Spotify Downplays HomePod Support, But Promises to Add AirPlay 2 Yet Again

[techfreak23]

Then where's Airplay 2 support in Spotify after 5 years of it being out? Seems Airplay 2 is a technology that does in fact work.

Because they already have Connect, which is leaps and bounds better than AirPlay.

 

[deevey]

I don’t understand those complaints either. Apple Music runs smooth as heck on my 13 Pro. The UI is way cleaner and more intuitive than Spotify’s

It also works better with the way my brain is wired to find music having grown up with iPods: Artist>Album>Song, or Playlist>Play/Shuffle, simple and clean. I don’t have to be *following* an artist for them to show up in my list of artists. Like what’s that about?

Idk it seems like cluttered UIs are becoming more popular with the younger gens. Just look at Discord as another example. This is coming from a young-ish millennial who was raised on tech lol

Like the Spotify now playing screen has 13 icons… Why even have the three dot menu? The lyrics are always peaking up which adds to the clutter. And don’t get me started on the share icon directly above the lyric share icon 🙄 they don’t even match…

I grew up with iTunes as well.

I also grew up with specialist record shops. Where the guy behind the counter would know my tastes and would hand me a bundle of white labels, new releases and hard to find records that they knew I'd like every week.

Virtually my entire playlists in both platforms consist of House, techno, underground disco, and old skool rock.

Apple Music suggestions: Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Shania Twain . They completely ignore what I've added over the years.

Spotify: Virtually Every single recommendation listed under a playlist is completely on-point.

Spotify's recommendations = specialist record shop.

I don't "follow" artists either in Spotify. The algorithm is smart enough that it can tell based on what I've played, added, or looked for, and what to suggest that i'd like.

As a result I end up creating all my playlists in Spotify and then need to import them to Music or Sometimes Beatsource if I need higher quality audio.

 

[4odomi]

So sad. I really like the algorithm that Spotify has. Their recommendations are just way and beyond Apple. Their playlist enhancement options are just amazing. I discover so much music that I actually like through that.

I also prefer their UI. I have tried Apple Music many times, but I just can't get used to it. It just misses some of the fines, the details that Spotify just nails.

But I dislike their behaviour SO much. What a bunch of crybabies. Just playing games over the backs of their customers. Just add the stupid support, I bet every IT student on the planet would be able to implement this... They are just not willing to.
The lack of Airplay 2 support is also horrible, it takes a few seconds for music to pause or play... this is not 2002 anymore...

Anyway, nothing we can really do about it but complain on their forums.

There's a lot you can do! Just stop using their service 😊
Having said that, most use it because it's free with adds.....if APPLE did that, they would put Spotify out of business 🤣

 

[BuffaloTF]

The average user doesn't care about those points. They want a simple interface, cross-platform app, and good music suggestions - this is where Spotify really shines compared to Apple Music.

Again. The interfaces are nigh identical. Bar of choices on the bottom. Active playing music able to be minimized to a bar above that. A discover page, a search interface, a library. Suggestions and personalizations that come from actively using the service so it gets to learn your tastes, as opposed to one that will magically know you in this fantasy world of expectations.

And Apple Music is cross platform. Moreso than Spotify, actually, given Spotify refuses to be cross platform with their #1 most requested feature on their forums as evidenced here.

What?

 

[Abazigal]

Genuine question, what is everyone's gripe with the Apple Music UI? Like specifics. What makes it an unenjoyable experience for you?

I don't think the Apple Music app UI is bad per se, but it sometimes feels like it takes way too long to navigate to any particular section of the app. I am currently using Soor, a third-party Apple Music app which lets me consolidate the various tabs into a single page and it just helps make everything way more accessible.

Soor: A Third-Party Apple Music Client for iPhone - MacStories

Soor, a third-party client for Apple Music created by indie developer Tanmay Sonawane, is based upon a fascinating premise: unlike other standalone music players for iPhone, Soor works with Apple’s native MusicKit API, enabling direct integration with Apple Music; unlike Apple’s Music app...

www.macstories.net

It also has nicer widgets that let me pin my favourite playlists to the home screen.

 

[JuengerJesu]

Their loss. I‘ve changed back to Apple Music because they do not support it.

 

[one more]

Apple Music is much better. Spotify has promised features to its users for a long time, yet they have failed to deliver.

Spotify has its shortcomings, true, but what aspect of Apple Music is “much better” for us, users? HiFi requires a dedicated wired hardware which majority of listeners do not have, they both sound very similar via Bluetooth earphones or car stereos. I do prefer AM UI, but then Spotify’s shared playlists and recommendations work better too. Basically, there is very little, if any, incentive for people to drop their long-term subscription to either Spotify or AM in favour of the other, as both do what they need - playing songs - quite well.

Update: doing another AM trial right now, running it through paces side by side with Spotify and lossless AM is actually starting to sound better. 👍

 

[one more]

Genuine question, what is everyone's gripe with the Apple Music UI? Like specifics. What makes it an unenjoyable experience for you?

I personally prefer AM UI to that of Spotify, it’s the rest of AM I have some issues with.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Imagine being petty at the cost of customer satisfaction? What a stupid company lol glad I use Apple Music.

Indeed. So glad to support a company that would never behave like this. Apple would never, for example, remove a SIM tray I need just to force telcos to go eSIM only. Never!

 

[CarAnalogy]

Spotify has its shortcomings, true, but what aspect of Apple Music is “much better” for us, users? HiFi requires a dedicated wired hardware which majority of listeners do not have, they both sound very similar via Bluetooth earphones or car stereos. I do prefer AM UI, but then Spotify’s shared playlists and recommendations work better too. Basically, there is very little, if any, incentive for people to drop their long-term subscription to either Spotify or AM in favour of the other, as both do what they need - playing songs - quite well.

Which I suppose is why Spotify starting buying up popular podcasts to take exclusive. When everyone has the same “millions of songs” there is little differentiation.

 

[vinsalducci]

We cannot POSSIBLY expect Spotify to implement Airplay support at this moment. They're far too busy spending hundreds of millions of dollars on podcast network that are either exclusive to Spotify, thereby decimating their audience reach, or available anywhere else, rendering their ownership pointless.

I do like their user curated playlists, especially for TV Shows. I use the free version, and then import the list into Apple Music using SongShift. I wouldn't pay a nickel for Spotify.

 

[brandoman]

As much as I don't like Spotify for messing about on this I really can't agree that Apple Music is better, it's worse. Way worse than Spotify.

YMMV of course but Apple has nothing on Spotify and their interface, music selection, and more. It makes so much more sense for me to use Apple Music and I have tried many times. And I am in no way in the minority.

Agree. Apple Music interface has much to be desired, unlike Spotify.
Sure, Apple Music has better audio quality, but when listening on speakers/headphones/earbuds that aren't super high quality, this feature is nil.

 

[SanderEvers]

HiFi requires a dedicated wired hardware which majority of listeners do not have, they both sound very similar via Bluetooth earphones or car stereos.

That's more a hardware limitation than a software one. I do hope the next AirPods Max headphones have better bluetooth codecs so you can listen to HiFi audio. (LDAC or Apt-X HD, but both would require additional licensing fees which Apple might not want to pay)

 

[Octavius8]

I still prefer Spotify over Apple Music, by faaaaaaar.
Much advanced and comprehensive interface and new music suggestions.
I just hope one day I can be waken in the mornings by it, but Apple just won’t allow competition.
Maybe I can have a cheap Android for wake up to my music?. I haven’t thought about it!

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

It's funny to me that Spotify announced high-definition streaming and Apple was able to both announce and release it before Spotify followed through. And even now it's still not available.

Airplay is least of their problems.

And most people can't hear the difference using their AirPods or other BT devices in their less-than-perfect environment. I'd say the ambient noise kills the "HD" part of the music for most people.

 

[theinsaneworld]

Apple Services are my patronus.


What if they were right? What if a majority of people don't use their Watch that way? I mean, I have no idea if that's the truth or not, but the walls of the bubble here on Mac "Apple Services Are Our Patronus" Rumors are pretty thick.

The moment the HomePod matters, it will get support. It doesn't matter, it doesn't deserve support. Don't think Apple makes the exact same engineering priority decisions? Ask an Aperture user how they feel. Actually, no need. They'll tell you without even asking.

The problem is that Spotify complained very publicly and vocally that Apple was being anti-competitive by locking out access to the HomePod and Apple added the support, only to have Spotify ignore adding the support. Airplay 2 is a genuine quality of life improvement, and rather trivial for them to add support for, yet they still haven’t added it.

Spotify isn’t adding the support for this stuff because of a lack of desire from their user base. They aren’t adding it because it wouldn’t weaken their stance when complaining to the EU.

Even if you ignore Spotify’s stance regarding Apple, they have typically been a crappy company. They treat artists like they didn’t matter, especially around how much they pay them. They lied about releasing hi-res audio. They treat their podcast hosts rather poorly. The new UI is obnoxious. The list goes on.

They had a first mover advantage because the record labels heavily invested in them in order to counter ITunes’ dominance. They have grown their user base not purely because of the perceived superiority of their platform - but because of a ton of promotions, like the ones from carriers and student discounts.

 

[emdub]

This was the reason I changed to Apple Music. I waited 2 years before I did so.

 

[ss2cire]

Well they aren’t going to see a lot of _potential_ customers complaining about the lack of support, so there is that. Especially if those potential customers won’t get Spotify because of the lack of support.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

The problem is that Spotify complained very publicly and vocally that Apple was being anti-competitive by locking out access to the HomePod and Apple added the support, only to have Spotify ignore adding the support. Airplay 2 is a genuine quality of life improvement, and rather trivial for them to add support for, yet they still haven’t added it.

Spotify isn’t adding the support for this stuff because of a lack of desire from their user base. They aren’t adding it because it wouldn’t weaken their stance when complaining to the EU.

Even if you ignore Spotify’s stance regarding Apple, they have typically been a crappy company. They treat artists like they didn’t matter, especially around how much they pay them. They lied about releasing hi-res audio. They treat their podcast hosts rather poorly. The new UI is obnoxious. The list goes on.

They had a first mover advantage because the record labels heavily invested in them in order to counter ITunes’ dominance. They have grown their user base not purely because of the perceived superiority of their platform - but because of a ton of promotions, like the ones from carriers and student discounts.

Whereas Apple only treat people nicely and fairly, their business is only built on love and kindness..

Apple buys a key iPhone component from brutal Congolese mines. It’s trying to stop.

Reports of child labor in cobalt mines are causing the company to reevaluate its supply standards.

www.vox.com

Apple's Chinese workers treated 'inhumanely, like machines'

Investigation finds evidence of draconian rules and excessive overtime to meet western demand for iPhones and iPads

www.theguardian.com

 

[hans1972]

The fact that Spotify dominates a category where they are competing with Amazon, Google and Apple just goes to show what a great product it is.

Not surprised they don't think Homepod is worth the engineering time.

So, why have Spotify complained about it since HomePod launched?

 

[hans1972]

Until the last couple of months HomePod was a terrible product. My personal experience, moved on to other products. Not much upside for Spotify.

So why did Spotify create a website to complain about it?

 

[hans1972]

Apple sold hardly any Homepods its probably not worth them bothering with. Why bother doing the work to support a platform that nobody uses?

So, why did Spotify create a website where they complain about Apple not doing enough for them to support the HomePod?

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

So, why did Spotify create a website where they complain about Apple not doing enough for them to support the HomePod?

They didn't, they created a website about Apples systematic anti competitive behaviour and weaponisation of their app store rules.

They happened to mention the Homepod being launched without support for competing services to Apple Music but the Homepod isn't actually mentioned anywhere on the homepage of that site and wasn't core to the complaint.

 

[kingfish78]

It’s hard to comprehend numbers at this magnitude, but 500,000,000 is 9 figures…

Yep, the thought occurred to me later that afternoon… 9 digits, dummy - not six. But, I ultimately decided that correcting some internet post really wasn’t that important, so I just kept reading my book. 🤣

 

[kingfish78]

You don't dominate a market category when your EPS and P/E ratios are negative and NaN.

Spotify is not a healthy company, financially speaking.

Spotify Technology SA (SPOT) Stock Price & News - Google Finance

Get the latest Spotify Technology SA (SPOT) real-time quote, historical performance, charts, and other financial information to help you make more informed trading and investment decisions.

www.google.com

Exactly. Delete the number of “Free” Spotify accounts and let’s re-look at that “Market Dominance.” The company has NEVER turned a profit. How they are still in business baffles me. They are bleeding money with no real prospect of a turnaround.