Android Widget Removal

[Staff]

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.

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

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!

[dragutin]

Why would you replace a working, easy to use and good solution with something buggy and useless?

You should fire the interaction designer who told you it's a good idea to remove ease of use and access.

[Deecooke81]

This is something that will have me cancel and go to tidal. 

[gb79a]

We shouldn't have to resort to third-party applications for something as basic and useful as a widget...!

[pzxu4-wpoq_ze]

I also use the widget every single day. You haven't even provided a logical reason to remove the widget which tells me whatever new code your using is conflicting with the widget. We'll stop changing stuff without the community input. Widgets are one of the major differences between Android and iPhone, and I don't like how your direction is to ignore half of the market. If you were smart you'd listen to your users. Nobody is forced to use the widget, but now you've just taken it away from countless people that use it everyday. It's especially convenient for toggling it to start in my car Bluetooth that's too stupid to start the app automatically.

Please put this back or I am seriously considering cancelling my premium subscription.

[Djam14]

Thank you so much! Love the app.

[rafaggiopds]

That's ok. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[sgtsgt]

Wow, I spent the last 30 minutes trying to see why my widget was removed off my homepage that i've been using for years.

Not cool spotify,

Very disappointed

[zetteceniza]

Removing the widget is a STUPID idea! BRING THE WIDGET BACK!!!

[Amsy33]

#fail

[Haggisking]

"Thanks for removing that really useful widget!"

...said literally no-one ever.

I work as a developer for a software company, and one of our key mantras when making any changes is "don't remove functionality!".

There's a reason for that. It pees off your customers who use that functionality, and peed off customers don't stay customers for very long!

Now I've not been a customer very long (just over a month), but the widget was one of the key features I used (in fact it would have been nice if it was resizeable, but I could deal with that). However in this case I guess that works in my favour, as I'm not yet invested in the service, don't have a lot of playlists etc. set up in my account yet.

I've just cancelled my subscription. I will be looking at alternative services, and you will be losing me as a customer if the widget is not restored before my account expires in 4 weeks.

[V1lm4t]

Wow!  Remove my main used feature. Good job Spoty!

//SlowClap

[David_Bowie]

Just adding myself to the long list of annoyed subscribers. I use the widget every day and would like it back. Thank you for taking the time to consider the desires of your subscribers. 

[semitoneberlin]

Seriously stupid. The best feature. Let's remove it! No words for that!

The apps are so lagging behind... No folders for playlist etc. Why is there no development or improvement at all. You guys aren't as old and big as Microsoft. Why do you behave like that?!

[StephenNesbit]

As the playback controls don't show up on my phone, this is horrible news. Guess I better find another app to use while in my car. Horrible, horrible news.

[cr4nkc0r3]

Why would you remove the widget?

[Sarah08]

Gah! I used this in the car, because I didn't want to have to swipe my notifications while driving and I don't always want Spotify to be full screen. Please bring the widget back!

[evfal]

Why... Just why... 

Why removing every features that's works. 

Who told you the widget was useless? This is android, and widget are part of this platform, we are not on IOS. Every last update you did make me close to cancel my subscription. 

[Joseph34]

Bring the goddam widget back I dont want to use the **bleep**ing notification panel if I wanted to use that I would have in the beginning everyone loves the widget so stop **bleep**ing with the godamn app and bring it the **bleep** back, you already **bleep**ed it before when you took away the option to listen to music without premium and brought your gay **bleep**ing song skip limit and ads now **bleep** off bring it back 

[nikitakomarov]

Anyone know how closely Tidal/Amazon/Google match the spotify library? 

Without the widget this app lost 80% of its use to me. Why would I need to open the app every time I want to play/pause the music? Why does every other music provider have a widget, but Spotify have decided that this can possibly "improve" the user experience? 

The widget worked perfectly fine and it was helpful to so many users.

Cancelling my premium subscription today. My money can go to a better service. Maybe will come back if the widget comes back.

[Byrana]

I found an app, which gives a working widget.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jackthakar.musicwidget