[iOS][iPadOS][macOS] Support for interactive playback widget

[Emil_Beck_Aagaard]

Hi, in the new iOS 17/iPad OS/Sonoma update Apple is adding support for interactive widgets. I would love if you could experiment with adding this feature to Spotify as it isn’t currently supported. 

The widget could come in multiple sizes, ranging from a simple pause button to a full album cover, upcoming music and the ability to scroll in a song or podcast for the big screens.

EDIT: Thanks for the support, remember to like the idea, so we can get this feature implemented 😁!

[MoisesWillis]

Hi Emil_Beck_Aagaard and Spotify Development Team,

I’m thrilled to see the conversation around integrating interactive widgets and I fully support Emil’s suggestion. Implementing interactive widget support, introduced in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, would greatly enhance user interactions with the Spotify app.

Feature Details:

1. Increased Interactivity: Users could interact with specific functionalities like skipping songs or selecting playlists without needing to launch the app fully, providing a more seamless and intuitive user experience.
2. Enhanced Usability: Offering widgets in varying sizes would allow users to customize their screens to their preference, from a simple pause/play button to a full-view album cover, and potentially even a scroll feature within a song or podcast for larger screens.
3. Live Updates: Live Activities would keep users informed with real-time updates, enhancing user engagement and the overall app experience. 

Competitive Advantage:

Apple Music has already implemented this feature, showcasing its potential and the increasing demand for such functionalities. With the public release of OS 17, the popularity of interactive widgets is skyrocketing as users find substantial value in being able to interact and receive updates via Live Activities.

Examples:

• Small Widget: Could have play/pause functionality and display the current song.
• Medium Widget: Could allow for skipping songs and selecting from a list of favorite playlists.
• Large Widget: Could provide a more comprehensive view with upcoming music, album covers, and an interactive scroll feature within a song or podcast.

Importance:

Implementing this feature would not only match the competitive offerings but also potentially attract more users looking for a sophisticated and interactive music app experience. It’s an innovative step towards making Spotify more user-friendly and responsive to the evolving needs of your user base.

Request:

I hope that the development team sees the substantial value and user benefit in integrating interactive widgets and prioritizes this feature in future updates. It would significantly contribute to an enriched and dynamic user interaction, keeping Spotify at the forefront of music streaming services.

Thank you for considering this enhancement, and I’m excited to see how Spotify continues to innovate and enhance our music-listening experiences! 

[Speedyboi]

Why isn’t the status changing to “Live Idea”? It has reached 180 votes in under 6 months.

[gravespy720]

With the release of macOS Sonoma today, the new feature that exists is that you can now add widgets from your phone to the desktop of your computer running macOS Sonoma.

It would be great if you could click on an album or podcast or whatever is showing in the widget and have it pull up Spotify on your desktop and start playing. This would be the same behavior as occurs in iOS. Apple's own apps seem to exhibit this behavior. Notes for example will open the note from the widget in the macOS Desktop app.

[Luan]

Updated on 2023-09-27

Thank you for sharing your feedback with the Spotify Ideas Exchange.

Your suggestion has been marked as a New Suggestion and will be reviewed by the Spotify staff once it receives enough votes. We appreciate your contribution and look forward to your continued support of this idea!

For more details about how the Ideas Exchange works, please refer to here.

[Klunkerwilli]

I would really love to see this!

[NachoBD2]

I agree with the other comments! It would be awesome to have the new interactive widgets in iOS 17 and iPad OS 17.

[Alexandr96]

I just want to have the option to play/pause, skip a track or go back a track from the widget 😊. Please Spotify just do it, everyone will love it! 

[Brad35]

This would be a great feature, especially if adding the widget would include IOS17 Standby support. It would be a great addition to the IOS 17 time Widget. No need to grab the phone when working, just tap the next track, pause, or repeat.

[angel_rm]

Yes that is actually how I thought it would work. It's weird that when you click on it it says "open Spotify on iPhone to continue" and then nothing happens. 

[Andre-dw]

Would love to have these widgets also on standby so i can control my music while my phone is in standby on my night stand.