Spotify tests out Premium Duo

For couples or roommates who want to save a bit on their Spotify subscription, the streaming service is testing out a new plan. It’s called Premium Duo and it offers two Premium subscriptions for 12.49 euro per month. The catch for this subscription plan is you need to provide an address to make sure you and the person you’re sharing a plan with live in the same place. On top of the discounted price, you both get an auto-generated playlist called Duo Mix based on your listening habits. The playlist has “Chill” and “Upbeat” options to let you switch between songs with different tempos. You’re also allowed to share your playlists with your Duo partner. This feature is currently being tested in Colombia, Chile, Denmark, Poland, and Ireland. Spotify hasn’t given any sign yet if it’s bringing it outside those markets.

Source: The Verge

Apple hits back against Spotify's App Store antitrust complaint

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Apple isn't taking Spotify's complaints about its "Apple tax" lying down. The tech company responded with its own lengthy rebuttal of the streaming service's complaints. Spotify filed an antitrust complaint against Apple with the European Commission, claiming the Apple's App Store rules deliberately "limit choice and stifle innovation at the expense of the user experience." The streaming service is complaining about the 30 percent "Apple tax" and that Apple is playing "both a player and referee" in its store.

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Spotify files antitrust complaint in the EU over the ‘Apple tax’

Spotify thinks the heavily-criticized “Apple tax” is the company’s way of edging out its competition.  It has taken to filing an antitrust complaint against Apple with the European Union. Spotify alleges that Apple is stifling innovation and limiting consumer choice with the rules it imposes on the App Store. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek zeroed in specifically on the 30 percent cut Apple imposes on subscriptions. According to Ek, this “tax” is designed to harm the streaming services that compete against Apple’s own service. Ek says it forces their company to “artificially inflate” prices “well above the price of Apple Music.” But if it doesn’t comply, then Apple applies “a series of technical and experience-limiting restrictions” against Spotify, which makes the experience on its app an inferior one. Ek adds that Apple “routinely blocks our experience-enhancing upgrades” and locks them and other competitors from Apple products and services like Siri, Apple Watch, and HomePod. 

On top of launching the complaint, Spotify launched a press campaign that includes a dedicated website that focuses on Apple’s “unfair behaviour” as well as a YouTube video (which you can see above) that explained the company’s grievances. We’re not sure what would come out of the complaint but a spokesperson for the European Commission acknowledged that it had received the complaint and is “assessing [it] under our standard procedures.” 

Source: The Verge 

Spotify now offers option to disable 'Canvas' video snippets

If you're a Spotify user, you've seen the "Canvas" feature, which is looped video snippets some artists upload for some songs in place of album art. The company claims these only need to be streamed once and won't eat up data, even if they are played on loop. Some users aren't happy with the feature because it creates an inconsistent look when you're in a playlist with songs that don't have Canvases. It also slows down the experience when switching from one song to another.

Spotify is listening to users and is rolling out the option to disable this feature. You just need to head to settings to toggle it on or off. Our phones don't have the feature yet, so we're waiting for it to head our way. But you can check your device to see if it's made its way to you.

Source: Android Police