You Can Now Control Spotify Media Playback Within the Strava App

[MacRumors]

Popular fitness app Strava has launched long-awaited Spotify integration, allowing users to access favorite content on the audio streaming service while recording their activity.

Up until now, Strava users wanting to listen to audio in Spotify while tracking a run or bike ride had to switch between apps to control their media. Now that's all a thing of the past, thanks to Strava's new in-app media widget.

After starting recording an activity, users can tap a music icon in the top-right corner of the Strava interface and connect their Spotify account, after which it's possible to browse content in the Spotify widget and choose what to play.

The integration supports music, podcasts, and audiobooks, and users can swipe through the queue to see what's next, as well as browse through custom-made and popular Spotify-made playlists.

The Spotify widget can be used by both paying and non-paying Spotify users. Free Spotify users can shuffle albums/playlists/artists, but will not be able to pick specific songs, and will hear intermittent ads.

Meanwhile Spotify premium users can select specific songs in their albums and playlists, but doing things like shuffling settings, queuing up specific songs, and using search can only be done in the Spotify app proper.

Article Link: You Can Now Control Spotify Media Playback Within the Strava App

 

[saltukkos]

But still can't do it with HomePod

 

[philstubbington]

But still can't do it with HomePod

I use my HomePod for weight training, not running 😉

 

[madmin]

I use my HomePod for weight training, not running 😉

I never realised they were so heavy

 

[swm]

good. i had so many sleepless nights before.

 

[oofio2461]

cool, i might check their app now.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Seems like this is just adding bloat to Strava. Is it that much of a hassle to switch apps to control music?

 

[bLackjackj]

Sure,..why not just hand strava the keys to my house too 🤦‍♂️ Is there any other analyzed data they want to on sell?

 

[twintin]

And what is Strava ? 😊

 

[Xavier]

I use the strava app all the time, but use an my Apple Watch or Garmin for activity tracking. Seems like a nice feature, although i probably wont use it often.

 

[Akrapovic]

Seems like this is just adding bloat to Strava. Is it that much of a hassle to switch apps to control music?

When running? Yes.

 

[sos47]

silly upgrades for the world biggest social sporting platform. they do nothing on the activity side of things for years. yeah and they are becoming more and more woke and political.
i just quit my premium strava subscription.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

When running? Yes.

Play/pause/skip I can understand, but switching music/podcasts or going through a queue would require the user to pause a run and pay attention to the screen. This implementation doesn't seem like it's going to need that many less taps/swipes to do that. Personally I can't see myself using this other than play/pause which I can do with my headphones anyway.

 

[StudioMacs]

But still can't do it with HomePod

That’s because Spotify doesn’t want it. Apple provided a framework, but Spotify decided not to utilize it after complaining that Apple was giving Apple Music priority.

 

[StudioMacs]

Seems like this is just adding bloat to Strava. Is it that much of a hassle to switch apps to control music?

The CEO and some executives from Strava just resigned. It was announced this week.

They’ve been adding “features” like this that don’t focus on their core users while raising prices and eliminating features from the free tier.

At this point, Strava is going to have an uphill battle to compete with Garmin Connect which does focus on it’s core users’ needs.

 

[chewbaka]

But not Apple Music or Napster? This anticompetitive behavior will not stand!!!

 

[Ion-X]

Don’t need media controls within the app. The Dynamic Island handles that no matter what app you’re in.

 

[jmor]

Runkeeper app did this ages ago

 

[jmor]

Don’t need media controls within the app. The Dynamic Island handles that no matter what app you’re in.

Not everyone has the latest iPhone models

 

[1738]

Sure,..why not just hand strava the keys to my house too 🤦‍♂️ Is there any other analyzed data they want to on sell?

I'm usually the one making this exact comment but of all the apps I use, Strava gives me the most control over privacy settings. If there's anything I can't give Strava a hard time about (and I have a laundry list), they do pretty well with giving you control over your privacy.

 

[StudioMacs]

Not everyone has the latest iPhone models

Not every Strava user has Spotify, which is something they should have considered…

 

[iAppleOrchard]

This is the weirdest thing that I have seen an app integrate. Spotify music playback???

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Seems like this is just adding bloat to Strava. Is it that much of a hassle to switch apps to control music?

They are trying to justify their price hike, and recover from the BS they put people through over it. (It was a hot mess. Many people dropped them cold because of it)

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

And what is Strava ? 😊

It's an app and website that aggregates workout/fitness data. It's one of the largest by users. There is a motto: 'If it's not on Strava, it didn't happen'. They also have some 'social features' that allow people to share workout results and brag about them. There are other apps that do similar things, but Strava seems to have a better UI (and worse corporate management?) They don't seem to be adverse to sharing members data with other entities. Most workout apps report data directly to Strava (and usually among others). I like Strava because it's all there, but they irked a lot of users with the way they handled their recent price increase. *shrug*

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

But not Apple Music or Napster? This anticompetitive behavior will not stand!!!

Um, use an Apple Watch and you get the same stuff, plus I use the Music Player in 'mini mode', and 'keep on top', and it works perfectly. On the apps I use that feed into Strava there is a lot of dead space on the screen.

Oh, just realized that they are referring to people doing workouts in Strava. Hmm, in all the years I've been a Strava user, I have never ever done that. I didn't even know it was possible, not that I'd ever use it now that I know. You learn something new every day...