Tag: ubiquity

Spotify and Strava Team Up for a First-Place Integration

April 12, 2023

Spotify users turn to audio at various moments throughout their day, and especially when they’re working out. Whether they’re looking for entertainment or motivation, we want them to have a seamless experience switching between whatever they’re listening to on Spotify and their favorite workout tracking app. So we’re announcing a new integration with Strava that enables users to easily stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks while tracking their workout activities on Strava.  

Starting today, listeners can play, pause, resume, skip, and browse Spotify favorites from the record screen on Strava. This new integration removes the need for Spotify users to switch between apps and allows them to easily tap into the motivation that gets them moving. 

“One of our biggest goals at Spotify is to be everywhere our listeners are—whether that’s on a run, in the gym, or anyplace in between,” said Ian Geller, VP of Business Development at Spotify. “This integration with Strava is another way we’re moving with our listeners and allowing them to seamlessly connect to the music and audio they love.” 

Some of those favorites topping user-generated workout playlists include rap artists Drake, 21 Savage, Nicki Minaj, and Rihanna. “I’m Good (Blue)” by Bebe Rehxa and David Guetta, “INDUSTRY BABY (feat. Jack Harlow)” by Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow, and “Unholy (feat. Kim Petras)” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras were some of the top-streamed workout songs from the past month.*

“Over time, the consumption of music has evolved dramatically from CDs to streaming, which has opened the door for audio to inspire us in ways they couldn’t before,” said Mateo Ortega, Strava’s Vice President of Connected Partnerships. “We’re excited to partner with a global leader like Spotify to seamlessly integrate music and movement on the platform. This new feature further solidifies Strava’s position at the center of connected fitness and continues to demonstrate the power of the global community of active people on Strava.”

As an added bonus, Strava is taking over our widely popular Workout playlist starting April 20. Mark your calendar to check out these Strava-curated sounds and get moving.

*Data reflects top-streamed tracks and artists on user-generated playlists with the terms “workout,” “run,” “exercise,” “cardio,” “cycling,” and “gym” in the U.S, the U.K., BR, IN, FR, SP, JP, and DE between March 1, 2023 and March 31, 2023

Spotify and Samsung’s Partnership Gives Users More Ways To Listen

August 16, 2022

a collection of samsung devices and work acccessories all in the color purplr

Since 2018, Spotify and Samsung have been a match made in heaven. The partnership between the two has allowed Samsung users to seamlessly connect their devices so that the music never has to stop. Fast-forward to 2022, and we’ve got more exciting news to share for Samsung users who are looking to play their favorite hits and top podcasts on their devices.

Bring music to your virtual hang with Spotify Group Session via Samsung and Google Meet

Music has the power to both focus our mood and bring some extra vibes to a virtual hang. With the introduction of Spotify Group Session on Google Meet, Spotify Premium users on Android phones can start their listening sessions during a video call with a few simple steps. By tapping the three dots in the lower right-hand corner of a Google Meet on their phone, the host will see the option to kick off a listening session and invite up to eight friends to join from their individual Spotify Premium accounts so they can listen while they hang.

Seamless listening on Galaxy Watch 

Running errands, out for a run, or just loving that hands-free lifestyle? Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro users can make the most of Spotify with Google Assistant on WearOS. That means that with a few simple commands through “Hey Google,” your Samsung Galaxy Watch can play music, pause podcasts, or raise the volume.

New Galaxy Buds bring listeners the best of audio 

Whether you’re on the train, in the car, or just sitting at home jamming to your latest album obsession on Spotify, the new Galaxy Buds2 Pro let you crank up the audio. These earbuds, which are enabled with Spotify Tap™, allow you to start playing your personal soundtrack instantly with a quick Tap & Hold.

More devices to love in 2022 

When you get a new device, the last thing you want to do is fiddle with an app store in order to dive into your music or podcasts. If you buy a 2022 Samsung Smart TV or Samsung Galaxy smartphone, Spotify will be preloaded globally, making your shift to listening even easier.

More Premium in more markets

As Spotify’s availability continues to expand, we’re offering three free months of Spotify Premium to eligible* Samsung users in 85 markets** around the world. This offer, for those who haven’t tried Spotify Premium before, lets new listeners enjoy all the Premium benefits fans have come to love. 

With these new and existing features available to Samsung users, they’ll have no excuse not to crank up the Spotify volume on their devices.

 

*Update August 10, 2022: Now you may be eligible to get three months of Spotify Premium for free on select Samsung Galaxy mobile devices and Samsung Smart TVs. The offer is available to users who have not already tried Premium. May vary by region and carrier. For eligibility requirements and additional details, see Terms and Conditions.

**Spotify Premium three-month offer is available to eligible Samsung users in the following markets: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria*, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic*, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana*, Greece*, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland*, Israel*, Italy, Japan*, Jordan*, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo*, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg*, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand*, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia*, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea*, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, U.K., Ukraine (excluding the Republic of Crimea, the Self-Proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, and the Self-Proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic)*, Uruguay, USA, and Vietnam*. 

*New markets added

Car Thing From Spotify Is Now Officially Available in the U.S.

February 22, 2022

Listeners, start your engines: Car Thing is officially here. 

Back in April 2021, we announced our exploration of a smart player that could seamlessly fill your car with a world of music, news, entertainment, talk, and more. Then in October, we unveiled our limited release of Car Thing to Spotify Premium users. Now, after these successful explorations, we’re excited to share that the device is available to purchase in the U.S. for $89.99.*

Designed for your drive

We developed Car Thing because we saw that our users desired a more seamless and personalized in-car listening experience, no matter the year or model of their vehicle. With Car Thing, even more audio fans can access Spotify’s entire catalog of music and podcasts across an even wider range of vehicles. 

Car Thing enables listeners to play their favorite music and podcasts quickly using “Hey Spotify” voice commands, as well as simple taps, turns, and swipes—allowing listeners to start playing that hit song or the latest podcast episode before they pull out of the driveway. (And it makes it even more effortless to switch to something else when the mood strikes.) 

A seamless in-car audio experience 

During our exploration phase, we discovered a lot about how people listen in the car, and for many users, how Car Thing can help improve that experience. We learned two major things from device owners: First, users were listening to Spotify in the car more than they had before. Second, Car Thing made it simpler to play exactly what they wanted, thanks to both the product interface (which they enjoy more than their previous in-car media) and the ease of using “Hey Spotify” to control what they wanted to listen to.

Plus, we heard from drivers some requests that we are working to incorporate into future Car Thing updates. These include Night Mode, which dims screen brightness in the evening, and an Add to Queue command, which lets you queue up your favorite music and podcasts by simply using your voice. This exploration and innovation is part of our ongoing commitment to building a truly frictionless experience for users across devices—in the car, at home, or on the go.

Whether it’s using your voice, touch, or physical controls, Car Thing is intuitive and responsive during every in-car situation. Previously, Car Thing was only available to select eligible users in the U.S. who had joined the waitlist. Now, we’re excited to make the device generally available in the U.S. and bring it to even more users. 

Car Thing is now available to purchase for $89.99 and requires a Spotify Premium subscription plan along with a phone with a mobile data connection. You can find more details about how to use the device at carthing.spotify.com.

*Users will need a Premium account to use the device.

6 New Ways to Stream Spotify from Your Smart Devices

October 7, 2019

These days, you’re likely always with a smart device—whether using your smartwatch on the go or enjoying your smart speaker at home. Now, more and more of these items include integrations with Spotify, so not only are you always with your device, but you also always have access to all of your favorite audio content.

It’s all part of our ubiquity strategy—the idea that you should be able to tune in to Spotify wherever, whenever, using whatever.

The end state here is to ensure that Spotify aligns more deeply with the multiple devices in your life so that you won’t need to find the songs or podcasts to suit the moment—they will find you.

– Sten Garmark, VP of Product

Sten Garmark, Spotify’s VP of Product, Unpacks Our Ubiquity Strategy

May 9, 2019

Perhaps you start your morning by streaming a pick-me-up playlist on your phone. Then, as you settle in at work you queue up some motivational songs on your laptop. After you get home, you play a podcast on your voice-activated speaker as you prep dinner. Because Spotify can be with you wherever you are, in any environment, audio opportunity abounds.

We sat down with Sten Garmark, our VP of Product, to learn more about the times, places, and situations in which audio can play a role—but with less work needed to access and play the content you want.

Tell us about your mission at Spotify and, specifically, your focus on ubiquity. How will listeners benefit?

As the delivery of audio content becomes all the more intuitive and seamless, our ubiquity strategy involves creating a truly frictionless experience for consumers. In other words, it’s to take whatever moment you’re in—if you’re driving, in your home, if you’re on your headphones, if you’re exercising—and make sure that you can get to your Spotify experience as easily and as quickly as possible.

The end state here is to ensure that Spotify aligns more deeply with the multiple devices in your life so that you won’t need to find the songs or podcasts to suit the moment—they will find you.

How do we deliver on the promise of ubiquity at Spotify? And what’s the entry point?

Our ubiquity strategy is very much mobile first, since most of our users today are coming in on their phones. If that’s their first touchpoint, then it’s about expanding that to more situations. We think that’s going to continue for quite some time.

From there, we need to be technically integrated with all the devices around you to enable a great Spotify experience that, to you as a consumer, intuitively works. That requires making sure that the integration for our partners is simple, such as with a voice-activated speaker.

At the end of the day, we need to deliver a simple solution for all: our users, partners, and creators.

Describe the opportunity for audio ahead. How do you ensure that listeners are aligned with that vision? 

As mentioned, the strategy is to make everything less complicated. It’s reducing work that you have to do—making sure that you don’t have to be that technically advanced to be able to get to Spotify wherever you are. If there are, say, currently five steps to navigate something, we at Spotify ask, why should our users have to navigate at all? Can we remove steps? 

We believe that we can take users on a journey to reevaluate audio and get more out of their lives with content from creators—in the right place at the right time. We think it’s less about listeners aligning with our vision than it is about us aligning with their behavior.

Some say that there can be too much screen time. Is there such a thing as too much audio as well?

It isn’t really a comparable analogy. For example, music speaks more to moods. It’s complementary: it’s not taking you away from your family, it’s not taking you away from your social interactions. It enhances those moments of your life. And with podcasts, we see that many people want to engage with longer-form content that goes deeper into a variety of topics, giving them a richer understanding of the world around them. We hope that that can be a really powerful force in society. 

Visit Explore Spotify to find playlists that suit a variety of moods and situations.