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Android Widget Removal

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Android Widget Removal

We’re here to let you know that we are retiring the Spotify Widget for Android this week. 

 

We always take retiring features in Spotify very seriously. We’re pouring our energy into new ways of creating the best experience for our users.

 

You can still easily access the same playback features as well as information about what is playing through the Spotify playback notification and device lockscreen.

 

Screen Shot 2019-08-08 at 12.49.40 PM.png

 



To access the playback controls on Android simply swipe down while you are using Spotify to access the controls.


Screen Shot 2019-08-08 at 12.49.48 PM.png

 

If you’re interested in learning more about how the app evolves, check out our article about testing and why features change.

 

We’re also welcome to feedback from our users. The best way to give us feedback to is to write an Idea in our Idea Exchange

 

Thanks!

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518 Replies

I listen to music just about nonstop & used the widget all day, every day & then wake up yesterday thinking I must have fallen asleep on my phone & deleted it off my home screen... Looked for a while trying to find it. But Nope, I find out it's been removed so I can have a "better experience". That's ridiculous! It just makes it harder to use. Especially while driving & using my Bluetooth in the car. I've already been using Pandora on my smart watch, & now I'm seriously thinking about dropping Spotify & switching over if the widget doesn't come back. They even have the lyrics below the songs so you don't have to soundhound them, so that's a plus too. Everything y'all could do to make your service the best & you make it worse. Highly dissapointed... 

Good work! Get the message out there.

Why would you remove something that was OPTIONAL? If you don't use it, fine. I get it. But to remove it for those who do use it, and heavily, is mind blowing. And no option for replacement? Who came up with this idea, and why do I get the sense that no one cares? Here vote for this thing we marked “Thanks, but no” It took well over a year to get the Roku app back on my TV, so I am not holding my breath that they will get the hint and put the widget back in any reasonable time frame.

I literally made an account just to comment how frustrating this is. This is the last straw, even if you fix it, you've proven your mentality. Loved your app like a year ago, but as times gone by, you have removed pretty much everything about your app I liked. Awful UI now, awful organizational options, no more lyrics, keep finding songs blanked out I use to have and was able to play, now something I use every single day is taken off and you treat us like idiots in voting for it to come back with your passive way of saying "we don't give a F what you vote on, this is progress and what you want." Heaven forbid I use my android phones unique ability to have widgets. Just look at how nice that default app fits my layout now too. Screw you and you're company. Off to Google Play Music! 

Screenshot_20190813-094841(1).jpg

Can't believe yall took this off!!! It was the main thing I liked about the Spotify app for andriod.  Should have atleast made it an option to keep it, yall are a**holes!

The notification will only show while something plays. The lockscreen? What lockscreen my phone unlocks the second i look at it. all in all this change **bleep**. The player was always Horible to controll on the phone but now it somehow got even worse, seems like i need to look for an alternative!

Dear Spotifail, thanks for the free Google Home Mini you offered me as a reward for my fidelity a few months ago.

I have heard it integrates perfectly with Google Play Music and guess what : they have very innovative features such as Android Widget.

 

 

Good bye, losers!

Literally **bleep** you Spotify, I hate your app. You don't even have the option to see all artist songs (basic feature) and now you got rid of the widget??? wth is wrong with you, I'm defenitely planning to change 

Why would you do that? Used the Widget every day, now i have to take way more steps to get the music going. Thx for nothing!

Well this is the only music service I've ever felt was worth paying to be a member of. My subscriptions up August 17th, and after the removal of the widget I will be canceling my membership. You guys should probably get your s*** together over it Spotify. Maybe ask your users what they like about your service before you start taking those exact things that make you worth it away. 

I already had cancelled my subscription due to the horrible-pointless app updates.  Now taking away this feature that bothered no one, without asking your customers about it before, and then recommend that if they want it back, they should leave a vote about it, even though the "idea" is in a 'Not Right Now' status...

 

Guess I'm staying on other music streaming services a little longer. Sad to see how the mighty have fallen.

Getting rid of the qidget is the worst idea you guys ever had. And the Read why days nothing about why.

This is not solved! Don't be so arrogant to say this is solved! Bring back the Android widget right away. Your company is now low IQ for sure. I believed in your company but that's no longer. Obviously you don't care about your customers, bring back the widget! 

This is probably the stupidest move you ever made. It doesn't solve any issues, because there were no issues to begin with. You are not about the consumer as you claim you are, it's all about saving a buck and it doesn't matter who you screw over in the process. Yes, it's just a few extra clicks but if you have kids running around or you are in a rush or exercising or whatever people don't have time to do those "few extra clicks". It is inconveniencing the consumer and you really, truly do not seem to care in the slightest. As a long time consumer and avid user I am not happy, as are many others. I am seriously debating on switching to a different provider. 

This is a stupid decision. Removing features people actually use is not the way forward. I only ever accessed Spotify through the widget and now its gone just the stupid swipe down notification thing. 

I used this features multiple times per day. What data/strategy made you think users would rather engage with the dropdown menu than with a widget? This is a bad idea that reduces engagement

What a remarkably dumb decision. Do you know who does have a widget? Pandora. Google Music. Amazon Music. I'll be looking to them now. 

Couldn't have the widget and notification area? I used the widget daily for about 3 years now. 

Please, bring back the Widget! Make me happy again!

And to Mr. Kalle Persson, Senior Product Manager, Spotify:

Please also introduce a new Spotify Android settings option:

- " Resume play after interuption "

After every time I visited a separate news or youtube video, I have to go

back to the Spotify app and restart the music playing. Not so practical.

Please make automatic resume play a selectable option.

 

 

This reminds me of the time when Spotify in their infinite widsom decided to remove the play controls from the notification icon on Windows..  "to improve the user experience" or some such nonsense excuse...  *sigh*

 

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