[iOS] Implement Native HomePod Support

[robotoman22]

Details

Just this week at WWDC (June 22, 2020), Apple announced support for third party music services on the HomePod.  I'm requesting that Spotify implement native support for the HomePod such that one or even multiple HomePods will appear in the "Connect to a device" menu on any Apple device WITHOUT having to connect through Airplay.  This will also allow users to ask Siri to play songs from Spotify on their HomePod(s). 

Apple is opening up the HomePod, and I know there are many other HomePod users that would love to have native Spotify support on their speaker. 

Resources

• WWDC 2020 video and further resources about this topic: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10061
• More details on this site: https://developer.apple.com/siri/
• Form to request music service integration from Apple: https://developer.apple.com/contact/request/sirikit-media-intent-for-homepod

Please upvote this idea to garner attention for it.  Thank you Spotify and the Spotify community.  Let's get this implemented so it's ready for general iOS 14 release this September!

[beesyrup]

Are there any updates on this?

[tryingtothink]

No. A deafening silence.As silent as when I try to play Spotify on the
HomePods.

[apostolis]

Spotify! I am on the verge of returning to you after 5 years with Apple Music. Two things that I required to return was to lift the stupid 10,000 song limit (which you ve done) and then improve your integration with Apple devices, (Apple Watch -done) and HomePod (hopefully pending). Please do this, otherwise I am afraid that I will revert to Apple Music since I already have a HomePod and a HomePod mini...

[tryingtothink]

Thanks. Very helpful to know. I suspect I won't be able to get family to
switch over unfortunately.
I posted about this on What HiFi forum today
What HiFi, and indeed every journalistic organisation I messaged never
responded.

[MacGeek83]

How has something so simple not been implemented? I have a family plan and looking to go to Apple Music if this is not added. 

[Anon02]

I just got a HomePod. I hadn’t stopped my Apple Music subscription when I started using Spotify, so going back to Apple Music has been a breeze (in large part thanks to the SongShift app, which allowed me to sync playlists between Spotify and Apple Music).

There is a delay of about 2 seconds when controlling music on the HomePod via Airplay on Spotify. The native music app doesn’t have any delay when sending music via airplay to the HP, nor while controlling what is streaming directly via the internet to the HP.

I’ve also observed that the same song playing through the HP via Airplay on Apple Music seems to sound slightly better and louder than when playing via Airplay on Spotify

Spotify native on the HomePod and Spotify connect on the HomePod would definitely be much more convenient and desirable. If Spotify doesn’t implement this, I can see myself slowly gravitating back to Apple Music.

I have, however, been able to “handoff” Music playing on Spotify to the HomePod simply by asking Siri on my iPhone to “transfer this to my HomePod” while Spotify is playing. Works like a charm.

The only times it seems to get confused, both via the Siri method and manual Airplay control, is when I pause something playing on the HomePod via my native Music app and then immediately open Spotify > press play > transfer via airplay. It seems to think that I’m trying to transfer via AirPlay the music playing that was playing through the native music app rather than what’s currently playing on Spotify. Exiting the Spotify app through the App Switcher and reopening before using airplay on Spotify solves this problem. The need to force close Spotify each time I’ve used another Airplay source and want to switch to Spotify is quite clumsy. 

I hope Spotify is listening!! If a company makes me choose between its service and my Apple devices, I think I’m always going to choose the Apple devices (which “just work” like magic).

In fact, I considered getting a Bose smart speaker because of better Spotify Connect integration, but ultimately the HomePod is one of the best sounding speakers, so that’s what I went with, regardless of whether Spotify works as I’d like or not with the HomePod. 

Just to confirm, is the hold up only on Spotify’s end? Has Apple opened up the HomePod for Spotify to implement Spotify connect and native behaviour on the HomePod? Or do Apple and Spotify both need to make changes to implement this?

[Anon02]

I just got a HomePod. I hadn’t stopped my Apple Music subscription when I started using Spotify, so going back to Apple Music has been a breeze (in large part thanks to the SongShift app, which allowed me to sync playlists between Spotify and Apple Music).

There is a delay of about 2 seconds when controlling music on the HomePod via Airplay on Spotify. The native music app doesn’t have any delay when sending music via airplay to the HP, nor while controlling what is streaming directly via the internet to the HP.

I’ve also observed that the same song playing through the HP via Airplay on Apple Music seems to sound slightly better and louder than when playing via Airplay on Spotify

Spotify native on the HomePod and Spotify connect on the HomePod would definitely be much more convenient and desirable. If Spotify doesn’t implement this, I can see myself slowly gravitating back to Apple Music.

I have, however, been able to “handoff” Music playing on Spotify to the HomePod simply by asking Siri on my iPhone to “transfer this to my HomePod” while Spotify is playing. Works like a charm.

The only times it seems to get confused, both via the Siri method and manual Airplay control, is when I pause something playing on the HomePod via my native Music app and then immediately open Spotify > press play > transfer via airplay. It seems to think that I’m trying to transfer via AirPlay the music playing that was playing through the native music app rather than what’s currently playing on Spotify. Exiting the Spotify app through the App Switcher and reopening before using airplay on Spotify solves this problem. The need to force close Spotify each time I’ve used another Airplay source and want to switch to Spotify is quite clumsy. 

I hope Spotify is listening!! If a company makes me choose between its service and my Apple devices, I think I’m always going to choose the Apple devices (which “just work” like magic).

In fact, I considered getting a Bose smart speaker because of better Spotify Connect integration, but ultimately the HomePod is one of the best sounding speakers, so that’s what I went with, regardless of whether Spotify works as I’d like or not with the HomePod. 

Just to confirm, is the hold up only on Spotify’s end? Has Apple opened up the HomePod for Spotify to implement Spotify connect and native behaviour on the HomePod? Or do Apple and Spotify both need to make changes to implement this?

[sn1ker]

What's really crazy is the fact that customers have to suggest ideas and vote for them in order to get Spotify to implement anything. Very stupid system.

[MacGeek83]

@sn1ker I was thinking this as well. This very feature has me thinking of ditching Spotify for Apple Music. 

also with this being implemented and opened by Apple in June here it is 7 months away and still nothing. This one feature could actually get people to switch from Apple to Spotify. 

[xxmessupxx]

This will be my last month with Spotify before I use that 3 month free trial with Apple Music. And by then if there’s still no progress on this, adios.

Wonder how many users Spotify has to lose before they budge.