Make Android endpoint selection the same as the iOS version

[dagiles]

Current situation:

- device which supports both Google Cast and Spotify Connect (eg, Wiim Pro)

- latest versions of Spotify app on both Android (Google Pixel) and iPad

When connecting to the Wiim endpoint, the iOS app will show a 'Choose how to connect' menu on the ellipsis for the device (image attached).

This menu is not available on the Android application - the only option available is 'Log out'.

Impact

- if only one Google Cast device exists on the network the Spotify Connect endpoint will be available (img01)

- if there is more than one Google Cast device on the network (ie, a Wiim Pro and a Chromecast Audio), the Spotify Connect endpoint for the device disappears and is replaced with the Google Cast endpoint (img02)

As the menu option to switch endpoint for the device does not exist (unlike the iOS Spotify app) the end user is made to use Google Cast (not lossless or gapless) instead of Spotify Connect (lossless/gapless).

Testing

- start Wiim Pro, wait

- start Spotify app on Android device

- Wiim Spotify Connect endpoint is available

- start Google Chromecast Audio device

- menu options on Spotify app will switch from Spotify Connect to Google Cast

As the Chromecast Audio device is starting there is a brief point where both endpoints (Spotify Connect and Google Cast) are visible in the Spotify app.

This is an issue in the Spotify application. If the option to change the endpoint was available the end user would be able to switch between Spotify Connect and Google Cast.

Checking the strings.xml for the text 'Choose how to connect' (which is the option now missing in the Android app), it looks like the connect_device_choose_connection string was removed between 9.0.94 and 9.0.96:

david@mac01 APK % diff 9.0.94.173_base/resources/res/values/strings.xml 9.0.96.437_base/resources/res/values/strings.xml
...
1165d1164
< <string name="connect_device_choose_connection">Choose how to connect</string>
1168d1166
< <string name="connect_device_connection_updated">Connection Updated</string>
...
< <string name="martini_card_disclaimer">This content was generated using AI.</string>
3609a3616
> <string name="martini_card_third_party_sources_disclaimer">Summarized from 3rd-party sources</string>
...
5463c5471,5472
< <string name="settings_item_audio_stream_quality_very_high_quality_not_available">Very High music quality not available on this plan</string>
---
> <string name="settings_item_audio_stream_quality_lossless_quality_not_available">Lossless quality not available on this plan</string>
> <string name="settings_item_audio_stream_quality_very_high_quality_not_available">Very High quality not available on this plan</string>
5510a5520
> <string name="settings_item_download_quality_lossless_quality_not_available">Lossless download quality not available on this plan</string> 

...so it looks like this option has been removed.

[tcugma]

...Which was the previous behaviour of the Android version, too.

[twillemsen]

Yes please do this. I am very sad as it isn't possible now to use lossless on my receiver b'cause chromebast built-in doesn't support it.

[gobo]

Thanks to dagiles for starting this, although it's absurd that they needed to go to such lengths to get such an obvious point across.  Anyone with even a basic level of experience in multi-room audio knows that this change, apparently to support a currently non-functional feature called Dynamic Grouping, is a huge downgrade.  Google Cast is flakey as **bleep** compared to Spotify Connect, and many millions of users can distribute Spofity Connect between their zones in the native app of their multi-room audio system.  Charging Android users for Lossless while removing the ability for us to use it is offensive.  It isn't even working correctly.  I have one Google Cast-capable speaker that still shows as a Spotify Connect end point despite showing as available for Google Cast in other apps.  Get on with it, Spotify.  Give users the option to choose what method to stream via and give us back lossless or give us a refund.

[Soundchasr]

I can't believe they still haven't fixed this.  I've basically stopped using YT Music because turning on the Chromecast feature on the Wiim disables Spotify Connect Lossless.  

[tcugma]

I want to point out: the problem is not "just" losless, but:

gapless:
   Spotify-Connect: yes!
   Google-Cast: no.

establishing a connection:
   Spotify-Connect: fast!
   Google-Cast: takes up to ages!

dynamic grouping with WiiM-Devices: 
   Spotify-Connect: flawless
   Google-Cast: doesn't work. Only over the Google-Home-App, which is slow and overloaded for just that purpose.

[eejjay]

Yep, I'm just gonna leave another message here as well in order to get more attention. Insane that the product owner is so oblivious and thinks GCast is acceptable. If it was the other way around (default to Spotify Connect) I guess nobody would complain anymore.

[HenRex_dk]

Interesting how Spotify call this bug a "feature" and recommend users voting for this "idea" to fix their bug.

It's quite obvious Lossless is expensive for Spotify so they made it impossible for most users (Android) to even use it.

[KAH71]

Whatever the details of UI implementation, the underlying issue needs to be fixed. It's insane to completely deny lossless playback to user devices just because they happen to have 1 other, completely separate, chromecast device on their network. That's going to be a huge chunk of your user base who want to use the service in a domestic setting? 

[GOOGLECASTSUCKS]

Just had another chat with the support center in which I tried to get an answer to the question when can we expect "as paying users" to get the Spotify Connect option back. Do not get why Chromecast was pushed in the first place (inferior quality). In short they told me they are working on it as we speak (they as in the developers) and it will be available soon. The question what soon exactly means (days, weeks, months) they did not answer however my repeated questions... I told them this has been going on for months and they will lose paying customers over it. I'm now going to activate a 30-day free trial of Tidal. If by the end of the 30-day trial Spotify Connect is still not working for Andoid devices with one or more Chromecast devices in the network I probably switch for good. I recommend everyone to do the same as it does not make any sense to buy all kinds of expensive audio equipement for the streaming service to be the weak link. We are paying customers and should get our moneys worth. Also the differences in subscription fee does not compensate for the inferior quality of streaming between the two. In my case my AV Reciever, TV and wireless speaker all support Chromecast as most modern equipement does (not the reason I bought them though, it just came with it) so it really feels like punishment...

[justhere4now]

Please fix this, Spotify connect option is gone and Google cast doesn't even work.

I temporarily resolved this, on my Google TV, disabled chrome cast from system apps then factory reset my JBL soundbar which disables chrome cast. Now Spotify connect is back