Apple will soon offer “Spoken Editions” of written content from some publishers through iTunes, TechCrunch reports. Early versions of podcasts branded Spoken Editions from brands like Time, Wired, and Forbes have begun appearing on iTunes, offering users the ability to get the written news delivered in audio form so they can listen while doing other things.
Many of the Spoken Edition podcasts seem to disappear after TechCrunch found them, but many of the early versions were powered by SpokenLayer, a company that offers audio creation, distribution and monetization services to media companies. SpokenLayer CEO Will Mayo declined to talk about Spoken Editions for iTunes in particular, but explained that his company’ “distributed network of voice-over talent” is managed in such a way as to pair the right voice to each publication so stories sound different from one publisher to the next. “We make sure Wired sounds like Wired and any other publication sounds like those publications. The voice and style of any brand is in its writers and the reporting it does. That’s unique for every publication, and that uniqueness is honored,” Mayo said. Spoken Editions are expected to roll out officially in October.
