[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!

[tryingtothink]

Regrettably I can't switch due to family membership. I otherwise would out
of principal.
Presently I am finding what I want on the iPhone then 'handing over' to the
Pods. Then Siri at least pauses and jumps tracks.
Not ideal but I have to live with it
I really would love to know why Spotify feel obliged to say nothing.

[CeramicCash]

Its pure laziness or Spotify like to shun apple users simply because they don't like apple. You can use song shift to transfer your Spotify library to Apple Music. I also like how with Apple Music you have a mini player and you can stream broadcast radio stations from the app - its actually got a bunch of nice little features that Spotify lacks and it runs like a dream on the M1

[DaniloSP_80]

Hey guys,

I actually went the other way and returned to Spotify from Apple Music. This service’s playlists and music recommendations are second to none. After years of using Apple Music, that service was woefully incapable of predicting my taste. My family echoed the same sentiments. Think twice about switching over. If Apple Music failed to make suitable recommendations over years of use, I don’t believe it’ll be capable to learn over the trial only, heh.

In fact, some of my family members actually own Homepods, and that’s why I take part in this thread. It’d be a great thing to have.

However, music discovery and curation takes complete preference over the hardware it is being played on. That’s why I’m paying for.

But please Spotify admins, it is a very simple thing really: will the feature be supported?. Yes or no?. That will suffice.

Regards.

[RobLar85]

Dont get me started on the m1, thats the next war 🙂

I like spotify because I get music and podcasts in the same app. I also think that spotify is a better service overall. But I think that "native" HomePod-support is more important than having spotify find new artists for me from time to time. Then there is the flexibility with spotify-connect, everything has spotify connect, except homepod.

But do not like to stream to my iphone, then stream from it to a homepod. I get bad Bluetooth vibes. Doesn't the quality get worse too? Maybe not noticeable on a homepod mini, but still.

My "real" music system has an apple TV connected (& spotify connect). I just want easy access to music in the rest of the house. Which happens to be a homekit house.

[Mrricearonie]

The HomePod uses AirPlay 2 to stream music to it, so you won’t have to worry about bad Bluetooth. Think of it how a Sonos system works. 

[CeramicCash]

...

[CeramicCash]

.

[RobLar85]

I could very well be wrong here. but I think you lose quality with airplay 2 versus native? As I said before, probably not noticeable with a homepod mini. But I want my minis to appear in the spotify connect list anyway 🙂

[iv1z_5-a3ysvp]

Nope, Spotify uses airplay 1...

[Mrricearonie]

It seems that because AirPlay works over Wi-Fi, they can use lossless compression, so if there is an audio downgrade, it won’t be that much. 

here’s what I’m basing that off of: 

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/blog/difference-between-airplay-bluetooth

also, Spotify Connect on HomePod would be amazing.