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Spotify App Not Coming to Apple TV 'Anytime Soon'

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A conversation thread on Github between a few developers and Spotify project leader Samuel Erdtman has confirmed that the streaming music company isn't looking into developing an app for Apple's fourth-generation Apple TV "anytime soon" (via AppAdvice).

In the thread, which began as a feature request for the Spotify SDK to support tvOS, Erdtman eventually closed out the comments saying that building support for Spotify on Apple TV has been "down prioritized." That might not be an official confirmation that Spotify will never arrive on Apple's set-top box, but Erdtman's wording hints that it's far from Spotify's top priority at the moment.

spotify-apple-tv.jpg
To support tvOS has been down prioritized, You should not expect a release supporting it any time soon. I'm sorry about that.
Click to expand...
Although Spotify users might like to take advantage of a tvOS app for Spotify, it's not entirely surprising that the two companies may never reach an agreement on how such an experience would work. Over the summer, Spotify and Apple quarreled over the 30 percent cut that Apple now takes from iOS App Store subscriptions, which has caused Spotify to charge $12.99 for subscriptions purchased through the App Store, a $3 premium over subscriptions purchased on the web and $3 more than the price of Apple Music.

Spotify claimed Apple was using such a tactic as a "weapon to harm competitors," while Apple accused Spotify of "resorting to rumors and half-truths" to gain public opinion in its favor. Apple's new music royalty proposal for streaming services also adversely affects the free tiers of companies like Spotify and YouTube.

A potential Spotify tvOS app would likely be a free download users could use as a companion app to stream their music, but with so much bad blood between the two companies, it still seems likely that Spotify will simply avoid creating an app for tvOS at all. Amazon is also refraining from launching an Amazon Prime Video app on Apple TV, reportedly until Apple presents it with "acceptable business terms."

For Spotify users frustrated with the news, Apple's AirPlay feature can still be used to stream music from Spotify on an iPhone or iPad through a connected Apple TV.

Update: As several readers have pointed out, Erdtman's comment pertains specifically to the SDK that allows third-party developers to incorporate Spotify functionality into their apps. Spotify is apparently not prioritizing Apple TV support for that SDK, but that does not necessarily mean the company has no plans for an Apple TV app of its own.

Article Link: Spotify App Not Coming to Apple TV 'Anytime Soon'
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/10/18/spotify-not-expect-tvos-app/
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The effort should be minimal, recompile current app for tvOS. Add some direction pad control hooks for controller support.
It doesn't even have to be pretty, barely functional, slap a beta logo on it, and let people limp along a bit to flesh out the demand.
 
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No surprise...
[doublepost=1476805208][/doublepost]
Nr123*123 said:
Spotify is a streaming music company.

Spotify focuses on streaming music.

Apple is a computer hardware company.

Apple focuses on emojis.

See where things are going wrong? Just look at the development and UI of Spotify compared to Apple Music.
Click to expand...

This is such an incredibly stupid comment.
Here's your hardware by the way: https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
 
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GeneralChang said:
That's a bit of a bummer for Spotify customers. I didn't think having Apple Music baked into the ATV would have been a big deal since I can just airplay from my phone, but it actually is really nice to be able to take the phone out of the mix.
Click to expand...
It really is a bummer. I wish I hadn't used my "free 3 months" of Apple Music so early in the game. Now that a lot of the kinks have been worked out, and a more friendly UI is in place with iOS 10, it may be time to switch. I just wish I could give Apple Music a proper trial now.
 
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Why do people want to LISTEN to music on a TV? I prefer to do it on a good set of speaker designed for the job. Currently it is on Sonos speakers. Not the best, but for the price and functionality, it was the best I could find when I bought them. I would like to get Amazon Prime Video on the Apple TV, as that might get me to cut Netflix out.
 
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Even my Tivo box has a Spotify app built-in. I'd rather just AirPlay my content from an iOS device to my Apple TV anyway, so I don't have to keep the TV on. Still, it'd be nice to have.

That said, the list of major companies without tvOS apps remains long.
 
This is a bit of a bummer, but I'm not going to leave Spotify over it. As someone above said, I'd sooner buy some decent Sonos speakers than switch to Apple Music.
 
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Cuban Missles said:
Why do people want to LISTEN to music on a TV? I prefer to do it on a good set of speaker designed for the job. Currently it is on Sonos speakers. Not the best, but for the price and functionality, it was the best I could find when I bought them. I would like to get Amazon Prime Video on the Apple TV, as that might get me to cut Netflix out.
Click to expand...

Because the TV is typically connected to your main sound system?????
 
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infinitejest said:
No surprise...
[doublepost=1476805208][/doublepost]

This is such an incredibly stupid comment.
Here's your hardware by the way: https://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
Click to expand...

6 out of the 7 Macs have Do Not Buy.

Displays: Do Not Buy

Apple TV: Caution

The only item consistently released over the last few years is the iPhone. And a slew of useless service products. Oh and Beats....wonderful Beats headphones.

Oh and Apple Watches, with loads of pretty bands that the team has worked so incredibly hard at. We've really got some great innovation in these pretty bands.


But please, continue to tell me how Apple makes hardware. I'll wait.
 
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Nr123*123 said:
Spotify is a streaming music company.

Spotify focuses on streaming music.

Apple is a computer hardware company.

Apple focuses on emojis.

See where things are going wrong? Just look at the development and UI of Spotify compared to Apple Music.
Click to expand...

Spotify's UI leaves much to be desired... is there still not a way to view your play queue on iPad?
 
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Cuban Missles said:
Why do people want to LISTEN to music on a TV? I prefer to do it on a good set of speaker designed for the job. Currently it is on Sonos speakers. Not the best, but for the price and functionality, it was the best I could find when I bought them. I would like to get Amazon Prime Video on the Apple TV, as that might get me to cut Netflix out.
Click to expand...
My Apple TV is connected into my 5.1 system.
It's actually a great feature to tell Siri to play the music I want in my living room.
Bummer for Spotify costumers, but you all get a web interface...
 
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GeneralChang said:
That's a bit of a bummer for Spotify customers. I didn't think having Apple Music baked into the ATV would have been a big deal since I can just airplay from my phone, but it actually is really nice to be able to take the phone out of the mix.
Click to expand...

I have never played music from Apple TV for the reason you said, using AirPlay from the phone instead. But I watch music video (and Apple Music concerts) on it all the time and it just looks really great on my big screen. The new update has Music Video tab unlike previous version so it's much easier now.
 
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So companies like Spotify and Amazon expect to have a free lunch on software platforms they didn't contribute money, time, and resources to create? That seems to me to be the attitude on display here.

Also, no one is forcing Spotify to raise their price to $12.99. They do so to cover for Apple's 30% cut, because they don't want to destroy their profit margin. That's on Spotify, not Apple.

If you want your product on iOS, yes, there's going to be a cost involved in that. Just because you're a streaming company doesn't exempt you from that.

As others have said, the wiser decision is to expose your product on as many platforms as possible.
 
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I'm not surprised. This poorly thought out strategy has been taken by other companies that compete with Apple like Amazon and Vudu. These companies think they are punishing Apple and making their company stronger by not making apps but in reality they're digging their own grave as users will switch to Apple or another company's service that is supported on Apple devices. This strategy only works when the company is not the market leader but Apple is clearly the leader.
 
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