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Spotify Web Player No Longer Compatible With Apple's Safari Browser

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Spotify users on the service's Web Player have noticed that they can no longer listen to music in Apple's Safari browser, taking to Spotify's Community web page to discuss the incompatibility between Safari and Spotify's Web Player (via Mac Generation).

In a post published about the topic yesterday by user riegelstamm, it was pointed out that Spotify's system requirements page listed Safari 6 or higher as a supported browser for the Web Player. As of today, that same page has been updated and any mention of Safari has been removed, now only including Chrome 45+, Firefox 47+, Edge 14+, and Opera 32+.

When users visit the Spotify Web Player on Safari, they receive the message, "This browser doesn't support Spotify Web Player. Switch browsers or download Spotify for your desktop."

spotify-safari.jpg

The same poster contacted Spotify customer support, which responded with a confirmation of Safari's removal from the Web Player's supported browser list.
"After taking a look backstage, we can confirm that after recent updates Safari is no longer a supported browser for Web Player. We're always testing things by adding or removing features to make Spotify better overall. We're sorry that this means you're not able to use the Web Player like you could before. We can't say if or when any specific features will be back. But as soon as we've got anything to announce, we'll let everyone know via the Spotify Community. Sorry again for any inconvenience caused, and please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you.

Best wishes,
Rollie
Spotify Customer Support"
Click to expand...
Riegelstamm further dug into the details of the Web Player, discovering that the discontinuing of Safari support might have something to do with Google's Widevine media optimizer plugin, which Spotify requires for music streaming on the web and Apple opposes due to potential security issues.

Instead, Spotify encourages users to download the compatible Mac app, or switch over to a supported browser. Although the lack of Safari support in the Web Player might be temporary, Spotify customer support told users that it "can't say if or when any specific features will be back."

Article Link: Spotify Web Player No Longer Compatible With Apple's Safari Browser
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/08/spotify-web-player-no-safari/
CerebralX said:
You have to ask yourselves, what technologies does chrome support that safari doesn't and why does safari not have those technologies?
Click to expand...

It literally says it in the article:
Riegelstamm further dug into the details of the Web Player, discovering that the discontinuing of Safari support might have something to do with Google's Widevine media optimizer plugin, which Spotify requires for music streaming on the web and Apple opposes due to potential security issues
Click to expand...

To be fair, Spotify does have a slick app.
 
Last edited:
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Spotify's compatibility with various desktops and mobile has always been their strong point. I hope they can provide a solution in order to remain king of the music streaming services as it is preferred even over Apple's service.
I am still using their desktop client on my PowerBook G4 & Power Mac G5. I'll have to check tonight to see if it is still working.
 
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Confused, because WideVine's website clearly states that they support Safari on Mac OS X. Yet when you go to install it, it's only installed for Chrome. Guess Google hasn't updated their WideVine list of supported browsers? Was support removed at some point?

safari-widevine.png

[doublepost=1504881062][/doublepost]I see this as a non-issue for most people, since using Chrome alongside Safari is dead simple, PLUS they provide a desktop app. The only users this would affect would be those that only have Safari installed and don't have sufficient permission on the computer to install anything else.
 
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JosephAW said:
Spotify's compatibility with various desktops and mobile has always been their strong point. I hope they can provide a solution in order to remain king of the music streaming services as it is preferred even over Apple's service.
I am still using their desktop client on my PowerBook G4 & Power Mac G5. I'll have to check tonight to see if it is still working.
Click to expand...
This issue shouldn't affect your desktop client. It only affects the web player via Safari.
 
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djeeyore25 said:
Spotify still supports more web browsers than Apple Music.
Click to expand...

And this is why Spotify will still be my number 1 music player. I want access on all my devices (from my iPhone to my roku to my desktop at work to my Echo in the kitchen)

Apple doesn't understand the microcosm of music. People don't want it walled into a private garden that you can only access with a handful of devices.
 
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LewisChapman said:
..or people will look at an alternative streaming service.
Click to expand...
That's silly, dropping a streaming service because it doesn't run on Safari? Most people will be willing to drop a browser then a streaming service.

LewisChapman said:
For a lot of music fans the only difference between these services is their accessibility.
Click to expand...
This is more true for web browsers, i.e., Chrome offers more compatibility and features then Safari, so people will be more willing to drop Safari
 
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coolfactor said:
Confused, because WideVine's website clearly states that they support Safari on Mac OS X. Yet when you go to install it, it's only installed for Chrome. Guess Google hasn't updated their WideVine list of supported browsers? Was support removed at some point?

safari-widevine.png

[doublepost=1504881062][/doublepost]I see this as a non-issue for most people, since using Chrome alongside Safari is dead simple, PLUS they provide a desktop app. The only users this would affect would be those that only have Safari installed and don't have sufficient permission on the computer to install anything else.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, you don't need to be an admin to use Chrome. Just mount the downloaded DMG and run off of that!
 
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revfife said:
Apple doesn't understand the microcosm of music. People don't want it walled into a private garden that you can only access with a handful of devices.
Click to expand...

Yeah because all of the millions Macs / Windows PCs that can run recent versions of iTunes, the however many hundred million iOS devices and countless other Android devices - you do know Apple Music is available on Android right? - is definitely only a "handful" of devices...
 
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maflynn said:
Why?

Its more like Apple's loss because of people want to use Spotify they'll just use chrome.
Click to expand...

If a Spotify is a die-hard Safari user, Spotify risks that user paying for another streaming server.

If a die-hard Spotify user decides to switch to Chrome, Apple doesn't really lose any monetary value.

This is a lose-lose for Spotify IMO.
 
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