Please continue supporting iOS/Android streaming SDKs

[florom]

We have been using those SDKs since they became available.

Our particular app (Amazing Slow Downer) lets the user play music more slowly, since a couple of years ago also songs from Spotify. The "ios-streaming-sdk" is a beautifully designed framework that lets an audio developer do practically everything needed.
In our case it makes it possible to access the raw audio samples and this way process the sound and then playback the processed audio using our regular audio playback engine. With your new SDK this is not possible. It might be that the "ios-streaming-sdk" is more difficult to use for an average developer but that also makes it more powerful.

We have many users that uses Spotify. Many users switch from other streaming services such as "Apple Music", Tidal, Amazon Music etc to Spotify just to be able to slow down streaming music in real time.

We believe our app gives Spotify many many new subscribers, so many that it would actually pay off for Spotify to maintain the "ios-streaming-sdk".

We only use "playlist" functions and after fixing a couple of bugs in the "metadata framework" available on github, everything works 100%. Although there are certainly some bugs in the “ios-streaming-sdk”, they are very few and don’t affect our app.

We also have an Android version of our app that uses your Android streaming SDK and it also works very good.

We believe Spotify will loose thousands of users, so many that the minimal cost Spotify need to spend on maintenance will pay off manifold.

Since our app also supports playback and slowing down of streaming Apple Music, many of our users will probably switch from subscribing to Spotify to subscribing to Apple Music.

You write:

"After September 1st, important functionality in the streaming SDKs will stop working."
Exactly what does that mean? What part of the SDK will continue to work?

Please continue supporting iOS/Android streaming SDKs!

Rolf Nilsson
CTO
Roni Music

[florom]

I can now confirm that Spotify kept their promise. The combination of Amazing Slow Downer (ASD) and Spotify is now history.

This is the saddest day of my life as a programmer. I have worked very hard to get in touch with someone at Spotify but it's impossible.
No replies, no information why, not even an initial email from them explaining that they will pull the rug out from ASD.
I'm Swedish and I'm normally proud of that. Think of Volvo, IKEA, "smorgasbord", Spotify and many other things. Today I am ashamed.

But life goes on. I am currently investigating the possibility of being able to support Tidal.
In the meantime, those of you using iOS devices can switch from Spotify to "Apple Music". It is possible to change the speed but not the pitch. "Apple Music" isn't supported on Android, sorry.

Rolf Nilsson / Developer of Amazing Slow Downer

[steveyacht]

I wholeheartedly agree.  This is an invaluable tool for musicians.  My entire musical community here in Toronto is very disappointed about this.

[BrianBen]

Sad day. Goodbye Spotify.

[BrianBen]

Done. Cancelled. Back to Apple.

[BassEricNC]

Dear Rolf,

Thank you for everything you’ve tried to do with Spotify and for bringing ASD to the musical community- It is a sad day to lose something so useful, but I hold out hope that Spotify will wake up and realize that they can and will  add pitch/tempo to the newest supported SDK and that you will once again be able to provide Spotify Playlist integration to ASD. 

Personally I will give Apple the one month trial and should Spotify not update the SDK, I will cancel Spotify before my next renewal cycle-

thank you again,

 Eric Chabinsky

[JSG]

Uso Amazing Slow Downer a diario como herramienta de aprendizaje. Si Spotify no devuelve el acceso al streaming a ASD considerare darme de baja de premium.

[spinal_tap]

Thank you for all of your hard work, Rolf. It really is a shame that Spotify seemingly cannot even reply to this thread with even an explanation. I will continue to support ASD!

[ducktheworld1]

RECONSIDER AMAZING SLOW DOWNER OR I'M SWITCHING TO APPLE MUSIC (WHO ALLOWS THE INTEGRATION) NEXT MONTH. 

I use it to learn how to play fast songs too. What's the harm here?!?!

[StoneDynamite]

I will continue to support Amazing Slow Downer.  It has been an amazing tool for me over the last 10 years, with its seamless integration with Spotify.  I am sad to see Spotify make this decision and I hope that in time they will reconsider their decision.  As a music instructor, I cannot work without ASD and it's full set of features.  It is essential.  So for that very reason, I just switched over to Apple Music and will be cancelling my Spotify subscription.  Judging from the other replies, this will be a sad day for many of us.  I hope there will be a happy ending to this story.  Wishing everyone the best during this transition. Thanks ASD for all you do and for all you have done for us.  It has all been so greatly appreciated. 

[HolmesCD]

Rolf, thank you for all you've done for the music industry - your ASD app is (or was) obviously well loved and widely used. Personally, I will continue to use it with purchased songs both from iTunes and from my own CD collection. The pitch shift capability still works with those types of song tracks. So thank you once again, and best of luck to you... we hope you will have success incorporating Tidal and/or other streaming sources into ASD. 

[raffaninov]

Spotify no sólo es miserable con los músicos y productores de música, sino que ahora a los usuarios nos privan de usar esta herramienta para el estudio. Adiós Spotify. Hola Apple Music.

[raffaninov]

Pésima decisión. Creo que ahora todos los inconformes iremos a sacar cuenta a Apple Music.

[alohahawaiikiki]

Rolf, thank you so much! Would be very happy to test with Tidal if needed, as I have already their subscription.

I think they have an integration with Wase, so I imagine they might be having some API, but not sure if this would be usable with ASD to slow down music.

Spotify, it is a shame! Not even a reply. But it’s not the first time they don’t care to provide any transparency. Last year they announced Spotify HiFi launch and have never launched neither update the community, who was waiting for it for 9 months.

Disappointed again.

[Spittfire]

I will be leaving spotify in the next month if this support for amazing slow downer is not maintained. It is the only reason I use it.

[Calum_G]

This is a very sad day. Really hope Spotify reconsider or at least have the decency to give an explanation.

Artists create music which Spotify profit from, this is a valuable tool for artists and people of all ages and backgrounds learning music.  This essentially feels like they're biting the hand that feeds them.  

I personally just get lots of joy in being able to play along to tracks and change the pitch to suit my instruments.  Will have to reluctantly go down the Apple music road if this isn't resolved soon. 

[Frisktoast]

It is Sept. 1st and, as promised, my Spotify is no longer working with the Amazing Slow Downer app. I would ask that you reconsider your decision concerning this. Not having access to my Spotify playlists within ASD is very detrimental to my work as a musician. This is a sad day indeed!

[dkfranklin1966]

Spotify - why did you discontinue support for the legacy developer service which allowed apps (specifically the Amazing Slow Downer) to use and interact with Spotify? You are going to lose so many musician customers...tens of thousands probably! For what gain - some cost saving? So many subscriptions down the drain for Spotify if we all have to go Apple Music to still be able to use the Amazing Slow Downer. That's enough to pay a developer to keep the legacy developer service continuing. Very disappointed. Please allow support for the Amazing Slow Downer app!!

[torbjornluther]

As a musician and teacher it is absolute crucial to have the possibility to use Amazing slowdowner on my Spotify playlist for the students. I have even encourage my students to open a Spotify Premium account to be able to use Amazing  slowdowner with Spotify.

P L E A S E Spotify! Reconsider your decision to destroy the possibility to use Amazing slowdowner with your software!

Otherwise I have to suggest to my pupils to cancel their Spotify account while it is useless in my lessons.

T. Luther 

[dkfranklin1966]

Hi Spotify, why did you discontinue support for the legacy developer service which allowed apps (specifically the Amazing Slow Downer) to use and interact with Spotify? You are going to lose so many musician customers - 10,000s probably - who will now need to use Apple Music! For what gain - some cost saving? That's a lot of subscriptions down the drain for Spotify if we all plan to switch to Apple Music. That's enough to pay a developer to keep the legacy developer service continuing. Very disappointed. Please continue providing your support to the SDK that allows The Amazing Slow Downer to use Spotify!!

[Agnesazria]

This is rediculous I’m so mad Amazing Slowdowner app is an essential tool for musicians and there is no plausible reason for it to not have access to Spotify