Storybutton, a brand new audio participant for teenagers, goals to be the go-to different to screened gadgets for the 12 and below set. Created by kid-friendly podcaster Jim Jacob (“Mr. Jim”), Storybutton desires to enhance the best way youngsters pay attention by shifting the podcast expertise off telephones and tablets.
Storybutton prices $99.99 and options an easy-to-use design with an inside rechargeable battery that lasts roughly a day, and a headphone jack so youngsters can pay attention quietly round the home. The machine is available in three types: inexperienced/black, purple and white. A Wi-Fi connection is required.
The corporate started delivery its gadgets in August and bought 1,500 models throughout the U.S. and Canada. The corporate will increase to Australia and the U.Ok. in 2024. Clients can solely buy Storybutton by its web site, nonetheless, the corporate is in talks with a number of retailers, Jacob revealed to TechCrunch throughout an interview.
The machine affords over 10,000 tales designed for teenagers ages 5-12, starting from audiobooks and bedtime tales to instructional tales, animal content material and extra. There’s additionally an possibility for kids to construct their very own playlist of favourite episodes.
Storybutton may enchantment to oldsters who need their youngsters to have a screenless machine to regulate on their very own and entertain themselves with. The corporate discovered that 85% of youngsters use their dad and mom’ cell gadgets to hearken to their favourite podcasts.
In contrast to different audio gamers for teenagers, reminiscent of Yoto and Tonies, Storybutton’s content material is totally free. In the meantime, Yoto requires clients to buy separate playing cards to insert into its machine, and Tonies sells collectible figurines that customers place on high of the field (much like Nintendo Amiibos).
Picture Credit: Storybutton
Most Storybutton content material could be discovered on fashionable digital music companies, nonetheless, the corporate has lately been investing in unique unique exhibits. Storybutton plans to supply 9 unique podcasts over the subsequent yr and a half. Whereas the primary two seasons of every unique present will likely be obtainable all over the place, all of the third seasons will likely be unique to Storybutton.
Storybutton additionally lately partnered with iHeartMedia to launch a brand new kid-focused podcast community to assist creators monetize their exhibits. Podcasts already signed to the community embrace “Koala Moon,” “Unicorn Bedtime Tales,” in addition to Mr. Jim’s portfolio of exhibits— “Bedtime Tales with Mr. Jim,” “Spyology Squad,” “Youngsters Quick Tales” and “Youngsters Animal Tales.”
The iHeartMedia partnership is notable because the large media company will profit kid-friendly audio creators who wish to promote their exhibits to a wider viewers. As a part of the deal, iHeartMedia supplies promotional media, advert gross sales and operational help to all the child podcasts that Storybutton is signing to its community.
The brand new community allows the corporate “to herald different child podcasts to securely develop and monetize their exhibits,” Jacob advised us. “That’s one of many large challenges in child podcasting at the moment; quite a lot of creators and studios have actually nice exhibits, however monetizing it in a compliant and secure manner may be very troublesome.”
Individually, Storybutton additionally signed 25 profitable child podcasts to distribution agreements, together with exhibits from GoKidGo, ABF Artistic, Lingokids and plenty of others. The corporate says it’s investing $500,000 within the child podcast financial system.
Founder and CEO of Storybutton Jim Jacob (and household)
Trying forward, Storybutton plans to launch an app referred to as Storybutton Plus for folks that permits them to add or take away podcasts, audiobook recordsdata and music onto the Storybutton audio participant proper from their telephone. Mother and father may even be capable to report their very own tales or e-book readings to make obtainable on Storybutton. The app may even grant entry to ad-free variations of Storybutton Community exhibits. Storybutton Plus is launching in November.
Additionally on the long-term roadmap, the corporate is exploring different options to convey to future variations of the machine, like Bluetooth functionality and a notification function that tells customers when a brand new episode of their favourite present simply dropped. Storybutton can also be engaged on AI-powered options that may allow customers to create content material. For instance, a choose-your-own-adventure possibility the place youngsters can work together with content material by the machine.
“Over the subsequent 5 years, we intention to make Storybutton the go-to off-screen platform for audio content material globally,” Jacob mentioned. “With continued product enhancements and content material partnerships, we envision a future the place everybody has entry to a world of creativeness, training and wellness by Storybutton.”
