Spotify iPhone Users Lose Physical Volume Button Control for Connected Devices

Spotify has announced that iPhone users will no longer be able to control the volume of connected devices using their physical volume buttons. This change comes after Apple discontinued the technology that enabled this functionality, impacting the Spotify Connect feature.

Impact on Spotify Connect

Spotify Connect allows users to control playback on various devices such as speakers, game consoles, and smart TVs. The streaming giant claims that the previous method had become unstable, leading to issues like volume spikes during playback. As a result, iPhone users will now need to use an in-app slider to adjust the volume, which Spotify is calling a “workaround,” according to reports from The Verge.

New Volume Control Method

To utilize the new volume control, iPhone owners will receive a notification when they press the physical volume buttons. This notification will prompt them to use the in-app slider. Spotify asserts that this new solution will offer “persistent, high-quality” volume control, despite the extra steps involved for users. The change is scheduled to take effect on September 3, although some users are already experiencing it.

Ongoing Tensions Between Spotify and Apple

Spotify claims that Apple is refusing to grant access to the technology that allows Apple Music to play on third-party devices. This is seen as a continuation of long-standing tensions between the two companies. Spotify has suggested that this could violate the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which mandates 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 stated in its update. “Apple has told us that they require apps to integrate into HomePod to access the technology that controls volume on iPhones.”