Spotify on Apple TV Just Got a Huge Overhaul

• Spotify rebuilt its Apple TV app with a native tvOS interface and features ported from mobile.

• New controls: queue management, on-screen lyrics, Spotify Connect, plus AI DJ and remote control.

• Video upgrades: video podcasts, playback-speed control, and music videos (beta in 97 markets).

The main issue you run into when you go for a more uncommon operating system, in general, is app support—the selection of apps is thinner, and the apps that do exist are not as feature-complete as they would be on other platforms. Spotify on Apple TV is finally becoming as decent as it is on other platforms.

Spotify has announced a significant update for its Apple TV app, introducing a new interface designed specifically for tvOS and integrating several features from its mobile counterpart. The Spotify app was lagging behind the mobile version of the app, the desktop version, and even the TV-optimized version that can be downloaded in other TV operating systems.

As such, this is really just Spotify catching Apple TV users up. Apple TV holds a fairly low market share, so it probably wasn't that much of a priority for Spotify. There was already an Apple TV app with core functionality, such as music, which served well enough for most Apple TV users. Now, it's actually as feature-complete as possible.

The redesigned app will now allow users to manage their listening queue and view song lyrics directly on their television, functions previously limited to other platforms. The update also includes Spotify Connect functionality, enabling remote control of the app. New audio features include the introduction of Spotify DJ, the company's AI-powered guide for music discovery, which will now be available on the Apple TV platform.

Video playback is probably the biggest focus in this release. The app will now support video podcasts and provide users with the ability to adjust video playback speed. You can also watch music videos when available. If there's a place for watching videos, it's your TV, and other TV platforms also support video—Apple TV was just behind here.

In the case of music videos, users in the 97 markets where this feature is currently in beta can select a "switch to video" option on songs that have an official music video. This function operates similarly to the existing tool for podcasts.

If you have an Apple TV streaming box, you can download the update now. It will likely make your experience a lot better.

Source: Engadget