The Spotify Radio/apps - would you like it in Sonos?

[jgatie]

Originally Posted by simonsorcier

I had seen this thread. Got your point. I think comparing development and communication practices of a company like Apple and one like Sonos bears little value : for instance, I can get spotify updates on my iphone without any intervention by Apple (other than validating the app). But on Sonos, we are totally dependant on the in-house developers that work in a totally opaque way.
If it's their strategy and it works for them, so be it.

Sonos specifically developed Sonos Labs and the Music Partners API to eliminate the need for in-house support of music services. Matter of fact, aside from maintaining the API, almost all development is now in the hands of the music services. Which is why you are seeing more and more services being added without the need for a full software update. They simply plug into the API and voila, they are available on Sonos. Now maybe the peer-to-peer uniqueness of Spotify prevents them from fully using the API, or maybe it is more diffcult to incorporate new functions because of it, I don't know. But if that is so, it would seem to be mainly Spotify's issue to solve, not Sonos'.

Originally Posted by simonsorcier

Good to know. Although, I guess this is more complicated than that. The spotify app, as I understand from various posts in these forums, is developed part by Sonos and part by Spotify. Which makes senses, there are probably specific Sonos API's and specific Spotify API's to interlink. On spotify forum, they seem to imply that it is Sonos' job to program the integration with spotify :
"According to the mods replies on other threads, the Spotify implementation on Sonos is the responsibility of Sonos themselves (using Spotify APIs I guess), so some of the features you're after (me too by the way) you should request from them."
http://community.spotify.com/t5/Part...ight/true#M845

Ultimately, it is Sonos decision which services they want / can run on their platforms, is it not ? and how much they want to push their partners to develop for them. That's why it makes sense to let them now if spotify radio is considered strategic or not ; if they're convinced, they'll go to Spotify and figure this out together.

As of the Sonos Lab, I didn't know there was geofencing. In France I have only one services available. I was refering to that because when they announced it, I thought it would mean that they would experiment with new functionnalities and give glimpses of new developements, but didn't see anything change after the introduction ; it is probably more active in other countries !

The original Spotify development predated the Music Partners API and was indeed a dual effort by Sonos and (a somewhat reluctant) Spotify. We have no way of knowing the details, but like all other services, Spotify should now be using the Music Partners API and Sonos' involvement would be minimal. However, as I stated above, the uniqueness of the P2P Spotify design may be a fly in the ointment for their particular implementation.

[Blaizefm]

I would love to know if we are any closer to this. It's been a hell of a while, although Spotify have only recently roller this out to their iOS apps.

[larslars]

+ 1 from here too.

I have to run Spotify through my laptop speekers with sones speakers just 2 meters away.

[michabbbb]

+1 +1 +1

[5teve]

+1 +1 +1 surely there must be a way!

[jgatie]

There is a way, petition Spotify. As detailed in this thread, Sonos designed the Music Partners API to allow the music services to customize their own features and functions on Sonos. So it is up to Spotify what new features you see, not Sonos.

[5teve]

Sent to support(at)sonos.com:


Hi there,

I think Sonos is great but I'm wondering whether the management at Sonos
are listening to the millions of Spotify/Sonos users who have been
desperate for new features and improvements to what is a very limiting
controller and interface.

The forums are shouting - SCREAMING - for more Spotify features like 'play
artist radio', better search (i.e. search of playlists, sortable results),
playlist folder support, star tracks from Sonos, etc, etc, etc.

How come these don't get addressed? When will a better controller be
released?

Yours sincerely,
Steve

PS - who ever there reads this, please forward it to somebody who has the
power to make a difference

[5teve]

I am petitioning both for good measure. Surely SONOS can pressure Spotify with more power!

[ratty]

I don't think it's as simple as getting Spotify to act. The controller interface to Spotify appears to be a joint effort.

[mikev]

Originally Posted by ratty

I don't think it's as simple as getting Spotify to act. The controller interface to Spotify appears to be a joint effort.

Of course it is. And neither company seems to want to spend money on further development for such a small audience (Most of Spotify's users are Facebook/computer/mobile device users, not Sonos, and Sonos has so many music services available, only a small portion of them likely use any one service). So here we are paying for the Sonos hardware and the Spotify service, and we can't get a feature that has been requested for over a year and a half added!

I know that another service being added to Sonos was a joint effort between the two companies... and both companies have API's like both Spotify and Sonos do. So this "We have an API they can use" thing is just a BS argument IMHO.