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Spotify on Friday added a new feature that allows subscribers to use an iPhone or iPad as a remote control for playback on their Mac. The new feature is available for free as part of Spotify's $9.99 monthly premium subscription.
We've just released a great new Premium feature, which lets you play Spotify through your computer, using your phone or tablet as a remote. Use the Spotify app to control the sound. It's brilliant if your laptop’s hooked up to your speakers. Or if you just don’t want to get off the couch.
Using the new Connect for Computers feature is simple, according to Spotify's setup instructions. After downloading the latest version of the mobile and desktop app, subscribers only need to log in, tap the "Now Playing" bar and hit "Connect" to direct music from an iPhone or iPad to a computer and its connected speakers.
Spotify is among the leading music streaming subscription services, sitting behind market leader Pandora and edging out Apple's Beats Music in App Store Revenue. Spotify recently introduced a new Family Plan feature that allows premium subscribers to add up to four additional lines for $4.99 each.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)It's free as long as you pay for it...
To those saying use AirPlay, this is much better for me and I'm sure for many other people too.
Yes! This is very cool indeed. I just tested the interaction of Spotify Connect between my iPhone 6, the beta of Spotify on my MacBook Air, and my new Yamaha receiver (that has Spotify built into it.) I was able to send Spotify music from the iPhone to the Mac and the Yamaha, and from the Mac to the iPhone and the Yamaha too.AirPlay requires both devices to be on the same WiFi network - and only a home WiFi network. Even if they're on the same enterprise or university WiFi network then they won't be able to see each other.
Spotify Connect tells their servers what song is playing on which device. So if I play a song on my iPhone, I can select to play it on my Mac. Even if my phone is on 4G and the Mac is on ethernet, then it will still see it and can select songs - these will stream from the ethernet on the Mac and play on there.
I even took my iPhone off WiFi, and used LTE, and was still able to keep these devices in sync. Odd, then, that this note says that "all devices [must be] on the same WiFi."
https://support.spotify.com/us/learn-more/guides/#!/article/spotify-connect
(Because that's simply not true.)
AirPlay requires both devices to be on the same WiFi network - and only a home WiFi network. Even if they're on the same enterprise or university WiFi network then they won't be able to see each other.
Spotify Connect tells their servers what song is playing on which device. So if I play a song on my iPhone, I can select to play it on my Mac. Even if my phone is on 4G and the Mac is on ethernet, then it will still see it and can select songs - these will stream from the ethernet on the Mac and play on there. If I introduce my iPad too then that also knows what's going on and I can select songs on there, all devices update live and show the current position in the song whilst still playing out the speakers connected to my Mac.
I was listening on a song on my Mac directly earlier today. Later in the day, I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket to go to the shop, and it told me what I was listening to on my Mac earlier and asked if I'd like to resume playback on my phone. I did.
"The new feature is available for free as part of Spotify's $9.99 monthly premium subscription."
It's free as long as you pay for it...
Exactly lol
Meanwhile, I'll enjoy Apple's free Remote app.
Glassed Silver:mac