Streaming service Spotify says iPhone users can no longer use the physical buttons to control volume when sending music over Spotify Connect to other hardware devices.
Spotify’s latest complaint against Apple concerns a change that the company has reportedly made to the access third-party firms have to its iPhone hardware and specifically the volume buttons.
There is no difference when using the iPhone Spotify app — the iPhone’s physical volume buttons work exactly as they ever did. However, if a user is using Spotify Connect to send music from the iPhone to a device such as a separate speaker system, the physical buttons no longer work.
“Apple has discontinued the technology that enables Spotify to control volume for connected devices using the volume buttons on the device,” says Spotify’s support page. “While we work with them on a solution, you can use the Spotify app to easily adjust the volume on your connected device.”
According to TechCrunch, Spotify’s working with Apple consists of the streamer includes claiming that this is in violation of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Specifically, the DMA requires Apple to provide the same hardware and software features to third parties that it has for its own services.
Consequently, Spotify has reportedly asked Apple to allow it to control the volume when using Spotify Connect to send music to HomePods. However, Apple has said that it requires Spotify’s app to add integration with HomePods.
In 2019, Spotify complained to the EU that Apple was denying it access to the HomePod. Spotify has also refused Apple’s help in adding AirPlay 2 support, which as recently as 2023 it still says is coming.
