Spotify’s test of a new feature that allows users to skip ads more easily on podcasts initially sent shockwaves through the podcasting industry. But industry members say the concern is overblown, for now. The feature, which began rolling out as a test for some paid subscribers last week, surfaces a “skip ahead” button for users who have the app pulled up when they arrive at segments including ads, promotions, intros, outros and baked-in sponsorships. As Semafor first reported, this feature does not apply to ads that are sold specifically by Spotify. Premium, or paid users, on Spotify already listen to music ad-free on the platform. The…
