Spotify and Apple Clash Again Over iOS Control Changes
The series of disputes between Apple and Spotify regarding their respective volume control features on iOS has continued in a new direction. Last week, many frustrated Spotify listeners released a bombshell on various social media platforms as they expressed disappointment over changes affecting Spotify Connect.
Spotify Connect allows the phone owner to take control of the playback on any other connected device, whether it’s a smart speaker, TV, or gaming console. The catch is that in this instance, iPhone owners found themselves having less control than before. Spotify accused Apple on its support website of having crippled off necessary technology.
What this used to do was change the volume of attached devices. Now all that pressing the buttons does is invoke an in-app slider: it doesn’t change the volume directly any longer. When Spotify is running in the background, button presses result in a notification that requires an additional tap to reveal said slider.
Spotify explains the issue has been fixed, but neither firm has a way to expedite either repair. Come September 3, Spotify will check for each iOS device and only let the user change volume through that in-app option instead of the iPhone’s actual volume controls.
Having previously been the instigator of antitrust complaints against Apple in Europe, which led to regulatory enforcement, Spotify basically suggested this action might breach the EU’s Digital Markets Act, given that it drew on Apple’s designation as a “gatekeeper”.
