In an effort to become a more sociable app for content consumption, Spotify is launching a feature that allows you to talk with your friends.
For years, users have sent links to Spotify music and podcasts to people outside the platform. In addition to allowing users to do more within the app, this feature allows Spotify to store shared content history, saving users from having to hunt for a song.
You can only initiate a chat with someone you have already exchanged content with, and messages are only sent one-on-one. This implies that you can strike up a discussion with someone if you share a playlist or have joined a jam or blend. This also holds true for those who are on your Family or Duo plan. They must accept your request before you can initiate communication.
Outside of Spotify, you can tap on a Spotify link that someone sends you on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, or TikTok to accept their request to talk. As an alternative, you might send a link to an invite to someone in your network.
According to the firm, the new message tool is a “complement” to users’ continued sharing of material outside of Spotify.
Users can access chats under the Messages area on the left-hand hover bar and messages by pressing on their profile images. Emoji can also be used by users to respond to particular messages.
According to the firm, messages are encrypted both in transit and at rest, but end-to-end encryption does not secure them. The business actively examines messages to see if they violate its policies. Additionally, Spotify stated that users can report messages, and the business would look into whether they violate the platform’s regulations and terms of service.
During the company’s quarterly call last month, Spotify Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström made a hint that the app’s user experience would be considerably more engaging. It appears that the new messages functionality is a step in that direction.
In a few Latin and South American nations, Spotify is making the messaging function available to both premium and free customers over 16—but only on mobile devices. According to the corporation, in the upcoming weeks, the function will be extended to the United States, Canada, Brazil, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Only a few social features have been added to Spotify throughout the years, such as the ability to follow users and view their music selections. With the launch of services like podcast comments last year and a new feed that prioritizes video, that has been shifting.
Spotify VP of Podcast Product Maya Prohovnik would not rule out the possibility of comments on music tracks in an interview with TechCrunch last year.
Social media users have been complaining about Spotify’s UI being overly feature-rich in recent months. Amanda Silberling, my coworker who switched from Spotify to Apple Music, experienced a similar issue.
“The amount of time it takes to get from Spotify’s home page to the music you are seeking for is an overwhelming display of visual clutter,” she remarked.
While messages may encourage users to share more content with their contacts, they may also irritate users who have been feeling overloaded by the program. Fortunately, you can block messages by going to Settings > Privacy and Social.
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