Spotify Pauses Plans to Add AirPlay 2 Support to iOS App [Update: Spotify Clarifies]

See update at bottom of article



Spotify this week confirmed that its plans to add AirPlay 2 support to its iOS app have been placed on indefinite hiatus.

General Spotify Feature
In an online discussion forum post, a Spotify representative said the streaming music service had been working on supporting AirPlay 2, but the company has paused the efforts "for now" due to "audio driver compatibility issues." The representative described AirPlay 2 support as a "bigger project that we won't be able to complete in the foreseeable future."

AirPlay 2 launched as part of iOS 11.4 in May 2018 with several enhancements to the original AirPlay wireless audio protocol, including multi-room audio, Siri voice control, and improved buffering. An app can support AirPlay 2 by implementing AVFoundation framework APIs, with a four-step process outlined on Apple's developer website.

Spotify has also yet to add native support for the HomePod (or its HomePod mini successor), despite Apple opening up the speaker to third-party music services last year. This is despite Spotify filing a complaint against Apple with the European Commission in March 2019 that accused the iPhone maker of "locking Spotify and other competitors out of Apple services such as Siri, HomePod, and Apple Watch."

We've reached out to Spotify for comment and we'll provide an update if we hear back.

Update (Aug 7, 2021): Spotify has reached out and indicates that the original post was not accurate and AirPlay 2 support is still in the works:

A post on one of Spotify’s Community pages contained incomplete information regarding our plans for AirPlay2. Spotify will support AirPlay2 and we’re working to make that a reality.

Spotify has updated the original post with the revised information.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
New MacBook Pros Launching Tomorrow With These 4 New Features 2

M5 MacBook Models to Use New Compact Camera Module in 2025

Wednesday July 17, 2024 2:58 am PDT by
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...

Top Rated Comments

BB8 Avatar
39 months ago

I still don't know why any iPhone people have Spotify over Apple Music
because it's better
Score: 89 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eyalben Avatar
39 months ago

I still don't know why any iPhone people have Spotify over Apple Music
1. It’s better
2. It has more songs
3. It has much better recommendations and radios
4. Apple, being Apple, provides mediocre services and support outside the US and some countries in Europe ( mediocre localization, no localize customer service - English only, much smaller library in Apple Music due to incomplete international licenses, etc…)

In my country, Spotify heavily invested in localization, publicly modifying their recommendation algorithm to to adjust local opinion and preferences.
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
User 6502 Avatar
39 months ago

I still don't know why any iPhone people have Spotify over Apple Music
Because it’s a much better service.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
39 months ago
It just took them 3 and a half years to realize it was "too much effort" and that they better not fancy doing it, sounds right on brand for Spotify.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hagar Avatar
39 months ago
Seems like Spotify wants to drive as many iPhone users as possible towards Apple Music.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rychiar Avatar
39 months ago
I still don't know why any iPhone people have Spotify over Apple Music
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)