Spotify says users on iPhone will no longer be able to control the volume of connected devices using their physical volume buttons after Apple "discontinued" the technology that enables the functionality. The change impacts Spotify Connect, a feature that allows users to control Spotify playback on various devices like speakers, game consoles, and smart TVs.
The streaming giant claims that the previous method had become unstable, leading to issues such as volume spikes during playback. As a result, iPhone users will now have to resort to an in-app slider to adjust volume, a change that Spotify is calling a "workaround," reports The Verge.
To use the new volume control, iPhone owners will need to tap a notification that appears when they press the physical volume buttons. This notification will prompt them to use the in-app slider. Spotify claims that the new solution will provide "persistent, high-quality" volume control, despite the extra steps involved for users. The change is set to take effect on September 3, but some users are reportedly already seeing it.
Spotify claims that Apple is refusing to grant access to the same technology that allows Apple Music to play on third-party devices. In a continuation of long-held tensions between the two companies, the streaming service has gone as far as suggesting that this could violate the EU's Digital Markets Act, which requires major platforms to open up to third-party services.
"We've made requests to Apple to introduce a similar solution to what they offer users on HomePod and Apple TV for app developers who control non-Apple media devices," Spotify said in its update. "Apple has told us that they require apps to integrate into HomePod in order to access the technology that controls volume on iPhones."
Apple actually offers an API for third-party music services to stream directly to HomePods, but for whatever reason Spotify has chosen not to implement it. Fortunately, iPhone users running iOS 17 can still start an AirPlay session on HomePod using a Siri command (e.g. "Siri, play Fleetwood Mac on Spotify"). It's worth noting that this change only affects Spotify Connect on iOS. Spotify users controlling volume via Bluetooth or AirPlay will not be impacted.
