I agree with your points regarding ads, but I want to point out these two are usually at odds: > a more closed platform > convenient to play the audio any way

I agree with your points regarding ads, but I want to point out these two are usually at odds: > a more closed platform > convenient to play the audio any way I feel like (i.e. no intrusive DRM) For instance with audio in general, we've seen lots of pushes toward streaming rather than downloading, which allows the platform to control when, where, and how people listen.