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Spotify no longer plans to add AirPlay 2 support

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By Cosmin Vasile

Updated: Aug 09, 2021, 2:35 AM

iOS Apps

Spotify no longer plans to add AirPlay 2 support

UPDATE: Spotify backtracked on its initial statement and now claims it will eventually add AirPlay 2 support for its iOS app. In a new statement for The Verge, Spotify says that it's already working on AirPlay 2, but does not offer any ETA: "A post on one of Spotify’s Community pages contained incomplete information regarding our plans for AirPlay2. Spotify will support AirPlay2 and we’re working to make that a reality."

In an unfortunate turn of events, Spotify has decided against adding AirPlay 2 support to its music streaming service. The reason behind the decision is purely technical and has nothing to do with any possible rivalries between Apple Music and Spotify.

In a forum post spotted by MacRumors, a Spotify rep says that while the company has discussed the idea of adding AirPlay 2, it decided against implementing it because of audio driver compatibility issues.

We've discussed this idea internally and while we are working on supporting AirPlay 2 in a proper way, we have decided to close it for now. The reason for this is that due to audio driver compatibility issues, this seems like a bigger project that we won't be able to complete in the foreseeable future.

Although the wording might suggest that adding AirPlay 2 support is possible with a bigger budget, it looks like that won’t happen any time soon. We can’t help but wonder if Spotify completely shelved the project or it will come back to it at a later time.

AirPlay allows streaming between devices of audio, video, device screens, and photos. It was originally launched as AirTunes and only used for audio. AirPlay 2 made its debut three years ago and added more improvements like multi-room audio, Siri support, and better buffering.

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Cosmin, a tech journalist with a career spanning over a decade, brought a wealth of experience to PhoneArena. His expertise lies in brands like Samsung and Nokia, and he has a keen interest in innovative technologies. After a brief stint in PR, Cosmin returned to tech journalism in 2016, committed to delivering clear and objective news. When he's not writing or appearing as a guest on TV and radio shows, Cosmin enjoys playing RPGs, watching Netflix, and nurturing his passion for history and travel.