This is why all the Android users are frustrated

[cr3amy]

My intention is not for this thread to turn into a flamewar, but instead to put into words this community's frustration with the Android version of Spotify.

A lot of the frustration stems from the fact that:
A. Premium is required for Android, so every one of us has to pay.
B. Android is the most widely used phone OS in the world and the platform is being aggressively ignored by Spotify. Facebook ignored mobile apps for years and it's showing in their stock's value.

Known issues that actually break the program for users are not getting fixed swiftly, and what's even worse is there's no communication from Spotify regarding this.

Other known issues and requested features have not been added either. This stems from either or both of these facts:
A. Your app development team is clearly undersized or these things wouldn't take so long. I know free apps whose developers fix bugs and add features in a fraction of the time.
B. You're treating the Android app as you would treat an iOS app. You can fix one issue and release a new version. You can patch one bug and release a new version. This is Android, it doesn't cost you anything to just release updates every week.

To be honest, I'm baffled as to what the point is of a "Preview" app? Just release that as the next update (or you can release both and call the old one "Spotify Old Version"). Then send out an update a few times a week as you add new features or squash new bugs. "Oh look, we added landscape mode. Let's compile it and release it." Not a big deal. Instead we wait months between updates.

I apologize if this comes off as a rant, I really don't mean for it to. I'm trying to express how the logic works in our brains and why we're getting frustrated... It boils down to this:
If they're not fixing bugs or adding features on a regular basis, they must be ignoring Android as a platform. And if they avoid commenting on, or refuse to acknowledge, these bugs and when we can expect a fix, they must be ignoring Android users as a whole. This makes me feel unvalued.

[shadow_shooter]

I will simply become a premium member if they bring the radio into Android as well. If they don't, I'll just keep using my Slacker radio application. I've been listening to the radio on desktop and it's awesome but what's the meaning if I can't listen to it on my phone...

[user-removed]

I just signed up for Spotify today on my android, and seem to be syncing just fine. My problem is, I can't seem to find the radio aspect on my phone. I can pull up my playlists but can't find the radio and I have the 2 days of premium, so I should be able to find the radio aspect.

Any ideas???

[licenced]

Radio is only available on iOS at the moment.

[jimbl]

Lack of communication and timely updates to serious bugs is why I'm not a paying customer. Why would I pay for something that is broken? I'm sure if enough people spoke with their wallets Spotify would listen.

[tension]

I was considering buying Spotify premium this week as I'd like to be able to stream to my Galaxy Nexus but this thread and stuff I've read elsewhere has really put me off. Not good.

Is it really that bad?

[user-removed]

---

@David wrote:

---

@robbree wrote:

Well now they've just kicked us in the face again. Now they've add a new mobile streaming radio app that is completely free, Spotify Radio, and what a shocker only available on IOS mobile platforms. From what info I have found online so far it says that Spotify has so far made no plans on releasing an Android version anytime in the near future.

---

We're looking into bringing Radio to other mobile platforms in the following weeks. 

---

YEEEEEEES! UPDATE TO WINDOWS PHONE??? 😄

[jimbl]

Lack of external SD support is what kills it for me. No point in paying for functionality I can't use to the fullest (offline playlists). There are other minor things I think should be there, like landscape support, syncing over 4g and radio...in the end it all adds up to a product I can't pay for. Maybe none of that is a deal breaker for you.

[user-removed]

Hey, just install old app and set a music to SD. Then install from market new app and DO NOT DELETE OLD APP. This way you get a SD support with new app.

[jimbl]

So what you're saying is "downgrade to upgrade". I get that it can be done, I don't get that you should have to fix the problem yourself when you're paying for something. It's the principle of the matter. It's really no different than if you paid someone $10 a month to cut your lawn, but every other month they didn't show up so you cut it yourself, but still paid them. Would you continue to pay them every time they didn't do the job?

[cr3amy]

---

@jimbl wrote:

It's really no different than if you paid someone $10 a month to cut your lawn, but every other month they didn't show up so you cut it yourself, but still paid them. Would you continue to pay them every time they didn't do the job?

---

Not at all. For it to be like your story there, it would be like paying Spotify $10 a month for service, but every other month their servers went down for 30 days.

Not that I disagree with your point about how we shouldn't have to implement workarounds for basic functionality... I was just saying.

[user-removed]

Hey!

Remove your Spotify for Mobile. Then go with your mobile to this site https://www.dropbox.com/s/u9bwd3qqx2x286h/SpotifyAndroid.apk and install. Remember to enable third part softwares. After install open and select a right SD card path. Now go to Google Play and update FROM THIS SOFTWARE to the new Android Spotify app. All should work in no time.

The new version doesn't include the option to set the location these days, but this option is under consideration, but normally new app 'remembers' the setting from the old version if installed without removing first old one.

[jimbl]

---

cr3amy wrote:

Not at all. For it to be like your story there, it would be like paying Spotify $10 a month for service, but every other month their servers went down for 30 days.

Not that I disagree with your point about how we shouldn't have to implement workarounds for basic functionality... I was just saying.

---

I admit it's a bad example. You get the point though. 

[user-removed]

Spotify is working hard with Android app. New cool stuff and more good options is coming in future. However, I can't say more about this, so keep an eye on the Spotify blog. For example Radio is coming to Android app. So be patient when Spotify improve app you use everyday!

[cr3amy]

---

@hpguru wrote:

Spotify is working hard with Android app. New cool stuff and more good options is coming in future. However, I can't say more about this, so keep an eye on the Spotify blog. For example Radio is coming to Android app. So be patient when Spotify improve app you use everyday!

---

I'm looking forward. Nice to see they've started getting the message about more frequent updates, every time a bug is squashed. Would like to see the updates roll out faster, but I'm just glad some changes have obviously been made!

[personanongrata]

what?  you mean an update every 15 months isn't fast enough for you?

[cr3amy]

---

@personanongrata wrote:

what?  you mean an update every 15 months isn't fast enough for you?

---

I get your point, but once they updated to the new version, there were two updates within the next two weeks to fix bugs.

[personanongrata]

i only saw *one* update since the new version went live -- and that was to fix the widget, which they went live with in a totally unworking state.  this company goes out of its way to not communicate with its users -- just trying to keep its android customers in complete suspense while doing the absolute minimum required to retain what i can only assume are enough android subscribers to even make supporting this platform cost effective.  there are tons of bugs in this new app.  here, i'll name a few:

• insane data usage, even when offline and/or paused in the background -- how is it possible that this isn't affecting more people?  and most importantly, what the h311 is all of this data being sent to spotify?
• music pausing and/or app crashing when 3G signal switches or WiFi/3G switch.
• playlist entries tied to wrong playlists -- clicking a playlist sometimes brings up the wrong playlist.
• swiping the album art to switch songs -- seriously -- has no one even tried to do this?  try switching two or three songs in rapid succession.
• bluetooth behavior is miserable at best, and has been since the old app -- forget about listening in the car (if the lack of landscape view isn't already enough to deter you).

then there are all of the *basic* features that are missing, but those are well documented elsewhere.  it is almost a year i've been trying to use this app on and off, and it is still a complete disaster.  if this app were free, it would piss me off -- there's no way i'm paying for it.  i understand that android development might be a little tougher than iOS, but for god's sake, just drop the platform if you can't support it.

also, the amount of work this community has put into QA for spotify is just shameful, and by that i mean spotify should be ashamed.  they obviously are not testing their android app internally.  they know they've produced a barely-usable app for some people at best, and then they tip-toe around everything by saying, "oh please submit a bug report -- here's the template" -- bullsh!t -- they're doing nothing with this stuff.  we won't see any of these bugs fixed -- ever.  some of these bugs could be fixed and pushed out in a day!

[licenced]

---

@tension wrote:

I was considering buying Spotify premium this week as I'd like to be able to stream to my Galaxy Nexus but this thread and stuff I've read elsewhere has really put me off. Not good.

Is it really that bad?

---

Hi tension,

Depends. If it works for you and you don't rely on a particular feature that Spotify decided to remove for some reason (landscape support, ability to play own files, ...) then you'll do fine. Sign up for the free trial and have a go. If you do find a problem that seriously impedes your ability to enjoy the service, then don't expect a timely update (who knows, it may happen, but based on previous experience it's unlikely) or any communication at all on whether your issue with being worked on or how long to expect for an update.

@ everyone else,

Spotify definitely need to introduce a beta phase for releases. Although the new app still launched with issues, it's a lot better than the preview - imagine if that had been launched on the market! - go check out this Idea: http://community.spotify.com/t5/Spotify-Ideas/Introduction-of-closed-Beta-testing-programme/idi-p/68...

[personanongrata]

@licensed -- the whole beta phase idea is completely pointless for a company that moves as slow as spotify.  while this may be useful for field testing new features, it would do nothing for fixing existing bugs.  as others have said, these forums have served to document all of the bugs present in the android app -- none of which i have ever seen directly addressed in nearly a year.  i can't even begin to get interested in any new features until the app is usable on a basic level -- and for those who have a limited data plan, it certainly isn't.  now i fear that every time they try to improve something, they will introduce new bugs that will never be fixed, despite having countless people on here ranting about them.  you talk about the google play release being better than the preview, but i don't see that at all.  the official release added more bugs (the music-stopping bug when switching 3G/WiFi -- even when playing downloaded tracks didn't start happening for me until the official release.  the widget was broken out of the box, etc.), and took weeks to deliver.

this just isn't a company i can support in good conscience anymore, despite the fact that in general, they are the best all-around music subscription service.

[licenced]

---

@personanongrata wrote:

@licensed -- the whole beta phase idea is completely pointless for a company that moves as slow as spotify.  

---

Why can no one spell my name correctly 

Yeah, I agree with a lot you say. However, while there were some definite issues in the official release that weren't there in the preview release there were some fixes and improvements, and then a week or so later a patch release that improved the little niggles I had and fixed the major issue for people with non-English characters in their name. This is the sort of issue that would be found more accurately with a proper beta phase rather than by just testing it round the office as they do today.

Like I said to tension above though, there are absolutley problems and my advice to anyone is to use it for the trial period and see if it works for them and they can get along with the issues that are there.

My hope is still that Spotify are coming out of the obvious Android slump they were in - (IMO) they were caught terribly short on the popularity of Android and failed to respond for far too long. Hopefully now they have built up the Android team and we'll see releases every couple of months instead of every year or too ... but yes, that remains to be seen doesn't it and I know a lot of people won't come back having experienced what things have been like over the last couple of years.