Android app using too much data? Post details here

[Goodman]

2013-01-09: This topic is now being continued in the new bugs section.

2012-12-06: Our engineers feel that they've gotten closer to identifying the issue. Not to get too technical, it may have something to do with some code that's buried deep in the app. The investigation continues while they try to pinpoint the issue so they can fix it without affecting other parts of the code.

2012-10-03: I just want to quickly update you and let you know we are aware of this bug, we haven't forgotten; and we're looking into it.

Resuming this, the original, thread.

As this issue looks like it's ongoing, but not for every Android user, I want to make sure we gather all the information we can.

(The previous thread is missing information we could use to help find a possible issue).

If you feel that your Android Spotify app is using too much data, either over WiFi or 3G, please copy/paste this template in a new reply and give us all the information you can.

Device model

E.g. Galaxy Nexus, HTC One X, etc.

Device’s Operating System

E.g. 2.2 Froyo, 2.3.4 Gingerbread, 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, etc.

Is your device rooted?

If you don’t know what this means you can probably answer “No”

Are you using a custom ROM, if so which one, exactly?

If you don’t know what this means you can probably answer “No”

My mobile Spotify version

E.g. 0.8.4.

My desktop Spotify version (if applicable)

E.g. 0.8.4.

My mobile provider and country

Eg. AT&T, US; or Telia, Sweden

Using too much data over 3G?

Yes/No

Using too much data over WiFi?

Yes/No

Have you done troubleshooting as described here?

(Not necessary, per se, but good for us to know nonetheless)

My username

To find this, click on your name at the top right of the site (next to where it says "Log out") then click Overview and copy/paste the number.

How much data is being used by the Spotify app?

Please use any of the numerous tools and options available to give us an indication of how much data is being used AND over what period(eg. x MB/hour or y MB over the last 3 days)

There's an example in the original post by licenced.

Do you have any screenshots you can attach to more clearly explain your issue?

If so, please paste them here.

[licenced]

Hi,

Some more info for you. I did a fresh wipe and install last night and syncd a playlist at Extreme quality. Listened for half an hour this morning and the app again used 14MB.

So the problem is with High and Extreme and (it seems) not Normal

[Goodman]

Thanks, licenced. In the ticket I've submitted I've stated that the issue seems to occur with any playlists that were synced in higher than normal quality.

[Pieeet]

Device model
Galaxy Nexus

Device’s Operating System
4.1.1 Jelly Bean

Is your device rooted?
Yes

Are you using a custom ROM, if so which one, exactly?
No

My mobile Spotify version
0.5.2.87



My mobile provider and country
KPN Netherlands

Using too much data over 3G?
Yes/No

Using too much data over WiFi?
Yes

Have you done troubleshooting as described here?
NA

My username
Pieeet

How much data is being used by the Spotify app?
Approximately 30MB/hr @ background (whilst not in use on 3G).

Do you have any screenshots you can attach to more clearly explain your issue?
 

Even if I don't use Spotify at all + have downloading 2/3G disabled it uses extremely high amounts of data

[bram_baars]

Device model

Samsung Galaxy S III

Device’s Operating System

4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich

Is your device rooted?

No

Are you using a custom ROM, if so which one, exactly?

No

My mobile Spotify version

0.5.2.87 (0.8.3.636.gf43da5f3)

My desktop Spotify version (if applicable)

0.8.4.107.g4fa0003f

My mobile provider and country

NL Vodafone

Using too much data over 3G?

Yes

Using too much data over WiFi?

Unknown

Have you done troubleshooting as described here?

No

My username

bram_baars

How much data is being used by the Spotify app?

Download via 2G/3G: OFF

Streaming/downloading: both NORMAL QUALITY

Offline modus: OFF

Not used Spotify yesterday.

Foreground usage: 4.41MB

Background usage 95.64MB!

Do you have any screenshots you can attach to more clearly explain your issue?

No.

[personanongrata]

what about data usage to the tune of 50-100MB per day while the app is NOT BEING USED?  IN THE BACKGROUND!  NOT STREAMING MUSIC!  HELLO?

@stevebrammer, i would suspect that if anyone in the development team could concisely and unambiguously answer any questions at all, that would indicate they are capable of critical thought, and would seem to make our current state of affairs unlikely in the first place.

[CrazyEddieNL]

Hi again,

Like Licenced i removed the app and installed it again this weekend, synced some playlists again but in high quality. Yesterday i played the downloaded playlist for about one hour and got the data usage again about 15MB forground and 20MB background. The strange thing was that most of the foreground data was generated while looking in the 'new' menu option whithout listing to any music.So i guess loading pages in the app generates a lot off data too (maybe some pre-caching???).

But today i swiched to the offline mode, listend about 1,5 hours to my downloaded playlists and no data was used, so the app behaved like it should. All the above was on 3G.

Hopefully this will be helpfull to. Anyway thanks PerBonomi for your effort you are putting in the android problems.

[Rorey]

@SteveBrammer, my friend.

The answers to your questions are how things "should" work with the Android app without inteference of any kind of bug.

1.) No, Spotify for Android does not use peer-to-peer networking. 

2.) Yes, the Android app will cache frequently streamed tracks. I'm not sure if it will "always" use cached over streaming since the Android operating system might clear the cache when it needs space. 

3.) Downloaded tracks will be used in preference to streaming tracks (if available).

4.) Downloaded tracks will be used in preference to streaming tracks (if available) regardless of the sound quality of it's alternative. 

5.) I don't know. 

[SteveBrammer]

@Rorey,

Thanks for the reply.

Still a bit puzzled, however, by @PerBonomi's reply that a bug might cause the app to use P2P. How is this possible if P2P is not built into the app from the beginning?

[Jude]

You are absolutely right. Only the desktop apps use P2P. No mobile apps are equipped to do so. They do not, and cannot, use P2P.

[SteveBrammer]

Just to be absolutely clear, I am assuming there is a difference between cached tracks and downloaded tracks. My question no. 2 was about cached tracks while questions 3 & 4 were about downloaded tracks.

Can you just confirm that downloaded tracks take preference and will always be used when available in preference to the cache or streaming, regardless of quality settings?

[Rorey]

Confirmed. I've updated my comment to make things more clear. 

[Hoofey]

I updated my spotify-version 2 weeks ago, and as you can see... my phonebill just went crazy.

I have barely used the updated version.

Thanks guys 😐

Device model

HTC Evo 3D

Device’s Operating System

4.0.3

Is your device rooted?

No

Are you using a custom ROM, if so which one, exactly?

No

My mobile Spotify version

0.5.1.15

My desktop Spotify version (if applicable)

0.8.4.107

My mobile provider and country

Netcom, Norway

Using too much data over 3G?

Yes

Using too much data over WiFi?

Havent checked

Have you done troubleshooting as described here?

(Not necessary, per se, but good for us to know nonetheless)

My username

Hoofey

How much data is being used by the Spotify app?

3,4 GB. Just want to add that the first part on the first image is around 18 mb usage. You can clearly see when i updated it on the graph.

Do you have any screenshots you can attach to more clearly explain your issue?

[Veneficus]

I already replied earlier with details. I haven't used the app at all since then, but it still used around 70 MB in background over 3G, and also data over wifi. WiFi wouldn't matter, aside from battery draining, but using that amount of "unauthorized" 3G makes me seriously consider getting rid of Spotify completely...

[horvendile]

Kind of a re-post of details from a month ago, but nothing should have changed since then.

Device model

Samsung Galaxy S (GT-I9000)

Device’s Operating System

Android 2.2.1 (FROYO.XWJS7)

Is your device rooted?

No

Are you using a custom ROM, if so which one, exactly?

No

My mobile Spotify version

Spotify 0.5.1.15.g81977995 

My desktop Spotify version (if applicable)

N/A (I guess)

My mobile provider and country

Telia, Sweden

Using too much data over 3G?

Yes.

Using too much data over WiFi?

Don't know.

Have you done troubleshooting as described here?

Partly; have not reinstalled app

My username

horvendile (I don't know what number you're referring to). I see no number.

How much data is being used by the Spotify app?

Since July 1 Spotify has been eating data using 3G, 200-400 MB/day. It has been set to no sync over 3G. It uses these amounts even when not used. Setting it to offline stops the data torrent. For that reason it has been set to offline since. That is to say, about a month.

July 1 may not be significant in itself; that may be the day I updated to the latest version.

[whuijten]

Device model

HTC Desire HD

Device’s Operating System

Android 2.3.5

Is your device rooted?

No

Are you using a custom ROM, if so which one, exactly?

No

My mobile Spotify version

0.5.2.87

My desktop Spotify version (if applicable)

0.8.4.107

My mobile provider and country

Vodafone, Netherlands

Using too much data over 3G?

Yes

Using too much data over WiFi?

Yes (but don't care)

Have you done troubleshooting as described here?

When I force the app to off-line mode the extreme data usage stops. Otherwise the app will use between 40-50Mb per day over 3G even if I don't open/use the app at all.

My username

whuijten

How much data is being used by the Spotify app?

Approx. 50Mb a day

Do you have any screenshots you can attach to more clearly explain your issue?

This is the typical usage of one day by the Spotify app over 3G. I didn't even use the app that day. It will usually consume around 50Mb of 3G traffic per day considering that I never stream over 3G, only over WiFi at home. App has always been set to not sync over 3G. Have set app to OffLine modus since then and that stops the data consumption. I would see that as a workaround though, not a solution.

[elputoruso]

Device model

Galaxy S2 I9100

Device’s Operating System

4.03 Ice Cream Sandwich

Is your device rooted?

No

Are you using a custom ROM, if so which one, exactly?

No

My mobile Spotify version

0.5.2.87

My mobile provider and country

Yoigo Spain but happens with Orange as well

Using too much data over 3G?

YES LOTS

Using too much data over WiFi?

Not that much

Have you done troubleshooting as described here?

Yes

My username

elputoruso

How much data is being used by the Spotify app?

800 mb in two days without using the app, only using downloaded playlists

Do you have any screenshots you can attach to more clearly explain your issue?

Yes of course

If they don't fix it I will cancel my premium account

[bram_baars]

Because of the lack of a fix for this major problem (all providers re-introduced data limits here in Holland, this bug causes extra expenses for crossing the data limit) I stepped back from Premium to Unlimited, and removed the Spotify app from my phone.

Byebye! 😞

[user-removed]

Never received this problem here in Finland, maybe because my data plan is Unlimited 0.5M speed for 4.90 € per month.

Cheers.

[licenced]

Just because you have an unlimited data plan does not mean spotify in your phone is nit using more data than it should. There's really no need to keep praising your choice and ability to get such a plan in threads that don't warrant it - its off topic and just annoys people with a non-answer

[djmann]

Same problem here. Using a Samsung Galaxy S.  292MB of data used in 3.5 days while listenign to songs already downloaded.  My cap with my provider is 2GB per month.  At this rate it will use up all my bandwith in a matter of days. 

I have already removed Spotify from my phone, I will now cancel my premium subscription.