INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In a long-awaited move, Spotify announced this morning its iOS 13 app would now offer Siri support and its streaming music service would
also become available on Apple TV
That means you can now request your favorite music or podcasts using Siri voice commands, by preferencing the command with Hey Siri,
play…, followed by the audio you want and concluding the command with on Spotify.
The Siri support had been spotted earlier while in beta
testing, but the company hadn''t confirmed when it would be publicly available.
According to Spotify, the Siri support will also work over
Apple AirPods, on CarPlay and via AirPlay on Apple HomePod.
In addition, the Spotify iOS app update will include support for iPhone new
data-saver mode, which aids when bandwidth is an issue.
Spotify is also today launching on Apple TV, joining other Spotify apps for TV
platforms, including Roku, Android TV, Samsung Tizen and Amazon Fire TV.
The app updates are still rolling out, so you may need to wait to
take advantage of the Apple TV support and other new features.
The lack of Siri support for Spotify was not the streaming music service
fault — it wasn''t until iOS 13 that such support even became an option
With the new mobile operating system launched in September, Apple finally opened up its SiriKit framework to third-party apps, allowing
end-users to better control their apps using voice commands
That includes audio playback on music services like Spotify, as well as the ability to like and dislike tracks, skip or go to the next song
and get track information.
Pandora, Google Maps and Waze were among the first to adopt Siri integration when it became available in iOS 13
— a clear indication that some of Apple chief rivals have been ready and willing to launch Siri support as soon as it was possible.
Though
the integration with Siri will be useful for end-users and beneficial to Spotify business, it may also weaken the streaming company
antitrust claims against Apple.
Spotify has long stated that Apple engages in anti-competitive business practices when it comes to its app
platform, which is designed to favor its own apps and services, like Apple Music, it says
Among its chief complaints was the inability of third-party apps to work with Siri, which gave Apple own apps a favored position
Spotify also strongly believes the 30% revenue share required by the App Store hampers its growth potential.
The streamer filed an antitrust
complaint against Apple in the European Union in March
And now, United States lawmakers have reached out to Spotify to request information as a part of an antitrust probe here in the states,
reports claim.
Despite its new ability to integrate with Siri in iOS 13, Spotify could argue that it still not enough
Users will have to say &on Spotify& to take advantage of the new functionality, instead of being able to set their default music app to
Spotify, which would be easier
It could also point out that the support is only available to iOS 13 devices, not the entire iOS market.
Along with the Apple-related news,
Spotify today also announced support for Google Nest Home Max, Sonos Move, Sonos One SL, Samsung Galaxy Fold, and preinstallation on Michael
Kors Access, Diesel and Emporio Armani Wear OS smartwatches.
