Spotify Blames Apple for Quitting the Volume Controller Technology for Spotify Connect

Spotify blames Apple for discontinuing the iPhone volume button and not supporting Spotify Connect. This time the dispute does not belong to the in-app purchase or pricing policy but to the restrictions of the volume controller. Spotify claims that Apple discontinued the technology to change the volume for Spotify users.

The company also claims that Apple’s changes would be considered a breach of European regulation rule, the DMA (Digital Markets Act)- Article 6, which is further specified under Article 8.      

• “6(7): The gatekeeper shall allow providers of services and providers of hardware, free of charge, effective interoperability with, and access for the purposes of interoperability to, the same hardware and software features accessed or controlled via the operating system or virtual assistant listed in the designation decision pursuant to Article 3(9) as are available to services or hardware provided by the gatekeeper.”

• “Furthermore, the gatekeeper shall allow business users and alternative providers of services provided together with, or in support of, core platform services, free of charge, effective interoperability with, and access for the purposes of interoperability to, the same operating system, hardware or software features, regardless of whether those features are part of the operating system, as are available to, or used by, that gatekeeper when providing such services.”

Previously, while streaming music via Spotify, users could control volume accessibility through physical volume buttons in the side panel of iPhones. But with the recent Apple updates, the volume button no longer works for Spotify users.

Moreover, the company also states that this issue won’t occur while connecting with Bluetooth, AirPods, Apple Music, and Android devices. This only happened on iOS devices while streaming Spotify music.

Introducing the solution, Spotify recommends the new in-app volume slider for iOS users. The company will initiate the feature on September 3.