Spotify could be aiming at drivers with an upcoming update for its mobile apps if a new report on the user community is believed to be accurate. One user of the music streaming service took to the website to complain about the new UI, which is currently kicking in whenever the smartphone is connected to a Bluetooth speaker with no way for it to be turned off.
According to the post, Spotify support says that this is a test affecting just 3% of users and that it's designed for car safety, which would make sense given the minimalistic UI. The support team also apparently told the user that the test was only for iOS, even though it was spotted on an Android phone. It seems that the support team wasn't quite sure what to say, based on the report:
I was also told this was a test for IOS users, which I am not. Then was told it was part of the update. Then was told it was temporary. Then was told "hopefully" it will be fixed in a client update.....so, basically, I'm stuck with this for the foreseeable future.
Spotify is arguably the most popular streaming service worldwide - though Apple Music has quickly been picking up the pace - so it wouldn't exactly be surprising if the company had learned of cases of accidents related to distractions caused by the app. The simplified driving UI could help minimize those distractions, but activating it for every Bluetooth connection is understandably not what users would want, especially if it can't be turned off.
Of course, this is just a test, and Spotify could address these issues before a full rollout. As with any experiment, it could also be that the company gives up on its development, but that remains to be seen.
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