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

[bbhulsey]

Wow, hundreds of disgruntled Spotify users here, including myself. It disgusts me that Spotify can't even grace this with a response, let alone an apology. Will definitely be investigating other services.

[JunesongProvision]

I've been a Spotify premium user since they first launched and this change is just awful. Please reconsider. I've defended the company through all the crazy ups and downs but this may be the final issue that gets me to stream elsewhere.

[susielim]

Please return the functionality for Amazing Slow Downer integration! 

[Pasta211]

This is one of the best, if not the ONLY good way to learn music by ear. If we can't access the music then we cant learn it either. This is just more bad rep for Spotify. Amazing Slow Downer is for musicians who need to learn songs for gigs fast and for the rest of us who just want to learn the songs we love. And also practice our musical ears. You should be supporting musicians, not kill them off! Please reconsider your decision! You can still be the good guys again giving access to music for those who needs it and enjoys it! And also you should really support musicians. Your whole company relies on us!

[ChipB]

Thanks Andy,

Thanks for sharing.  Its great to have alternatives.  I’m sure you know that Apple Music and ASD work together for tempo changes.  Not key changes, however.  I have switched to Apple Music since key changes are far less important to me.  

                    <<Note to Spotify:  I will resubscribe if you work out this issue with ASD!!  PLEASE!!>>

If I need to change keys within ASD (rare for me), here is my workaround:  I play and record the song from whatever source if find it.  Then I import the file into ASD.  Not elegant, but it does work fine.  Just my current solution.

Oh!  And there are some on-line apps which recreated all my (many) Spotify playlists within Apple Music!

<<2nd Note to Spotify:  I will absolutely resubscribe to Spotify once you work out this issue with ASD!!  Your platform is superior, however, I must be able to use my music app with ASD!  Fix it, PRETTY PLEASE!!>>

[xpilotcz]

I quit paying Spotify because of this change. They won't see me and my family unless they enable this again.

Pavel

[jaycincotta]

The lack of any official response on this thread is really disappointing. With so many posting the same complaints about the importance of ASD support in Spotify, surely they are aware of this thread. To just ignore all us without even acknowledging our concerns adds insult to injury.

[ian-c]

No choice but to look for alternatives. It's a hassle but using Apple music would be the next best option for me.

[Lemoore]

Sidify will rip your Spotify playlists to mp3. Then you can still use ASD. Or just rip a Youtube video of the piece. Obviously not encouraging it, but it's an option.

It sucks, but just work around it and move on.

I shared this thread on Twitter with the CEO. Maybe we will at least get an official response...

https://twitter.com/_cordcutter/status/1603704848670752768

[MarkEN1]

Hello, 

This change affects me as well. The Amazing Slow Downer app is a huge benefit to musicians. It allows the user to slow down songs, change the pitch and EQ the sound - all of which can make it possible to learn by ear specific parts of the music that can otherwise be too difficult hear. This compatibility between Spotify and ASD has been a significant benefit of my Spotify subscription. Without it, there is no benefit that I can see to Spotify over other music streaming options.

Please reconsider the decision to remove this compatibility.

Best regards,

Mark Nicol 

[wfoster1917]

Shame on Spotify for taking away this capability without providing a replacement or allowing compatibility with the new system. It's been months with no proposed solution. Whichever service is compatible with ASD is the one I will use.

[lfeezer]

I am a musican by trade and ASD is a huge asset to my work. I am yet another user Spotify is going to lose due to this change. 

[qu6km0wjbezlc8jvtaqa]

ASD as well as transcribe are my main 2 tools for music transcription (which is an invaluable tool for musicians) ive been a spotify user since forever but i dont support this changes to the SDK. If these business practices are continued i will be terminating my subscription and look elsewhere.

[Jgfager]

I also support this request, please continue supporting iOS/Android streaming SDKs! This used to be a major advantage of Spotify compared to other streaming services, an important tool for music students, music professionals, and a nice feature for all listeners.

Again Spotify: please continue supporting iOS/Android streaming SDKs!

[wrongwaybb]

Hey Spotify 

this is the sound of thousands of unhappy customers—former loyal ones—who are leaving because of this decision.

why won’t you acknowledge us??

the entire reason I have a Spotify account is because it used to integrate with ASD.  I used to use this all the time to learn traditional Irish music.

I vote with my dollars, and I will now be canceling Spotify and I’ll start using that money to purchase music directly from the artists, like the old days.

Please reconsider this very bad decision.  What has it gained you Spotify?  I can tell you it has caused unhappiness for many, many musicians, and certainly a steady loss of customers, including me.  

BYE BYE!!

[Russ10]

I replied essentially the same thing months ago. Also I canceled my subscription.
I don’t think Spotify is going to reconsider.

[photodood]

Yeah this is ridiculous, Spotify. I PAY for Spotify (been paying for a family membership for YEARS) but if you’re looking for a reason to send your subscribers to Apple, you’ve found it. Musicians have to able to slow down and loop sections of a song to better learn it. Reverse your decision or lose my business. Period. 

[nanjen]

I totally support this - I have lost half my songs that I use in my fitness classes due to you preventing Amazing SlowDowner from using your files. If you won't provide this functionality yourselves, why prevent external apps from using your files?

I am very frustrated that previous posts about this were ignored because they didn't get enough 'votes'. There will be a large number of people who won't comment - they will just leave. Please allow these files to be used again.

[Lennartm]

Please bring ASD functionality back!

[Elton42]

I’ve been using ASD for more than 10 years and Spotify is my main source of music.  Along with Joni Mitchell pulling her catalogue from Spotify I don’t see why I’d continue to subscribe to Spotify.