Zumo 396 LMT-S and Spotify

For everything Garmin Zumo 390/395/396 related
Post Reply
destes
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2024 1:09 pm
United States of America

Zumo 396 LMT-S and Spotify

Post by destes »

Hello,

I'm looking for someone that has actually used the 396 LMT-S with Spotify. Specifically, I'd like to know how much control you have over playlists on Spotify. Can I change playlists or select an album on the Garmin unit? I currently have the non -S version and I can listen to music from the phone, but can only start/pause/stop music on the Garmin unit itself. So instead, I currently use the Spotify Car Thing to control Spotify so I can keep my phone in my pocket. The issue is that come December, Spotify is discontinuing support for the Car Thing and they're going to actually brick the unit so it'll no longer works. I'm thinking about switching to the -S version, but if' it doesn't give me access to playlists or albums, then I don't see a reason to switch and I'll have to figure out another workaround. Thanks for your help.
jfheath
Posts: 2761
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2019 4:17 pm
Location: West Yorkshire, Uk
Has liked: 358 times
Been liked: 762 times
Great Britain

Re: Zumo 396 LMT-S and Spotify

Post by jfheath »

Welcome to the forums !

I cannot speak for your 396, but the spotify app is present on the Zumo 595, and at some point it stopped working - either after an upgrade from Spotify or an upgrade from Garmin. It was never fixed. But it will still control playlists that are playing on spotify through the play, pause, skip forward and skip back. It will also control stop - but that leaved the dilemma of how to get it going again !

Hopefully someone with the 396 will be able to provide a much better answer.
Have owned Zumo 550, 660 == Now have Zumo XT2, XT, 595, 590, Headache
Use Basecamp (mainly), MyRouteApp (sometimes), Competent with Tread for XT2, Can use Explore for XT - but it offers nothing that I want !

Links: Zumo 590/5 & BC . . . Zumo XT & BC
jfheath
Posts: 2761
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2019 4:17 pm
Location: West Yorkshire, Uk
Has liked: 358 times
Been liked: 762 times
Great Britain

Re: Zumo 396 LMT-S and Spotify

Post by jfheath »

I just looked back at this - its been 2 years since this was last discussed - as far as I can see.

So I experimented. The Spotify App on the 595 still fails to work - but someone in the thread below asked a question - 'I wonder if it is an Apple vs Android' Issue. The couple of replies came from Android people. So I tried it with my Ipad connected.

And that worked perfectly OK - just as I remember that it used to with Android.

That link is here. viewtopic.php?t=1778&start=20 - pointing to my recent reply.


I know you have a 396 - but that device came out about the same time as the 595 as slightly less expensive alternative. There will be other differences, but the Spotify App is likely similar.
Have owned Zumo 550, 660 == Now have Zumo XT2, XT, 595, 590, Headache
Use Basecamp (mainly), MyRouteApp (sometimes), Competent with Tread for XT2, Can use Explore for XT - but it offers nothing that I want !

Links: Zumo 590/5 & BC . . . Zumo XT & BC
User avatar
CruJones
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2024 8:29 pm
United States of America

Re: Zumo 396 LMT-S and Spotify

Post by CruJones »

I had a 396 LMT-S when they first came out and I cannot remember if you could choose another playlist. I feel like no, because I sold the 396 and got a 595LM that had a great Spotify app until recently when it stopped working. What's interesting is that in the US we get Pandora natively on the 396, but in EU and elsewhere they get Spotify. I wonder if you bought a 396 from a UK seller if the Spotify app would work in the US. hmmm
Post Reply