Audiobook playback 1x speed default slower than natural state - anyone else?

[erikcchang]

Has anyone noticed a slowdown in the default 1x speed setting when playing back audiobooks in the last few weeks (NOV 2024)?

(I'll follow with a test of a book available in both Spotify and Audible)

Not to characterize (yet) the experience, but it makes sense to slow the 1x playback so that users will end up utilizing the allotted 15 hours included in Premium subscriptions faster with a lower count of titles (how do the content license agreements work with audiobook content rights holders? 🤔)

The 15-hour monthly allotment is counted against 1x speed playback (meaning even if you listen to a 15-hour book in half the time by playing at 2x speed, you've still burned through your 15 hours of allotted monthly time - and must top up hours to continue listening in the month).