Has spotify forgot about us Android users once again?

[eatonjb]

So, I was super stoked when I saw the new beta of the Android app, and jumped on Spotify and handed them my $10.  well.. I want it back.  Yes I know, this app is beta , and is not 100%.  but it's been a moth or so, and no new update!  

I am done, I am not drinking the punch anymore!  I want some status, something?  the iPad update came out, i just want a good Android app.

did I miss the update?  I downloaded the file again, and installed it to see if anything was new,... nope same version number 0.5.0.972 .......

ugg. 

[user-removed]

If there is some news in future about stable app, Spotify will release those news in a Spotify Blog. Keep an eye on it.

[eatonjb]

Thats not helpfull.  Well, it would be if they updated it more then once in a while.  the update not the blog.  see in the in the world when updates are expected on a regular basis.  keeping us in the dark for months, does not fair well.  I will cancele spotify once again untill another update is out. 

[licenced]

Totally with you.

I said this on another thread somewhere ... given that it's now been a over a month with no update, and that the preview app was released suspiciously soon after a bunch of tech sites picked up the story about there being no Android app for over a year, I get the feeling it was rushed out to keep us quiet for a while and get the story off the front pages of all the sites it was popping up on.

We all downloaded it, liked it, and started to believe that maybe the Android app was finally getting some proper focussed attention, with updates to be released pretty quickly.

I don't believe Spotify are intentionally ignoring or trying to disappoint us - that would be crazy from a business perspective - I just don't think they ever ramped up the Android development team quickly enough. Maybe they have enough devs now, but too late, and they are still struggling to get anything out. Maybe the development itself is poorly planned or there are other internal issues - but we can't know for sure. All we know is that, ignoring the update that only added functionality for the miserable Facebook tie-in, there still hasn't been an official release of the Android app in something like 14 months.

There are numerous issues with the preview app, although it is a lot more stable than the official release (i.e. it actually works on Android 4), but unlike with iOS Spotify have an audience of Android users who are happy and more than capable of installing non-app store releases and running a massive beta test. Yet they either refuse to regularly update the beta or aren't capable of developing it quickly enough to be worth updating. Or perhaps they really do believe they the official Play release is imminent.

Whatever the real reason, and I've said this elsewhere as well, the lack of communication is ridiculous. Spotify must have a 'communication plan' - every large company needs one - it's just that the one they have, not allowing any official comment on development, features or prospective release dates, is WRONG for a company with this type of product and user base.

/rant

[David]

Hello,

Of course we haven't forgotten about you - The preview version provides some indication that an Android version was always in the works. Rorey updated this thread on Tuesday providing some further news. 

[mannp]

Being Tuesday today I thought perhaps some news!?

No, its a week old news ....

I can apprecaite it takes time, but it seems Spotify has a wierd sense of priorities;

Get cash? via Coke and others 😞 Facebook tie in 😞 More countires supported Oz and NZ all fine

But no working apps for the largest phone OSes ??

It took a year for the iPad and its great, but it seems getting apps that will sell the product will also get Spotify some cash... wouldnt it.

[David]

mannp - Are you using the Android Preview client? Or have you installed from Google Play store? I would recommend trying the preview if you haven't already.

[mannp]

I'm using the preview David yes.

It is indeed an improvement, but I do agree it seems rather rushed to keep us quieter.

Overall Spotify communication around apps is poor; apprecaiting that keeping quiet may keep competitors in the dark, doesn't help users that are paying for a service, where in my case is not utilised enough for £10 a month, when it cannot be utilised on all phones.

[miljbee]

Yes, it's really surprising not to have a decent android client yet.

The iOS client is great. I can't understand why it taks so much time to realease a good one for android.

... And have a look at the number of posts in the forums for your mobile clients. Android has the most .... You should definitely focus on android Now

[eatonjb]

It's a week old thread, and today again is another Tuesday.. 

not to be rude. but keeping us in the dark?  is this a good way to do biz?

[David]

Hello.

We'd rather update you when we have more relavant news to tell you other than "We're still working on it". But we're still working on it. As Rorey stated last week, although it's taking a little while, the Google Play version will hopefully offer some new features and polish with some bug fixes. 

Some users requested that a preview version be released while the main client was being worked on - which has proved very useful in providing feedback and specific UI requests on licenced' thread here. (If you haven't checked it out and posted there, I would highly recommend at least going though the first post to see what had been requested).

[eatonjb]

Whe it comes to beta's.  there should be a flow of a few of them.  just one, and then release, does not help.  also it's been a Month + with the current beta.  Without another beta, I have frame of refrence that there is/will be imporvment beyond.   

I rather Err on haveing a beta every day, then just one and then release.   not saying that you guys need to pump one out every day, but there should be something to keep our wistles wet. 

[krikelin]

It seems like Spotify want to hand out the android job to the crowd:

https://developer.spotify.com/blog/2012/05/23/libspotify-12-with-android-support-and-more/

[licenced]

---

@eatonjb wrote:

Whe it comes to beta's.  there should be a flow of a few of them.  just one, and then release, does not help.   

---

Definitely. Unless official release is imminent, having a few betas over a few weeks is a useful and encouraging thing. Maybe not one a day, but one every other week maybe. With an Agile development cycle (even a traditional one in certain cases) this is plenty of time to introduce a new feature or two and tweak/fix some existing ones, ready for a new test cycle.

---

@David wrote:

Of course we haven't forgotten about you ...

---

Uhuh, let's see. A quick browse of Twitter today shows:

@__spo__

Calling all iPad and iPhone users. Try Spotify on your device for free for the next 30 days! http://t.co/naVMXpsp

Why, specifically, mention iPhone and iPad? It appears this offer is open to anyone.

Again, I don't think Spotify is neglecting Android, and it's not the fault of the mods and managers on this community. But Spotify does seem to go out of its way to pander to the iCrowd when the market is so much more.

[user-removed]

I do not think that Spotify is joking or ignoring you as customers.

Maybe Spotify want to provide bug-free app right away?

Be patient when Spotify works hard on this app.

[eatonjb]

Stop kidding yourself.  not to be rude but, With hundrends of other compeditors like Rdio, Mog, etc, if you ask a potentional user to "be paitnet" you basicly said, go someplace else!   

when was the last "official" Spotify app published?  Novemember?  and it has never really worked well on anything for long.   We deal with this stuff all the time, you either update and fix in a timely fassion, or people just walk away from you because someon will get what you want done, quickly, efficently, and workable. 

example, Rdio has updated the app a few times, YES there were some really annoying bugs, almost all of them squiched with little revisons over the next days and weeks.  

Spotify has no excuse, and no, I will not be paitent, things in the computer, and smart phone world does not get done, unless things get fixed and pounced on quicky.  

truth!. 

[user-removed]

I'm Spotify customer just like you. But you pay 10 € per month for music, what service you want for this price?

[licenced]

So ... another week and ... another iOS release: http://community.spotify.com/t5/Spotify-Announcements/Spotify-iOS-0-5-1/m-p/71729/message-uid/71729#...

Who'd'a thought

🙂

[miljbee]

And Samsung is about to release Samsung music hub...

[rferrett]

I am pleased they released the beta. 

Though I have to say I am with licensed et al in thinking that another one at some point showing some incremental improvement would have been nice. I am in the Swiftkey VIP group and I see how they do their beta's and it is ace!

Mind oyu we are nearly there, hopefully it is a matter of days not a matter of months.