Touch Preview on iOS removal

[JackF]

Hey folks, Spotify here!

Just a quick post to let you know we’re in the process of removing Touch Preview, the feature on the iOS app that gives you a sneak peek of a playlist, song, album, or artist before you hit play.

We’ve taken this decision as it currently has a very low engagement rate. We’re committed to offering the best experience on each platform, and we’re actively looking into new possibilities for the long press feature.

The change will take effect with app version 8.4.15, which goes live in the App Store today.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on what long press feature you’d like to see added. Thanks in advance for sharing your feedback!

[tndinh]

That’s unfortunate. As a user, I found the tool very useful as part of the UX. My biggest concern was that users were not made aware of the feature. I don’t ever recall any type of marketing involved around the feature at all. When I realized how useful it was, I used it very regularly.

Much like how the feature was implemented, it was removed in the same way. I didn’t realize it was gone until many frustrating trials to preview a song.

As a designer who understands UI/UX, I’m sad to see this feature go.

Good luck in your future UI/UX planning!

[keilahvicari]

As someone who uses Spotify everyday and truly loves this app, there was no reason to take this away! If you really use Spotify you would know this is a key component in finding music. When you search something usually many options come up, I don't want to listen to every single song and ruin my que just for it not to be what I wanted. Also, this feature helped a lot in previewing albums and playlists to get a feel for them before adding it to my profile or something. Please please bring this back!!

[nunnex]

It's a pity that such a good functionality was removed. Normaly no one with a clear mind will do this because there was no replacement. The long press on a album is now simply unused. I think this is only a money driven approach. 

[Th3Sn4k301]

Sounds like they‘re proud of themselves for removing the feature. But ye shouldn‘t because we‘re not. Worst decision of the year...

[Punkoren]

BRING it back and this is so much better and outstanding feature compare with Apple Music and others streaming apps.

If you backward and never learn the experience why people choose Spotify?

[karenspajamas]

Bring it back! I’d say the low engagement can be attributed to lack of awareness. Anyone I’ve shared this feature with say it’s amazing! SOS miss touch preview deeply

[rbirch]

This needs to be reinstated. Such a good feature. 

Come on Spotify. Sort your life out. 

[user-removed]

Bring this feature back!

There is no reason to remove this feature.

This is such a DOWNGRADE.

[user-removed]

Worst decision ever!!!! I love finding new songs to play on Spotify and this feature was PURE GOLD! Shame on Spotify for taking the feature off. 

With the new playlist layouts and the removal of this AWESOME feature... I'm going to take my $$$ elsewhere! 

[StartGroup]

Com'on Spotify. Please address your loyal paying customers. They are screaming. Can you please update on reconsideration? Thank you! 

[karenspajamas]

I cancelled my Apple Music subscription to come back to Spotify...specifically for this feature. I don’t understand why the team would take away something that’s so well received. Incredibly disappointed in Spotify iOS dev team

[Mfthompson00]

Way to destroy the best part of Spotify…discovering new music and broadening people's musical view is what makes your service great. In addition it brings lesser known artists to people's attention. However, now you have crippled those qualities by making browsing music clunky and painstaking. As for your BS reason of low usage, I'm not buying it. One, how do you know it was not being used?…you really tracking every time I touch preview?   Two, based on the number of people on this thread and the number of people on the thread to bring it back I would argue there is plenty of people using touch preview. And given this is probably a fraction of the people who are upset I guarantee that number is exponentially larger. Finally, maybe you could try improving usage by promoting it instead of pulling from those who love it. 

I would wager there is another reason this feature was removed but you are too cowardice to admit it. Otherwise you would have already brought it back instead of asking the community what to do with the long touch. I know you can do with the long touch…maybe a feature where you could quickly preview a song, artist, or playlist to see if you like it instead of having to open it and click through a bunch of items…oh wait…didn't we have that once! Bring this back or come clean with the reason it was removed. If there is a legitimate obstacle to having it, tell us, maybe we can help with creatives solutions but just removing it and leaving us pissed is a bad move. 

[nuevaview]

just tried to do this cos it was my favourite new feature...bring it back! It let's us screen record and preview a bunch of songs for example in a playlist to share!

[Claylew]

This was also one of my favorite features, now it feels like Spotify is missing a limb. If low engagement was the problem, then my suggestion is for Spotify to engage a little more with users about this feature. That is to say, if you offer an innovative feature that does not exist in any other music apps (ahem), then you have to educate people about it. I discovered touch preview by mistake and liked it, but it could be off putting if you didn't know what it was. How about a pop-up window with the relauch of this feature to explain how it works? Or an option in settings to deactivate touch preview if it rubs a few people the wrong way? There's no way that folks won't use Touch Preview if it is implemented properly—it's made for the ADD music generation!!

[Eward]

This feature was one of the primary reasons I enjoyed Spotify so much and I am not happy with it's removal.

I'll be researching other streaming services that offer this overlooked, under utilized (?), and sorely missed feature. 

Bad move, Spotify.

[Duhspotify]

Bring touch preview back!  The reason you probably saw low engagement was because people probably don’t even know it’s there?!  I had to discover it on my own...and it was extremely useful.

[Twofridges]

Hey spotify, I'm so dissapointed youve removed this feature! I actually show this feature off to collegues and friends as it was so useful to get a quick flavor of an album. Most people dont use it because its not mentioned anywhere. Such a shame, it was the only useful deployment of force touch api. Is there a way I can rollback to a previous app version? Honestly everyone I know raves about this feature once they know its there. Or have a settings option to turn on? Thanks 🙂

[mainca2]

I solved this too, I just haven't updated your software since you killed this feature being it's the only feature that kept me interested in your app vs Apple.

[antonio191]

I loved this feature why take it out. could have atleast made a it a setting and have it turned off by default.

[holeyman]

Low engagement rate would have been a great excuse if you needed to use the long press for something else, and hopefully better, but you just removed a feature and replaced it with nothing. Give me my cookie back, I loved that feature.