[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...

[FalconFour]

FM radio even ducks properly on my One S. So, pretty much, the solution I've found is to "use anything but Spotify". 

[will-wonka]

Thought I would jump into this after spending 3 hours looking for a solution which I NOW KNOW is a Spotify issue.

Premium service = priority and premium solutions - seems you guys have been waiting a month or so which makes sense as this is when my issue seemingly started.

I cancelled Google Play Music All Access (part of me wishes I hadn't) - just tried it again on a free trial and BT music and Map voice guidance works absolutely fine.

I think we should all request a slice of our hard earned cash back.........I for one will shift back permanently if this continues much longer - I love Spotify, but not enough to intefer with an app I use daily - insufferable!

[toasterface]

I too, would like to report that this is happening for me as well when using Spotify with Google Maps on my Galaxy S4. When Google Maps voice instructs me to turn, the music goes down, but the instructions are also very quiet and indistinguishable. This used to work before a recent update that was made to Spotify. I've tried with other music apps, and it only happens when using Spotify, which is incredibly frustrating because two things that I use most are GPS and Spotify and I need them to work together 😞

[JasonD_C]

I'm glad I found this thread and was able to downgrade to 0.7.8.566 but I think it's ridiculous that I need to spend time to find a solution to a problem that was supposed to be a feature! As a developer myself, I can not understand how this was released without proper testing to ensure that the audio ducking worked as intended. I am extremely disappointed by spotify's slow response to an issue that has been apparent for weeks. I would assume they would have just removed the audio ducking and reverted to just letting it cut out like it had previously done if they couldn't figure out a fix within a couple of days.

Perhaps their android development team is a little understaffed and overworked, but regardless spotify needs to get their act together. They provide an incredibl service and have an expanding user base, but if a simple bug such as this can not be sorted out in a timely manner I'm sure customers will quickly find their way over to similar services as Google Music.

Let's hope we get a proper fix soon!

Phone: Moto X (stock 4.4.2)

[Havoc70]

My subscription expired two days ago. I'm done.  Nice job, Spotify.  

[Daniel]

I would suggest everyone just hang on a little while longer. I'm sure any bugs are the top of Spotify's priority to fix and would expect them to push an update shortly.

[user-removed]

I, for one, will stay a little bit longer.

But I have to say I am disappointed, that the Support Staff does not feel the need to give out a statement. Something along the lines of: Yes, we know this Problem exists, we are working on this.

Up to now, this thread is the only source of Information about the Issue and the only "official" information came from single users forwarding Emails from the Support.

And this issue can't be small, otherwise we would not have nearly 250 Replies in this Tread.

I know this is "Community". But we have Community Managers here, why cant they react and give some information instead of letting us do guesswork?

[Havoc70]

Well, they do log on once in a while to placate us second class Android Netizens with platitudes of "We are aware of this problem and are working to resolve it." 

Enough is enough.

Oh, and pretty soon the Spotify apologists and fanbois will reply telling us we're being unreasonable, and it's not as easy as we think and Spotify is the best thing since unsprouted whole grain breads. They're kinda like that crying kid yelling, "LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE."

[Koeniekoenie]

I just subscribed for Google Play Music All Access. It does work.

I want spotify to work because my provider allows me to stream Spotify without it going out of my 4g data cap.

Using it in my car is important too though.

[kkel19]

HOLY CRAP!!!! I been spending hours looking for this problem. 

Using SPOTIFY with GPS...auxicallary cable in car..

-GPS whispers to me due to auto volume reduction.

-so glad I found this thread!!! and that the problem is spotify..

[user-removed]

Just noticed Google Play has Spotify updated on 19 May 2014?!

Has a new version quietly been released? Anyone know if it actually works?

Odd - still showing as 1.0.0.82

[mehau]

It is still 1.0.0.82 😞

[user-removed]

Well I just downloaded it, noticing the What's New no longer claims to have "fixed" audio ducking

What's New

New: A bold and beautiful new look.

New: Even smarter playlists on Browse.

New: Save what you love in Your Music.

New: Better, faster search results.

Fictitious: This app had a dream about you last night.

It appears, after a quick test, that music now pauses during a notification again! So we seem to have:

- New UI

- Roll back to old notification audio behaviour (without audio ducking)

- NO update to the release number

That's shouldn't confuse anyone, should it?

Can anyone verify the above for me?

[Darwa]

Appears to just have been a description update. No software update for me in the UK, and the version number is still 1.0.0.82, though it does say it was updated on the 19th.

Definitely not a software update 😞

[user-removed]

I was one of the folk who had side loaded a previous version after 0.7.9, so I was able to get an update to the 'current' .82. If you're currently running .82 you may have to uninstall/reinstall. I'm in the UK too.

Does seem crazy/odd that that the release hasn't been/wouldn't have been up-revved. Mind you, I'd not tried .82 before (as since 0.7.9 everyone was reporting it still broken). It's possible .82 changed things for me anyway...

Will do some more tests... but so far is working as per my previous post.

[Peter__]

Don't forget, Spotify roll outs on android are often "phased" over a period of time, so the app can be updated but not everyone gets it immediately.

It's worth double checking the true version number in your Spotify App (at the bottom of the settings page) as the ones on GP can be confusing in my opinion.

[user-removed]

Shows as .82

Amazing RAM usage considering I have nothing set to download!

[SentineL_VDX]

That's not RAM usage, that's storage use.

It's using about 60MB of RAM aprox. version 1.0.0.82

And please, create a new thread if you are concerned about that. Here we are discussing the ducking sound on the last versions.

Thanks,

[flyingACE]

I see the same screen and date. I don't have the time today to uninstall and reinstall, but it does seem odd they would fix the issue and not update the version. Can anyone else confirm an uninstall and reinstall fixes the ducking issue?

[Eradicatore]

I can 100% confirm that 1.0.0.82 does NOT fix this issue.  Even if you uninstall and reinstall.  Even though it's silly (see below) I did it and then ran my test.  I use Tasker "say" to actually test this, and I went back and forth with Pandora and Spotify.  Spotify media stream volume is clearly doing ducking wrong, and Pandora does it right.  If you want to try this test, simply nav somewhere, and drive to the wrong place.  Then have it read out reroutes to you all the time. Then play for 2 minutes with Pandora, and play for 2 minutes with Spotify.  You will see the difference!!

And sorry, but of COURSE Spotify would not release a fix with the same version number.  

Guys, think about it.  This is a major business.  They get reports from all their customers of actual issues.  They need to know what version that is.  If they release two binaries with the same version number, they have completely no way to track if things are fixed or what version is actually broken etc.  Let along the fact that users would not get the update unless they uninstalled and reinstalled!!  

Please, just be patient and wait for the next release.  Yes, this was a bug.  Yes they should have caught it.  But everyone makes mistakes and I'm sure their android team learned a lot about audio when this came in.  The UI release that came out a few weeks after this was found of course wasn't going to be held up for this.  It's not a showstopper since you can still hear music which is their main business.  And there is a very simple work around if you really are driving somewhere that you need directions read to you.  Don't use spotify for a bit.  Honestly, it has to be a small percentage of people that need directions read out to them more than maybe 2-3 times a week?  So it's not a showstopper.  It's just annoying.