[1.0.0.70/82][0.7.9]Inaudible volume levels after notification triggers audio ducking

[RRL]

Since the latest update on the Spotify app the music will no longer get interrupted by notifications. This functionality is far from useful when using other apps simultaneously.

Often I use Spotify in the car in combination with my GPS and an app which warns me (legally) for speed traps. Before the update Spotify briefly paused for a GPS instruction or an alarm for a speed trap, which made them clearly noticable.

The apps in this case are Sygic and FlitsNav (Dutch). They use respectively the media volume and alarm volume, both are giving problems.
- The media volume is briefly lowered when Sygic has an instruction. Because Sygic uses this volume too, the instruction volume is lowered as well. This makes that the instructions are pronounced on a lower volume than normally and let the music kick in hard again after the barely audible instructions.
- FlitsNav uses the alarm volume, the same as used for the alarm clock. Even though the warnings are noticable, they are far less clear than they used to be. This makes that this app becomes far less affective compared to a total interruption of the music.

Is there a possibility to have the music interrupted for notifications again?

Phone: Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini
Android version: 4.1.2 (latest)
Spotify version: Latest update (automatically installed on April 10, 2014)
Sygic version: 13.4.2
FlitsNav version: 3.0.4

EDIT: I amended the subject/title to distinguish theis thread from http://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Android/Music-interrupted-by-notification-ring/m-p/235200#U2352...

EDIT: Temporary solution here: http://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Android/1-0-0-70-0-7-9-Inaudible-volume-levels-after-notificati...

[Havoc70]

I find it amusing yet also sad that earlier in this thread code was provided that may fix the issues from a user.  A roll back version was provided by a user, yet all we here from Spotify is "we're working on it". This is a serious flaw in the program.  Please either rollback the version in the market or post an updated one.

[user-removed]

@SentineL_VDX reports above that even normal notifications cause this effect, right? Is this the same for other folk? If so i guess Spotify test with all audio notifications switched off as their typical user's use case.

Come on Spotify we need a link to the last version. Its been 2 weeks now. 

In the UK, we'd probably be justified in claiming refunds for Spotify selling features that aren't there now. The mobile client isn't fit for the purpose it's intended for, and Spotify's only effective response so far is 'we know'. 

[RolandSpencer]

Seeing the same problem here... RunKeeper audio cues duck the music, but neither the music or the RunKeeper audio cues are loud enough to be heard... terrible implementation.  Any plans for a fix?  Ideally, you could give an option in the settings for either pausing media (as it used to work) or using audio ducking.  Personally, I liked the old way of pausing the music during the notification.

[Jaguwar]

I'm realizing it's ALL notifying software the Spotify can't be assed to play with nicely. I'm having the same problem with my workout software, from c2

[Jaguwar]

Oops... Didn't mean to hit enter.
I meant "from c25k to Runtastic etc etc. Same issue with text/SMS/Handouts messages: the sound ducks, but can't hear the actual notification.If it has notifications, I won't hear them because Spotify has turned the volume down. >.< They should've stuck to their earlier implementation, it was a feature, NOT a bug, to have Spotify stop so we can hear the other stuff trying to get our attention."

[murkr]

I have also had this problem and first thought it was my phone until I realised it was only with Spotify.

Will be reverting to Spotify version 0.7.4.610 resolve this issue in the meantime as it is getting pretty annoying!

[user-removed]

@murkr can you post the 0.7.4.610 somewhere where I/we could download it, please?

[murkr]

http://apks.org/spotify-0-7-4-610-gd7332b3/#.U1lGrPldWSo

I just tried it, and seems to work! You don't get the fancy album covers as you do on the new one, but who cares if the app actually works!

[webvictim]

Just adding a +1 to this - I've had to downgrade to the earlier version as this is broken for now and makes GPS navigation even worse than it was before.

Looking forward to another update!

[Windy]

The mentioned APK is rather old (0.7.4). I just tried 0.7.8.566 which is newer and also does not have the ducking issue:

http://apks.org/spotify-0-7-8-566-81e29bb6fdcc5e848cf6c3d9c0edbccb/

However, I am very unhappy with the current situation. Spotify's course of action forced me to download an APK from an untrusted source in order to get the app working again. A search for the MD5 sum revealed a negative malware report and Avast on my phone is also not detecting anything.

Dear Spotify team, it seems that this issue will not be fixed that quick and you are not going to revert back to an old APK. But please, could you at least tell us if the MD5 checksum "81e29bb6fdcc5e848cf6c3d9c0edbccb" matches the APK you released?

[user-removed]

I think I'm done with spotify premium after this. Its been clear to me for awhile they're putting android dev on the back burner but this bug is completely atrocious. Will leave "android app falling behind the times" as feedback.

[tdiggle]

Verizone Wireless

Droid DNA

Kit Kat 4.4.2

I was not sure when the update was that started the issue but currently the newest version is not allowing the ducking to go through correctly. It lowers the volume for Spotify and then use a lower volume for waze, google maps, then the music will go back to a normal volume. I also add that this is not a bluetooth issue I have tested several time through my headphones with beats audio on and off. Nothing has corrected it.

I have started my free trial with google and it works correctly, but I don't want to pay them I want to pay Spotify. Spotify premium has been my favorite application working with waze.

[lachie_h]

Anyone wanting a temporary solution to this issue, follow these instructions:

1. Uninstall Spotify
2. Download the 0.7.8.566 APK from this link:
3. http://apks.org/spotify-0-7-8-566-81e29bb6fdcc5e848cf6c3d9c0edbccb/
4. Install the APK
5. Search for Spotify in the Play Store
6. Tap the 'options' menu for the Spotify page
7. Uncheck 'Auto-update'

That will allow you to use the older version without it being updated over by the play store. I've confirmed this is a working temporary solution.

NOTE: You should be aware that this is only a temporary solution, and if you choose to do this, you'll need to change your play store settings back once there is an update available. It's also worth noting that you'll lose all your downloaded music when you uninstall the app.

[Gertv]

I don't really call this a solution... It's just a work around. Oh and atleast for me you lose your downloaded music so there's that as well.

[user-removed]

It's now 3 weeks, and still no update from Spotify, other than "we're aware it's broken".

But it's NOT universal. There are some users here for whom it works. Are they all Samsung users? Could this be because Samgung have done something with their implementation of the API that means they ignore the bug in Spotify's code - or maybe they've fixed a bug in the API that everone else's ducking implementation works around?

Either way, there are apps that manage to implement audio ducking ok... 

[Havoc70]

It doesn't work on Samsung either. My Note 3 has the problem.

[Jaguwar]

I  +1'd you, but Gertv is right, that's not, technocally speaking, a solution. Still, it's something people can do, and I thank you for your efforts.

[micceo]

I can confirm this on a nexus 4 too. All the while I was cursing google maps for speaking at a lower volume when music was playing, but today I tried playing maps with saavn (another bollywood music streaming app) and the navigation volume worked flawlessly, so this definitely is spotify's problem. Also I tried with bluetooth and an aux cable but the problem persists with spotify and navigation. Please do a fix for this asap, this feature is one big killer of the awesome spotify experience.

[keepthesecret]

Why is this marked as resolved?  The solution linked at the beginning of this post is a workaround at best.  I feel like this problem won't get attention if it is marked as resolved.

[aternus]

As a premium member I would expect this critical bug to be fixed by now.

Seriously, 3 weeks!