This has made many smartphones users wonder why their devices seem to run out of storage much faster than before.

The answer lies in how smartphone and digital services have changed. Today’s mobile devices are more powerful than before, and the apps, photos, videos, and features that come with them also require more storage.

One major reason behind smartphones running out of storage space quickly is that mobile apps  have become much larger.

Mobile apps have significantly evolved far beyond their original purpose. Social media platforms now support features such as short-form video creation, live streaming, AI-powered recommendations, and integrated business tools. As a result, app sizes and updates are often larger than they were a few years back.

Photos and videos are another major reason for storage consumption. Smartphone cameras have improved significantly over the years, with many devices now offering 50MP, 108MP, and even 200MP sensors.

While these cameras produce sharper and more detailed images and videos, the resulting files are much larger than those produced by older phones.

A few minutes of 4K video can consume hundreds of megabytes, and regular content creation can quickly fill up available storage.

For many users, WhatsApp may be the biggest hidden storage consumer. Photos, videos, voice notes, documents, status updates, and stickers are often downloaded automatically and stored on the user’s device.

These files then accumulate in the background, occupying several gigabytes without the user’s knowledge.  In active groups like a class, church, friends, or social groups, the amount of media received daily can be substantial.

Artificial intelligence is also contributing to growing storage demand. Many modern smartphones now include AI-powered features like image enhancement object and background removal, live translation, voice transcription, and smart assistants. While they improve the user’s experience, these tools often require additional software components and data files that occupy storage devices.

Also, smartphones operating systems themselves have become much larger. New versions of Android and iOS come with expanded functionality, improved security features, and deeper integration with cloud services.

Manufacturers also pre-install applications and system tools that take up parts of the available storage before users even begin using their devices.

The growing popularity of streaming and content creation has also played a significant role. Offline downloads from platforms such as Netflix, Spotify and YouTube can consume a large amount of storage, especially when high-quality settings are enabled. Users who download content for later watch or listening, available space can disappear quickly.

What Can Users Do?

Though the demand for storage space is majorly a result of modern smartphones usage, there are some steps users can take to manage available space more effectively.

1. Review Your Storage Usage Regularly

Most smartphones provide a breakdown of what is consuming user’s storage, including the apps, photos, videos and documents. Checking them regularly can help you identify and remove unnecessary files before it becomes a problem.

2. Manage Your WhatsApp Media Downloads

WhatsApp is often one of the largest consumers of storage. Users can reduce unnecessary downloads by disabling automatic media downloads and deleting old photos, videos, and documents that are no longer needed.

3. Remove Unused Apps

Many mobile phone users still keep apps they rarely use. Uninstalling applications that have not been opened for several months can free up significant storage space while also reducing background activity.

4. Make Use of Cloud Storage

Google photos, Google Drive, and iCloud can help reduce the burden on local storage.  Users should also ensure that files already backed up to cloud are not unknowingly duplicated on the devices.

5. Clear App Cache

Applications store temporary files, known as cache to improve performance. These files often accumulate and occupy some spaces. Clearing cache can help recover storage without affecting valuable personal data.

6. Choose Your. Storage Based on Usage Habits

The need for storage varies from one user to another. While everyday smartphone user may be comfortable with 128GB, those who frequently create video contents for brands and companies, and store a large amount of media should consider 256GB, 512GB or even a higher capacity when purchasing a new smartphone.

As smartphones cameras improve, applications become more sophisticated and AI features become increasingly common, the demand for storage is likely to continue rising. For consumers, this means storage capacity should now be considered as carefully as battery life, camera quality and processing power when buying a new device.

It is also important to know that smartphones running out of storage are not always a sign that something is wrong. In many cases, it shows the reality of how modern digital services work. Understanding what is taking up space can help users manage their devices more effectively and make better purchasing decisions in the future.

The feature gives listeners a way to save short sections from podcasts and send them to friends or post them on social media without searching through an entire episode.

Spotify said the rollout has started globally for both free and Premium users on mobile devices, while support for more shows will expand gradually.

Users will now see a scissors icon in the “Now Playing” screen while listening to supported podcasts. Once tapped, the tool allows them to capture a segment, trim it, preview it and either save or share it immediately.

Spotify also explained that listeners can share a full episode, chapter, timestamp or a clip through the updated sharing menu. Saved clips will also appear in a dedicated section inside the user’s library and can be added to podcast playlists.

The feature builds on the growth it has already seen with podcast Chapters, which launched earlier this year. According to Spotify, Chapters are now being saved and added to playlists more than two million times every month.

The update also shows how podcasts are becoming a bigger source of news, interviews and online discussions, especially in the technology industry where company executives appear on podcasts instead of traditional interviews.

Spotify believes clips could help podcast creators attract new listeners by making key moments easier to discover and circulate online. The company said early testing showed that podcast saving activity increased when clips were enabled.

In a statement announcing the launch, Spotify said: “Whether it’s a piece of advice that reframes how you think, a conversation that makes you laugh, or a segment you know a friend needs to hear, those moments are often what turns a casual listener into a devoted fan.”

“With clips, listeners can now capture, revisit, and share the exact moments from podcasts that resonate most, without having to search through an entire episode to find them,” the company added:

Spotify also noted that users can access the feature by tapping the scissors icon while listening, trimming the audio segment they want, then choosing to save or share it through the app’s sharing options.

The streaming company said on Tuesday that audiobook users in supported markets will now have access to more than 650 narrated long-form articles in English.

The articles come from publications including Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety, Vanity Fair, Billboard and WIRED.

Spotify said the narrated articles are produced by its in-house audiobooks team and each one runs for less than two hours. Premium subscribers can listen through their monthly audiobook allowance, while free users can buy individual articles for $1.99.

The company is expanding the range of content on its platform as competition grows across audio streaming, podcasts and AI-generated music services.

Competitors in the space include YouTube and Netflix, while AI music startups such as Udio and Suno have also entered the market.

Spotify co-chief executive Alex Norström recently said the company now accounts for about 20% of the US audiobooks market.

The new feature is designed to give listeners shorter audio content that can lead them towards longer audiobook listening over time.

“With Articles, we’re introducing long-form journalism in audio as a natural extension of the music, podcasts, and audiobooks people already come to Spotify for, focused on topics we know they love,” said Colleen Prendergast, Licensing Lead at Spotify Audiobooks.

She added: “By bringing shorter form content into the mix, we’re meeting audiences where they are to help build healthy listening habits, ultimately growing engagement with books over time.”

Spotify launched its audiobooks business just over two years ago and says it has since expanded into 22 markets. The company also said audiobook listening hours have risen 60% year on year as it continues adding new features to the service.

The company said the feature works through a new command-line interface tool, now in beta, which connects Spotify with external coding agents such as OpenAI’s Codex, Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenClaw.

Users can generate private audio briefings or podcast-style content from notes, schedules, articles and other personal material, then listen to them inside the Spotify app.

Spotify also explained that the podcasts will remain private and do not appear for other users on the platform.

“People are already starting to use their agents to create personal audio that guides their day: from summaries of class notes before an exam to briefings of what’s on their calendar. And they’re asking for a way to listen to it on Spotify, where they already listen to everything else,” the company said in a blog post.

The tool lets users create different types of audio content depending on what they need. Someone preparing for work can generate a short morning briefing with meeting reminders, weather updates and podcast suggestions for their commute.

A student studying philosophy could also create weekly audio lessons based on saved notes, articles and research material.

Users who already work with coding agents on desktop can install the beta tool through its GitHub page. After signing into Spotify through a browser, they can write prompts describing the kind of podcast they want and ask the agent to save it directly to their Spotify account.

For example, a user could request an audio session explaining the history of the World Cup, including major players, host countries and details about this year’s tournament. The system then creates the podcast and adds it to the user’s library with a Spotify link for playback.

The company further noted that the feature is available to eligible Free and Premium users globally, although limits may apply during the testing period.

Spotify plans to continue adjusting the personal podcasts experience as it receives feedback from listeners and expands the beta programme.

The music streaming platform said the feature is now available in more than 75 markets, including Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, South Korea and Switzerland.

Spotify launched the AI DJ feature in 2023. At first, it mainly offered spoken commentary between tracks while recommending music based on a user’s listening habits. Since then, the company has steadily added more interactive features.

Last year, Spotify updated the tool so users could speak with the DJ directly and ask for changes in mood, genre or style during a listening session. Users can now also request specific tracks through voice or text prompts.

The company said each new language version comes with its own DJ personality and voice.

For French listeners, the DJ is called Maïa. Spotify described the character as “Effortlessly cool and treats every listener like a friend who already has great taste.”

The German-language DJ, Ben, is described as “The kind of voice that makes listening feel intentional: warm and present, without trying too hard.”

Spotify said Alex, the Italian DJ, is “Warm and grounded: the voice that bridges the gap between knowing music and truly feeling it.”

For Brazilian Portuguese users, Dani is “Always one song ahead of the moment: eclectic and genuinely excited to share what’s next.”

The company said the feature continually builds on Spotify’s goal towards more customised recommendations inside the app.

“Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalised listening experience for 94 million Spotify Premium users,” Spotify said.

The DJ tool combines music suggestions with spoken commentary and draws from a user’s listening history to recommend familiar tracks, older favourites and new releases.

Spotify has also been adding other AI-based tools across the platform. These include playlist generation features that allow users to create music or podcast playlists by describing what they want to hear.

Users can access DJ from Spotify’s home page or by searching for “DJ” inside the app. Language settings can be changed through the menu within the DJ card.

The company expects operating income of €630 million for Q2, below analyst estimates of €684 million. It also forecast 299 million premium subscribers, falling short of the 302 million expected in the market.

Revenue guidance of €4.8 billion remains broadly in line with forecasts, while monthly active users are projected at 778 million, slightly above expectations.

Investors reacted quickly. Shares dropped about 6% after the outlook was released, as investors focused on slowing growth in paid subscriptions, particularly in Europe and North America, where recent price increases appear to be limiting further expansion.

In contrast, the first quarter showed stronger financial performance. Spotify reported revenue of €4.53 billion, up 8% year on year and in line with expectations. Operating income reached a record €715 million, supported by lower payroll-related costs. Gross margin rose to 33%, one of its highest levels to date.

User growth also held firm in Q1. Monthly active users climbed to 761 million, beating forecasts. Premium subscribers rose to 293 million, up 9% year on year, although slightly below market estimates.

Leadership is still under co-chief executives Gustav Söderström and Alex Norström following the transition earlier in the year, when Daniel Ek moved into the role of executive chairman.

Spotify is enhancing its artificial intelligence features to support engagement and retention. Tools such as AI DJ, AI Playlist, and Prompted Playlist have expanded across music and podcasts, while newer recommendation features aim to deepen personalisation.

Competition is intense, with Apple Music and Amazon Music both expanding similar AI-driven discovery tools, while streaming platforms more broadly are relying on recommendation systems to sustain user engagement.

This digital explosion in Nigeria is triggered in periods like Easter. What used to be a calm religious period has become a peak window for streaming, mobile engagement and digital spending.

Lately, Easter has gone beyond being observed in churches to being consumed across screens.

Pews to platforms

There is still strong church attendance, which has not changed. What has changed is what happens before and after.

Phones are now part of the experience.

Nigeria has over 151 million internet subscribers, almost entirely driven by mobile access. This means Easter is no longer a shared schedule but a personalised, on-demand experience.

The growth of the “digital pulpit”

One of the most obvious changes this year is what I would call the digital pulpit.

Worship is no more tied to location, it moves with the user.

Podcasts, livestreams and recorded sermons are now done alongside traditional services. In many cases, they extend them. A message heard on Sunday is replayed on Monday morning traffic.

The data supports it:

• Faith-based podcast listening is steeply increasing
• More than 90% of streams happen on mobile devices

This is structured engagement not casual listening. Voices like Emmanuel Iren and Femi Lazarus are building large digital audiences. Their content blends theology with production quality, clear audio, clipped messages, and distribution across platforms.

The growth stresses that spiritual influence is longer limited to physical reach because digital distribution now defines it.

What Nigerians are watching: streaming takes over

Easter viewing has changed completely.

It used to be scheduled television, a few biblical films, and fixed times. Now it is on-demand.

• Church services stream live on YouTube
• Films are watched on mobile screens
• Content is replayed, clipped, and shared

At the same time, Nollywood is adjusting.

New titles like Avante (released April 3) are entering a congested digital space, while Behind the Scenes still tops as the highest-grossing Nollywood title into 2026.

Looking at distribution, platforms such as Africa Magic and YouTube are competing for attention, especially for indigenous content. Yoruba and Igbo language productions have seen around 87% growth in viewership and listening over the past year.

Easter is now a competition for attention, not just a moment of reflection.

The gospel streaming explosion

Music is still major during Easter, but the format has changed. Streaming platforms now carry most of the weight.

Data from Spotify shows that gospel and praise streams have grown by over 5,000% since 2021, ascertaining structural growth.

This week, playlists are doing the work once handled by choirs and CDs.

Artists like:

• Nathaniel Bassey
• Moses Bliss
• Dunsin Oyekan

are topping streams.

Dunsin Oyekan’s “Naija Worship” playlist takeover in early April reflects a wider shift. Curation has become as important as creation.

Worship is now on-demand, replayable, and algorithm-driven.

Reading, but differently

Reading has not disappeared, it has just changed shape.

Long books have given way to:

• Daily devotionals
• Short scripture posts
• Mobile-first reading

Apps like YouVersion Bible App are highly used here.

WhatsApp broadcasts and social media captions now carry a large share of spiritual content. It is quick, shareable and constant.

Reflection has been compressed into digital moments.

Gaming: the competitor

There is another aspect to Easter that isn’t usually unnoticed, and that’s gaming.

Holidays create downtime. Downtime drives play.

Titles like:

• Call of Duty: Mobile
• EA Sports FC Mobile

compete directly with films, sermons and music for attention.

Attention is limited.

Even during religious periods, platforms are competing for the same hours.

Social media: where Easter is performed

Easter now lives online.

• Instagram carries fashion and lifestyle
• TikTok spreads choir clips and sermon highlights
• WhatsApp distributes devotionals

What used to be private is now shared.

Easter is no longer just experienced, it is performed.

The economics: follow the data

Behind all this activity is money.

Nigeria’s telecom sector has changed. Data, not voice, now drives revenue growth.

Monthly internet spending has surged, with Nigerians spending an estimated ₦721 billion on data in a single month in 2025.

The beneficiaries are:

• MTN Nigeria
• Airtel Nigeria
• Streaming platforms
• Content creators

There is also a behavioural change.

People are now gifting:

• Data bundles
• Subscriptions
• Digital access

instead of physical items.

Easter consumption can now be measured in gigabytes.

A change driven by pressure

The high prices have made travel and large gatherings more expensive. Many people are staying in, and when they stay in, they go online.

Digital becomes the substitute.

It is cheaper, flexible and fits the moment.

The contradiction

There is a tension at the centre of all this.

Faith encourages stillness.
Technology encourages engagement.

The same platforms that deliver sermons and worship are designed to keep users scrolling, watching and listening.

That tension is not going away.

The change is permanent

Easter itself has not changed, the meaning is the same. But the way Nigerians experience it is what has changed.

Looking at podcasts, playlists, livestreams and even data bundles, we see what Easter is.

It is mobile.
It is personalised.
It is monetised.

And most of all, it is measured in data, in streams, and in time spent on screen.

The streaming service launched in Nigeria in February 2021, and since then, listening has risen year after year. In the early years, growth ran into triple digits, with average growth, led by Afrobeats, at 163.5% in 2025.

Between 2021 and 2025, Afrobeats streams in Nigeria increased by 5,022%.

Other genres also posted strong growth. Amapiano streams rose by 10,330%. Gospel and praise music grew by 5,499%. Hip-hop and rap climbed 3,020%, while R&B increased by 2,602%.

Listening in indigenous Nigerian languages is also increasing.

Within Nigeria, streams of indigenous language music grew by 554% in 2024 and by 87% in 2025. Outside Nigeria, the same category rose by 141% in 2024 and 41% in 2025.

The first song streamed in Nigeria when Spotify launched in 2021 was “到此為止” by Shiga Lin.

Over the past five years, the most-streamed artists in Nigeria on Spotify are Asake, Wizkid, Seyi Vibez, Burna Boy and Davido.

The most-streamed songs during the same period include “Remember” by Asake; “Dealer” by Ayo Maff and Fireboy DML; “Awolowo” by Fido; “Kese (Dance)” by Wizkid; “Lonely At The Top” by Asake; “Joy is Coming” by Fido; “With You (feat. Omah Lay)” by Davido and Omah Lay; “Terminator” by Asake; “MMS” by Asake and Wizkid; and “Doha” by Seyi Vibez.

Spotify says the number of Nigerian artists on the platform has increased by 158% since launch.

User activity has also expanded, with Nigerians having created more than 25 million playlists over the past five years.

In 2025 alone, listeners in Nigeria recorded more than 1.4 million play hours on Spotify. Podcast listening is also growing, with more than 59 billion total podcast hours streamed since launch.

Recent data shows that the average listener in Nigeria streams 150 different artists. The average listener age is 26.

Five years after launch, the figures show steady growth in volume, genre spread and local language listening.

This is its second U.S. increase in less than two years as the company leans on higher fees to protect profits.

The change applies to current users, with the new price kicking in on individual billing dates next month. 

Spotify said affected subscribers will be notified by email before the adjustment takes effect. New users are already being shown the updated price on the company’s website.

Investors welcomed this development as shares of the Swedish streaming group climbed almost 3% in premarket trading on Thursday, trusting that the company can push through higher prices without losing too many users.

This latest increase follows Spotify’s decision in June 2024 to lift the U.S. Premium price from $9.99 to $11.99, its first rise in more than a decade. The jump to $12.99 means American subscribers will have seen prices climb by 30% in roughly 18 months.

In a message sent to customers, Spotify explained the decision. “Occasional updates to pricing across our markets reflect the value that Spotify delivers, enabling us to continue offering the best possible experience and benefit artists.”

The company also told subscribers: “Thank you for being a valued Premium subscriber. Starting on your billing date in February, your subscription price will change from $11.99/month to $12.99/month.”

Spotify stressed that premium users who are unhappy with the new price can cancel at any time or switch to other plans available through their account settings, noting that the service stays optional.

The increase is not limited to the United States. Similar increases have been rolled out across parts of Europe, South Asia and Latin America over the past two years. This shows a similar global strategy rather than a one-off response to local conditions.

After years of losses, Spotify reported its first quarterly operating profit in late 2025. That achievement eased issues about the sustainability of its business model, but it also raised expectations. To keep that momentum, the company needs more revenue per user.

Music licensing is expensive, and costs continually increase as labels renegotiate deals. At the same time, Spotify is spending heavily to expand beyond music. 

Audiobooks are being rolled out more widely, and the platform is investing in new discovery tools and recommendation features designed to keep users engaged for longer.

Subscription fees are the most direct lever Spotify can pull. Advertising helps, but Premium subscriptions still account for the bulk of revenue. From that perspective, the latest increase looks less like a gamble and more like a necessity.

Spotify is not acting alone as Apple Music, YouTube Music and Amazon Music have all increased prices in recent years, softening the risk that users will defect purely on cost. 

For many listeners, the difference between services now comes down to habit, playlists and perceived value rather than price alone.

Still, there is little room for complacency. Consumers are facing higher prices across many digital services, and tolerance for repeated increases is not unlimited. We have seen subscription fatigue set in elsewhere, and music streaming may not be immune.

The streaming company now allows creators to qualify with just three published episodes, 2,000 hours of consumption over the past 30 days, and 1,000 engaged audience members in the same period. 

A year ago, the bar was far higher, with 12 episodes, 10,000 hours of consumption, and at least 2,000 listeners in 30 days. But now, Spotify wants more creators, faster growth, and more video on the platform.

Under the programme, podcasters on Spotify can earn in two main ways. They receive a share of advertising revenue from users on Spotify’s free tier, and video creators are paid directly when premium subscribers watch their shows without ads. 

It is a model designed to reward engagement, not just reach, and it leans heavily on video as the next growth engine.

Spotify says the strategy is already changing how people use the app. “Since launching the program, monthly video podcast consumption on Spotify has nearly doubled,” said Roman Wasenmuller, Spotify’s global head of podcast, during a media briefing. “The average Spotify podcast user streams twice as many video shows per month as they did before the launch.”

YouTube tops the video podcasts space, Netflix owns premium video, and Spotify is trying to sit somewhere between both. Lowering the thresholds brings in smaller and mid-sized creators who may have been locked out before, especially those producing niche or long-tail content.

The company is also rolling out new sponsorship tools in April. These will let creators manage host-read ads more easily, from scheduling and updating placements to tracking performance. The tools will be available through the Spotify for Creators app and Megaphone, its podcast hosting and monetisation service.

Beyond in-app changes, Spotify is opening up its ecosystem. A new application programming interface will allow creators to publish and monetise video podcasts on Spotify directly from third-party hosting platforms. 

At launch, services such as Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny and Podigee have adopted the API. This is important because it removes limitations. Creators no longer need to rebuild their workflow just to earn on Spotify.

The development is backed by money and scale. Spotify says it has invested more than $10 billion in the podcast industry over the past five years, covering creator payments, infrastructure and tools. 

In the first quarter of 2025 alone, payouts to podcasters reached $100 million. By late 2025, the platform hosted close to 500,000 video podcasts, double the number recorded in mid-2024. About 390 million users streamed video podcasts that year, a 54% rise year on year, with time spent on video more than doubling.

Physical infrastructure is part of the plan too. In January 2026, Spotify opened Sycamore Studios in West Hollywood, a video-first podcast studio that will serve as a base for The Ringer network and be available to selected creators in the partner programme. 

The company already runs studios in Los Angeles’ Arts District, New York, Stockholm and London, offering professional spaces without the cost of private rentals.