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!

[borbra]

This is mistake imho. 

I get that some people never use it, but thoose of us that actually use use it heavily.

I wonder how long it's going to be before someone makes an app to fix this issue.

[0ldsnake1]

Why did you do this? I used it everyday. I wonder how much resources a **bleep** widget took up at Spotify. Thi is ridiculous

[camtuck]

Exactly, right? This makes no sense. If someone can have the option of having the widget, why would they get rid of it. Bring it back @spotify!

[ben8407]

Why remove it? It's very usefull....I use it everytime, please reintroduce it.

[Juggalo4lyfe]

you guys keep talking about upgrading and evolving your app yet the features that you take away on Android services upset your customers but you don't seem to care. a lot of people are upset about you getting rid of the widget and it just happened don't you think maybe you should listen to your customer base instead of the **bleep** MBA's who don't have a clue as to what is going on with society and only think about what looks good on paper?

[Triumfas]

You should have made Spotify controls with third party apps work reliably before removing widget. Now the app sucks even more....

[Waffajaffa]

Why are you removing this, and even without a proper explanation? I use it every day, and i think it's an integral part of any music app. Bring it back please!!! 

[DefinedNexus]

I clicked on this article to find out why the widget was removed, and I was only met with a non-explanation. Essentially, you said you're retiring the widget because you are testing new features, which makes literally negative sense because it doesn't explain why. I could understand the concept of replacing a current feature with a better one, but your supposed solution is to remove the feature entirely and use a notification panel only instead? The notification menu without the Spotify widget is a downgrade and actually makes it more inconvenient for users to change songs and access their media controls by its design because it takes more screen taps to get to than a simple widget. 

Also, why remove a feature that individuals who  use your product may heavily rely on? That is the equivalent of banks removing online banking because they want to make it more inconvenient for others to utilize their service; it's nonsensical, just like your decision to remove the widget.

I heavily relied on this feature when using your service. If it doesn't return I, too, will be exploring a better music subscription. 

[nommy68]

Are you kidding us? 

You have two weeks to bring back the widget, or Deezer will have another Ex-Spotify-Customer!

[Skydiei]

I got a feeling this is going to require a U-turn by Spotify... Eventually

Could this be like when coke introduced new coke.

 I don't understand why they didn't ask us the customer. They could easily have presented a pop in  the app asking if people wanted to keep the widget or not. Why just remove it? 

Poor customer service 

[Svampmoln]

It's a stupid decision for so many reasons, I use the widget everyday and the lock screen swipe down does not cut it. I have pretty small hands and I don't like having things I use a lot in the top part of the screen, now I pretty much have to two-hand the phone to use spotify the way I want when before I could do it with one.

But worst of all is your lack of respect for your users, paying users. No reason or explination what so ever, just removing it. All this talk about ideas and feedback from the community but when has that ever played a role in your decision making? Solid basic functions that are used everyday gets removed in favour of new weird ideas for the sake of being innovative and unique, the fact that pretty much all of them are trash and most people just want a dependable music player does not seem to matter.

[kleisi]

Why would you remove it?

I've used it every day!

You can't tell me that the widget had any bad side effects for you?

Just leave it where it is... my homescreen looks terrible now...

[LemonCake9000]

You just added a number of taps to ANY action I want to take with the app. You also made it harder for me to see at a glance what was playing last before I start the app. I literally used ONE widget on my phone and it was the Spotify widget. The notifications screen doesn't  even come CLOSE to the functionality of the widget. Please bring it back. I really hate this change. How could removing the widget possibly make it easier for you? Give me back my functionality! 

[de252mp-0_po]

I actually put 4 of the Spotify shortcuts next to each other to fill in the space left by the widget. It's not the same, and I feel betrayed.

[Khronos616]

Yeah, I use the widget every day, I just unninstall the app and reinstall the older version from apk. I hope they put the widget again.

[Kerowyn228]

I dont understand why they would choose to do this. The widget was one of the things i liked the most about the app on mobile. I hope that they can bring it back in the future, or I'll probably start using a different app.

[Skydiei]

That is a good call...

[drgnslyr]

I used that widget everyday. I didn't even know it was going away until it just did. This really ruins my experience. Thinking about cancelling my subscription.

[AlexGalvan]

What a dumb move. Bring the widget back! 

[aClumbsyNinja]

What the heck Spotify! 

I used it every freaking day! 😡