No more Spotify on Zumo

[Thomsus]

Last year I could control the Spotify app on my phone, via the built-in Spotify app in my Zumo 595.
This spring Spotify control didn't work.
Within the Zumo's bluetooth settings for my phone, it had become impossible to tick Spotify.
I contacted Garmin support who told me, that they don't support Spotify anymore.

From what I've read elsewhere, the Zumo XT apparantly never came with a similar Spotify control app built in. So, I wasn't that chocked about Garmins decision.

The only music option now, is to use the Zumo's built in media player, configured not for Spotify, but for BT audio.
Before the ride, start the desired audio app on the Phone (Spotify, Audiobook player, VLC, or whatever else you like). Then it can be controlled on the Zumo, but only with basic BT support (play, pause, next, previous).

Garmin have no plans to remove the Spotify app, at the next Zumo firmware update.

[biz]

Yes, I can now confirm that the Spotify connection with the Garmin can no longer be made. A bit annoying all the same.

But..... How have they disabled it? Hasn't been a firmware upgrade for a long time. That's puzzling me!

[jfheath]

Yes, I had noticed that. There are a couple of other things I have noticed on a similar vein - but on the XT.

The last couple of days I have noticed that the link with Explore now re-establishes itself after the database has been reset. It never used to do that. If I disconnected by resetting the explore database, it would remain disconnected, until I formally re-connected it from the Zumo Screen.

Over a year ago when I was testing Closest Entry Point, there were a series of software releases from around 2.30 to 2.90 each one showing a change in behaviour in how this worked. One release seemed to take a backward step and a couple of days later, performing the same test, it had changed. The only thing that I had done was install a later Cylopse update. Oh - ad of course, I had connected to Express.

I never have my XT connected by wifi. Its difficult to pin down, because you cannot go back to how it was before in order to verify what you think may have happened. But somehow ..... I wonder if the full time connection to Drive is the issue ?

[Thomsus]

But..... How have they disabled it? Hasn't been a firmware upgrade for a long time. That's puzzling me!

I cannot say for sure, but as fare as I remember, there has been no firmware update for the 595 for the last 3/4 year. So, since nothing seems to have changed in the Zumo's firmware settings, it has to something be the phone.

Perhaps Spotify has changed their app settings (the Spotify phone app updates quite frequently), or perhaps it's something in the phone's OS.

Either way, I assume it's in both Spotifys and Garmins interest to have the feature working. Spotify customers stay, and Garmin attract more customers when their product is compatible with a popular app.

[biz]

Perhaps something in Smartphone Link - that's updated more frequently. It would be nice to get it working again...

[Andreas1989]

I contacted spotify and garmin about this.

Garmin were useless and kept asking me the same repetive questions via email. I explained the same thing so many times.

To get it to work download a version of spotify from March or February 2022. I accidentally clicked updated and it stopped working again so will have to find an old spotify version again.

If anyone works out a better fix please let me know.

[biz]

If you find an older one that works, perhaps you can post a link to where to get it?

[stevephi]

The version I use which works is Spotify-8-6-98-900. I don't recall where I found the apk which I'm running but have found one at https://spotify.en.uptodown.com/android ... ad/4283531. I keep a copy in my downloads just in case the app is accidentally updated.
This is for Android.

I contacted Spotify a few months ago, they fiddled with my account, got me to try a test account and the list went on and on. I could not get through to them it stopped working at a certain release and there had to have been a code change. They would only put it forward to the developers as a new feature and not a bug, eventually I gave up with them.

[biz]

Thanks for that, I'll install 8-6-98-900. I tried 8-7-6-1081 from Feb 22, but no go, so I went back to 7-9-0-746 which works but is buggy.

I think that Garmin should be putting pressure on them to fix it, as we are perfectly entitled to complain to Garmin that they advertised the feature, and bought the Garmin in preference to others because of it.

[biz]

I installed 8-6-98-900 but it doesn't work for me, bizarrely.....