Apple and Spotify have had a contentious relationship in the past several years. The music streaming service has continuously accused Apple of employing anti-competitive tactics and imposing restrictions on its business with App Store laws. Spotify's lawsuit finally led the EU to fine Apple nearly $2 billion. While the iPhone maker has recently allowed Spotify to display pricing information for EU customers, it appears that the conflict between these two tech giants is far from over.
As Spotify noted on its support page, Apple "has discontinued the technology that enables Spotify to control volume for connected devices using the volume buttons on the device." This means Spotify users on iPhones can no longer use the device's volume slider to adjust the volume on connected devices. Meanwhile, the iPhone's volume sliders still work pretty fine for the Spotify iOS app, and only the Spotify Connect feature is impacted.
Spotify has added that it is working with Apple on a solution. Until then, iPhone users can use the Spotify app to control volume on connected devices. You need to press one of your device's volume buttons to access the virtual volume controller from the Spotify Connect Menu.
Spotify has also accused Apple of violating the EU's DMA rules for interoperability by discontinuing volume control technology (via TechCrunch). The article 6 (7) of DMA, which Spotify has cited, states:
"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."
Apple reportedly denied Spotify's request to allow volume control when streaming music to Apple HomePod or Apple TV devices using Spotify Connect, arguing that the Spotify app needs to be integrated with the HomePod.
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