» and people might be keen to get their hands on a phone that feels more innovative than many other devices currently on the market.

Android Authority cites a South Korean publication that says the rumored tri-fold will have a 10-inch OLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a triple camera system with a 200-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera — just like the Z Fold 7. It could also have a 10-megapixel selfie camera. Rumors suggest it could cost around $3,000. It could first launch in China and South Korea before the company determines whether to extend availability elsewhere.

Like thin phones, tri-folds are having a moment. Last month, Chinese company Tecno showed off its tri-fold concept, the Phantom Ultimate G Fold. There’s also the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate, which is available now outside the US.

In a press conference during Samsung Unpacked in July, Roh Tae-moon, the acting head of Samsung Electronics’ Device Experience Division, reportedly confirmed plans for the company to launch a tri-fold phone by the end of this year. The device has been dubbed the «Galaxy G Fold,» though Samsung seemingly hasn’t confirmed anything about that naming.

«We are now focusing on perfecting the product and its usability, but we have not decided its name,» The Korea Times quoted Roh. «As the product nears completion, we are planning to make a final decision soon.»

We’ll see if Samsung ends up dropping more teasers in the coming months, like it did in the lead-up to the Z Fold 7.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Aug. 6, #787

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Aug. 6, #787.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has one of those purple categories at which the New York Times’ editors are experts. They love to add letters to related words to make other words, and it can be tough to see that connection — which is the point of the puzzle. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Maybe a nametag.

Green group hint: Joking around.

Blue group hint: Think Ali or Tyson.

Purple group hint: Think Schwarzenegger.