Apple has reportedly discontinued a key feature that allowed iPhone users to control the volume of other devices while streaming music via Spotify. This change impacts users who use Spotify’s Connect feature to play music on multiple devices, as they will no longer be able to adjust the volume using their iPhone’s physical buttons.
Spotify recently updated its support page, informing users that Apple has removed the technology necessary for controlling the volume of connected devices directly through the iPhone’s buttons. As a result, users must now unlock their iPhones, access the Spotify app, and use an on-screen slider to adjust the volume—a change that could be seen as an inconvenience for many.
In response, Spotify suggested a workaround: users can press a volume button on their iPhone, which will bring up a digital volume slider within the app. While this does offer some level of control, it requires additional steps, potentially frustrating users who are accustomed to a more seamless experience.
This move by Apple follows a similar restriction placed on the Sonos app last year, and it may affect other third-party streaming services that utilize Apple’s AirPlay for audio casting. Spotify has asked Apple to introduce a solution that would restore volume control for non-Apple devices, but so far, Apple has insisted that third-party apps like Spotify and Sonos must integrate with its HomePod smart speaker for full functionality.
The ongoing tension between Apple and Spotify is well-known, particularly regarding the fees Apple charges for in-app purchases and subscriptions. Spotify has accused Apple of limiting interoperability between different ecosystems, a charge that has drawn attention from European regulators under the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
As this dispute unfolds, it remains to be seen whether regulatory bodies will intervene, especially given Spotify’s previous criticisms of EU policies for stifling innovation.
