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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

That is fine and dandy.  However... when you pause the music the notification can go away very quickly with either an accidental swipe or tap of the clear all button.  When that happens, you have to take extra time, time someone might not have to bring the tunes back.  You literally take the Android out of Android.  

Like many here, I used the widget constantly. Sadly I cannot roll back my automatic update, or I at least can't find how to do it. 


Since I can't do much more other than vote in the Idea thread, I was resigned to give this new way of working a chance. The first time I swipe down as suggested so I can like a song that is playing, the UI disappears. I have had to click the app icon to check if me ticking the little heart actually went through. It did, but why did the swiped down menu disappear?

Agree!  After this removal, I am thinking about unsubscribing from them to prove a point. 

Since my phone doesn't have lockscreen now playing thingy, and notification is hard of reach when I use one hand, I will uninstall the app, since it's hogging up my phone's resource. You removed enough features (either from desktop, mobile, even my Smart TV) to make me hate you.

 

Too bad Google Play Music and Amazon Music is not available here. I will switch to Apple Music instead. At least they are really inproving without removing features like you.

 

Now I seriously want Apple to block you from App Store. You aren't fair to customers, so I hope Apple do the same to you.

Right? Geeze! With that said and done from Spotify and it's users, I am
thinking about unsubscribing from them. 😠 I read this one article that
said "they are taking the Android out of the Android."

I use the widget every day. Was it causing a problem? The link to the "explanation" is not an explanation, what kind of PR gibberish garbage is that? Who do you think you're fooling? Guess this will be my last year of having a premium subscription. Don't make your product HARDER for your paying customers to use.

Why would you do that? I use that widget every day, and there wasn't even any warning it would disappear so I could not update the app. And then I come here and find absolutely no explanation as to why you would remove yet another useful feature from your paying customers. 

I'm seriously dumbfounded by this removal, how in the actual **bleep** has anyone approved the removal of a feature that, for what I see, most people use! This is actually the only reason I was sticking with Spotify as I had a YouTube music subscription, now you removed the only reason for me to stay, and you sick basterds actually put the idea of reintroducing the feature to "not right now", seriously? This is madness

Holy moly, this thread has grown 20 pages since I first looked this morning.  Spotify - do you realise you **bleep**ed up massively yet?  This really is a fail of epic proportions.  Senior pointy-haireds somewhere need to be having serious conversations about how they try to un-ring this particular bell...

 

I'm still chuckling that they had the gall to say this was part of their plan to 'improve the customer experience' and then mark it 'Solved'...!

 

FFS, what a joke.

Really bad move. Made me start looking  for alternatives after MANY years of having premium account. 

 

Honestly can't understand the logic behind this. Spotify must be the only music player without widget controls (a very basic and essential feature). Unbelievable... 

Hmm.... another company that believes it understands it userbase, not!

I am very unhappy with removal of this widget, what is the issue to remove something so simple and handy. suddenly my multimedia screen lacked its daily feauture.

 

It is that I dislike Apple even more that is why I am with Spotify.

I feel again we are consumers instead of valued paying customers. Spotify never listens , never reacts to needed features. Yes I still use also the Windows desktop and and cannnot cast to my chromecast an example of ignorance.

 

Not amused as premium paying customer ( sorry Spotify consumer).

 

Bas.

 

 

 

Just an Easy excuse to unsubscribe. Spotify has gone down in quality.  Time to go back to downloaded music. 

This is something I used every day.  Seriously, I love your widget player.  Don't make me choose between you and another service because you got rid of this!!  The swipe down doesn't work if music isn't playing.  I can't just hit a play button on my homescreen now.   #badbusinessidea Let's make it harder for people to use our service... Hmm.

I agree! What the stuff they have been doing is making their feedback
pages useless such as the so-called "new ideas" and "feedback forum" a
waste of time.

I agree! How is this "SOLVED."

What a stupid move removing the android widget.  Probably my most used feature in my phone.  This is a deal breaker, I'm about to cancel spotify and move to google play music.

Spotify gone **bleep**ed with their daily customers. 

 

I agree and I just had an issue with my copy of the app on my phone
stopping itself after making a call and I had to switch back to the app to
turn it back on. Spotify, if you see my reply, you are Literally just
bought yourself a ticket to go out of business.

Looks like 50 pages of "why on earth would you remove this I use it everyday!" Haha. All i can say is, me too!! So stupid.

Put the widget back... The notification panel is not useful at all.  When you don't have Spotify running, the notification panel is not present.  So you have to open Spotify to start the music.  With the widget, however, you could start the music with a simple press of the play button.  This was EXTREMELY USEFUL because when I would go out walking or running, I could start out without Spotify playing; and when I was ready for music, a simple press of the play button on my bluetooth headphones would start the music.  Without the widget, that no longer works.  Now I have to take out my phone, turn the screen on, start Spotify, then start the music; all while trying to run.  It amazes me that you just keep removing useful functionality for ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD REASON and expect people to keep paying you for less.  How about you drop the subscription price every time you take something useful away?  

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