Spotify Blames Apple for Loss of iPhone Volume Button Control of Connected Devices

Spotify says users on iPhone will no longer be able to control the volume of connected devices using their physical volume buttons after Apple "discontinued" the technology that enables the functionality. The change impacts Spotify Connect, a feature that allows users to control Spotify playback on various devices like speakers, game consoles, and smart TVs.

Apple vs Spotify feature2
The streaming giant claims that the previous method had become unstable, leading to issues such as volume spikes during playback. As a result, iPhone users will now have to resort to an in-app slider to adjust volume, a change that Spotify is calling a "workaround," reports The Verge.

To use the new volume control, iPhone owners will need to tap a notification that appears when they press the physical volume buttons. This notification will prompt them to use the in-app slider. Spotify claims that the new solution will provide "persistent, high-quality" volume control, despite the extra steps involved for users. The change is set to take effect on September 3, but some users are reportedly already seeing it.

Spotify claims that Apple is refusing to grant access to the same technology that allows Apple Music to play on third-party devices. In a continuation of long-held tensions between the two companies, the streaming service has gone as far as suggesting that this could violate the EU's Digital Markets Act, which requires 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 said in its update. "Apple has told us that they require apps to integrate into HomePod in order to access the technology that controls volume on iPhones."

spotify connected devices volume

Spotify's volume control workaround for Spotify Connect

Apple actually offers an API for third-party music services to stream directly to HomePods, but for whatever reason Spotify has chosen not to implement it. Fortunately, iPhone users running iOS 17 can still start an AirPlay session on HomePod using a Siri command (e.g. "Siri, play Fleetwood Mac on Spotify"). It's worth noting that this change only affects Spotify Connect on iOS. Spotify users controlling volume via Bluetooth or AirPlay will not be impacted.

Tag: Spotify

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.4 Will Be Released in April With These New Features

Wednesday February 26, 2025 7:15 am PST by
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in April. From the Apple News+ Food announcement:Coming with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April, Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Latest iPhone 17 Series CAD Images in Line With Redesign Rumors

Friday February 28, 2025 2:51 am PST by
Apple is expected to embrace a new camera system design for some models in its upcoming iPhone 17 series, and the latest purported CAD images don't deviate from what we have been hearing lately about Apple's new lineup. If you do not like the sound of an iPhone with a Google Pixel-style camera bar, look away now. Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson shared the following images in a post on X...
iphone 16e usb c feature

Apple Provides Reason for iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 28, 2025 4:39 am PST by
Apple has offered a reason why the iPhone 16e doesn't include MagSafe, one of the more notable omissions from its latest entry-level smartphone. According to Apple representatives who spoke to Daring Fireball's John Gruber, MagSafe is not included in the iPhone 16e because "most people in the iPhone 16e's target audience exclusively charge their phones by plugging them into a charging...
apple intelligence black

These New Apple Intelligence Features Are Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday February 28, 2025 3:17 pm PST by
iOS 18.4 was supposed to bring new Apple Intelligence Siri features, but Apple ended up needing to pull those capabilities from the update to continue testing. There are fewer new Apple Intelligence additions now, but there are still some new features that will make the update worth installing when it comes out in April. Priority Notifications Apple introduced Priority Notifications back at ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Rumored to Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Saturday March 1, 2025 11:00 am PST by
iOS 19 is still around three months away from being unveiled, but there are plenty of rumors about the upcoming update. Below, we recap iOS 19 rumors so far. Redesigned Camera App A leak earlier this year allegedly revealed a redesigned Camera app coming with iOS 19. On his YouTube channel Front Page Tech in January, Jon Prosser shared a video showing what the new Camera app will...
cook trump

Trump Responds to Apple Keeping Diversity Policies

Wednesday February 26, 2025 6:32 am PST by
In an all-caps post on Truth Social today, U.S. President Donald Trump said Apple should fully end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Tim Cook meeting with President Trump in 2017 "APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM," he wrote. Trump's post comes one day after Apple held its annual shareholders meeting, during which a majority of...
apple watch ultra snow

6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:00 am PST by
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements. While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way. By the time the ...
airpods pro purple

Here's When AirPods Pro 3 Are Rumored to Launch

Monday February 24, 2025 9:14 am PST by
According to a post on X today from a leaker known as Kosutami, Apple plans to launch AirPods Pro 3 in May or June this year. The leaker also claimed that an AirTag 2 will launch around the same time. Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple hardware, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future product plans. For example, they accurately...
apple c1

How Fast is Apple's First-Ever 5G Modem? The Results Are Surprising

Friday February 28, 2025 10:08 am PST by
iPhone 16e reviews are now out, and Apple's custom-designed C1 modem has been put to the test. The results so far are quite surprising, as the C1's speeds are not as slow compared to Qualcomm modems as originally expected. While the C1 does not support ultra-fast mmWave 5G in the U.S., it appears to offer comparable 5G performance to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X71 modem found in the iPhone 16,...

Top Rated Comments

johannnn Avatar
26 weeks ago
Ah the weekly "everything is Apple's fault" by Spotify/Epic.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
omglolbbq Avatar
26 weeks ago

"Apple has told us that they require apps to integrate into HomePod in order to access the technology that controls volume on iPhones."
So integrate it then? It’s not like there is a shortage of users requesting it.
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
appleuser21 Avatar
26 weeks ago

"Apple has told us that they require apps to integrate into HomePod in order to access the technology that controls volume on iPhones."
Well, do that then.

I'm so tired of Spotify ignoring Apple (and their own) devices. They refuse to update the ancient Mac icon, they refuse to update the ancient Apple TV app even though they have great apps for other streaming devices, they bricked their own devices and of course they've ruined their own algorithm.

I've switched to Apple Music because their apps suck now and I'm sick of listening to the same songs again and again and again AND AGAIN. They ruin everything they touch and blame others.
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
koelsh Avatar
26 weeks ago
Feels like Spotify manufactures things to complain about so they can keep themselves in the news for the free advertising.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TonnyM Avatar
26 weeks ago
‘Apple actually offers an API for third-party music services to stream directly to HomePods, but for whatever reason Spotify has chosen not to implement it.’
No surprise here. Spotify purposefully fires up the conflict with Apple.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abazigal Avatar
26 weeks ago
For someone who complains a lot about the things Apple doesn’t let them do, Spotify sure likes to drag its feet on implementing the features which are available on iOS.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)