Spotify upset Android users this week by killing the home screen widget that made it easier to control playback without delving into the app.
Despite an outcry from users, the streaming giant revealed there are no plans to bring back the helpful widget, saying it doesn’t envision reintroducing it. Spotify users can still access the playback features through the lock and notification screens, but fans are far from happy about the lost convenience.
So, what’s an Android-living Spotify user to to? How about install this approximation made possible by the Tasker and KWGT applications for Android?
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One Tasker developer has posted video on YouTube explaining how to enable a music widget for an Android phone, simply by importing a new profile into Tasker and running the project’s launch task. From here it’ll be possible to add a custom 4×1 KWGT widget to the home screen and set it up using that app, by selecting Music Control from the Exported section.
If you’re logged into Spotify on your device, you can hit play to commence playback, with the track information and artwork auto-populating a couple of seconds later. There are play/pause and skip commands too.
Clicking on the artwork will open Spotify, while clicking on the track name will enable you to select a different music service – like Play Music – to use alongside the widget. You can see the method posted by AutoApps in the video below:
Earlier this week Spotify told fans: “If we did have any new info to share, rest assured we’ll check back in here with a new status.” Perhaps the best way to convince the company to bring back the feature is to install this widget and send the company a screenshot via its @SpotifyCares customer support service on Twitter?
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
