[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...

[Remnants]

Still completely unusable while using navigation on 1.0.0.82

[daxmorsu]

I have the same issue. Please allow a setting in order to decide what happens with notifications and music.

[user-removed]

This issue is now one month, 23 pages and 223 comments long. Dear oh dear

[CodeeCB]

My oh my, Spotify sure is slow on the draw to do anything! Years for higher quality audio, still no chromecast, and more this ongoing issue. Just make it behave like Google music... Done deal.

[spncrmoo]

Can't actually believe how long this has dragged out for. I know it won't make an ounce of difference but I've had to cancel my spotify subscription and use play music, at least until this is fixed. Absolutely vital functionality, unaccaptable.

[RichardBronosky]

If you care about this. Send a tweet similar (or a verbatim quote) to this:

@SpotifyCares Respond to this http://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Android/1-0-0-70-82-0-7-9-Inaudible-volume-levels-after-notific... Link to the last known working APK. Your customers will praise instead of curse you.

Asking for the developers to code an option to turn off the bug in their code is a waste of time. What you really want is the app updated with the bug gone. But, you don't want to wait another month for it. What you can have this very hour is the option to download the old APK from before the bug was introduced. Demand it publicly.

[RichardBronosky]

Okay, I have found the apk for version 0.7.8.566. I have scanned it with Lookout Security and installed it. It works for me and restores the app to the state that it was in up until the day I purchased the premium service.

The downside is that you have to uninstall the version you have and lose your offline/downloaded content. It's easy enough to redownload, but if you don't have access to WiFi this may be a problem.

It would be wonderful if Spotify would at least confirm the checksum of this APK so we can have a little more comfort in using it. However, based on the level of customer service we have received so far, I don't expect to hear anything. It would be even more amusing if they sent me a take down notice. Wagers anyone?

MD5: 81e29bb6fdcc5e848cf6c3d9c0edbccb

SHA1: 0a87cf975fc4e15bcd2e942ce6198b080027135a

[Richard]

Hey guys, we're just dropping in to say that we're still here and very much aware of the issue here.

We don't have any updates to share just at the moment. But as soon as there's more news we'll definitely let you all know.

Thanks for your patience - we know this is a frustrating bug.

[earlhathaway]

@RichardBronosky:

I already asked spotify employees to verify signatures.  I can't install random apks because my phone has access to work stuff.  They didn't because, well, they're dicks.  It would require 10 minutes to offer this as a workaround but apparently that's too much effort.

[UTbone04]

I just want to back up everyone on here who is also complaining about this. Google Play Music works perfectly to lower its volume while raising Google Maps to a good level. Spotify lowers its level but Google Maps volume is very soft...... as if she was whispering your directions since they are super secret. Surprised the spotify developers haven't fixed this issue yet!

[jthutcheson]

Thanks for the notification Richard.

I have a feeling that a fix is imminent. Stay strong everyone!  It won't be long now 🙂

[kuhnr41]

I am also having the same issue with Google Maps.  As a Lyft driver, I am using Google Maps nonstop, so unfortunately I may have to dump Spotify!

[damntourists]

For what it's worth, I spoke to support@spotify.com and part of the email exchange contained the following:

Hi there,

Thanks for getting in contact.

We've currently got a team working as fast as they can to get this issue fixed, and have you back to what you want from our App!

Hopefully you'll be able to get an update very soon. 

[ ... ]

This is likely not the only bug being worked on at the moment but from the sound of it, it does have a high priority so hopefully within the next few updates, we'll receive a fix. 

[jthutcheson]

I'm going to take a really wild guess and say that it will be fixed in the very next update, and that update will be pushed sooner rather than later.

I guarantee that this has been causing them (and the poor customer support staff having to deal with us) more than a little trouble over the last few weeks.  Then it will be on to the next complaint (which hopefully won't be more egregeous than "the scroll tab is blue and doesn't match the green around the rest of the app").

[Mumbo]

Someone mentioned another primary thread.

Can you please provide a link to the "relevant thread"?

Thanks

[lachie_h]

This is the only thread. View the first post for all relevant information.

[dbleacy]

Spotify needs to pull it's finger out of its posterior. This is unacceptable for a premium service . People need to start boycotting the service as there is obviously not a care giving by spotify. A month of issues and the best they have is " we will fix it when we get round to it" 100% unacceptable

[Regil91]

i've been following this thread since 13-4 and i see how it may be a bigger problem than some people think. i don't care that ive been waiting all this time, but can we at least get a estimated time for the fix? And besides that, installing an older version is not a solution for this problem...

[Koeniekoenie]

I just wanted to give this thread a bump.

Months after this bug has been reported to the developers trough this forum, I am still suffering from it. Voice instruction while driving are completely inaudible.

Is a fix going to be released soon? Or is using competitive services the only work around?

[CodeeCB]

Using a competitive service is the only work around. What reason do you have to not use Google music all access? It works properly with Google maps immediately, they already have chromecast support, and have high quality streams vs Spotify who has taken a long time to fix the navigation issue, still doesn't have chromecast support, and took years to add higher quality audio.