Spotify App Integration

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ER13

ER13

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Hi all.
Anyone know how the Spotify integration on the 2022 head unit works? Most importantly, does the car stream using the data connection from the phone/Bluetooth, or does it stream like my Google Home does where the phone is just a remote and the device itself (in this case MINI connected services) grabs the data?

Also, how's the ability to voice search or browse through the head unit?
 
Hi! I know it sounds stupid, but I kinda have the same question right now. So, I wonder if you have any info to share about it?
 
I don’t use Spotify, but like all CarPlay apps, it streams via the connected device; CarPlay is just the UI that integrates all the user apps with the car’s media system — ie. if you don’t have Spotify on your phone, it won’t be on the car’s display. Essentially, to make any decent use of streaming services with CarPlay, you need a large enough data plan with your mobile carrier.
 
I’m leaving in about 90 minutes and while I don’t have Premium, I’ll test the voice search for you. I suspect it will work like all the other apps, via Siri, eg. “Hey Siri, play Bombtrack by Rage Against The Machine on Spotify.”
 
with a shotgun

[lol, that's playing right now in the background on every Echo device in the house!]
 
Hey there! I'm not sure about the specifics of the 2022 head unit, but I did some research and found an article that might be helpful for you. According to https://streamingfamous.com/buy-spotify-plays/, Spotify integration in cars typically works by streaming music through the data connection from the phone via Bluetooth. As for voice search and browsing, I'm not sure, but I'm interested to know as well! Maybe someone else on this forum has some experience with it. Thanks for bringing up this topic. It's really helpful for those of us who are curious about new technology in cars.
 
Been using Spotify on our SE, I reckon due to the SE connecting to the phone via CarPlay it uses the phone’s data connection. I double press the steering wheel’s voice activation button to call up Siri and tell her to play the song/artist/album on Spotify. And I jump to the next or previous track using the steering wheels up/down buttons and can see the song title on the HUD.
 
If you have “Hey Siri” activated on your phone, you don’t even need to press the button, just say it.
 
SameGuy said:
If you have “Hey Siri” activated on your phone, you don’t even need to press the button, just say it.
Click to expand...
Funny I find that Siri ignores me unless I turn the music down, but then again she’s not the only one………:(
 
My "ok" button on the righ set of the button controls on the steering wheel stopped working with Spotify.

I used to be able to press the up arrow button and the down arrow button to scroll through my playlist via the heads up display and then press the ok button to play that song. Now the up arrow and the down arrows along with the volume buttons all work, but the ok button would no longer play the song

I wonder if it's the car or the Spotify app.
 
sacharama said:
My "ok" button on the righ set of the button controls on the steering wheel stopped working with Spotify.

I used to be able to press the up arrow button and the down arrow button to scroll through my playlist via the heads up display and then press the ok button to play that song. Now the up arrow and the down arrows along with the volume buttons all work, but the ok button would no longer play the song

I wonder if it's the car or the Spotify app.
Click to expand...
That's how I select songs on my thumb drive. Maybe try that medium.
 
I have an Android phone, so CarPlay for me is right out, but my daughter gave me a Spotify Car Thing for my birthday, and it is the bomb.

It fits perfectly into the inboard, port vent. It's small, black cord routes down the dashboard seams and into the outlet tray unobtrusively. And it does a great job showing Spotify album covers and podcast icons, allowing button presets and fast forward/rewind controls, and listening for "Hey Spotify" commands.

https://carthing.spotify.com/

20230429_131808.webp
 
F14Scott said:
I have an Android phone, so CarPlay for me is right out, but my daughter gave me a Spotify Car Thing for my birthday, and it is the bomb.

It fits perfectly into the inboard, port vent. It's small, black cord routes down the dashboard seams and into the outlet tray unobtrusively. And it does a great job showing Spotify album covers and podcast icons, allowing button presets and fast forward/rewind controls, and listening for "Hey Spotify" commands.

https://carthing.spotify.com/
Click to expand...
It does appear to integrate very nicely into your dash. One downside from my point of view is that I use that vent to warm my right hand in the winter (2021 SE w/o heated steering wheel).

Were you a Spotify user before you received the Car Thing? If so, what are the additional features you use the most?
 
Yeah, you lose the vent. I have that vent dialed to closed, because the Car Thing's mic works better without air rushing past. On the plus side, I also stick a little Febreeze air freshener just above the Car Thing, and with the air off, it doesn't overpower the car.

Yes, I've used Spotify for years.

Favorite Car Thing things:

1. It has four hard preset buttons on top. I use two for playlists and two for favorite podcasts.

2. It allows full track control for both songs and podcasts. For songs, one can drag the slider back and forth to the desired point in the song. For podcasts, the same, plus skip forward and back 15 seconds buttons.

3. Voice command without pressing any buttons. Although, I usually turn the car's volume down before saying, "Hey Spotify."

4. I like the large, color display that displays album covers when I am looking up music. Also, since it offers very good voice command, I can leave my phone on the charger in Waze mode, not having to toggle my phone to Spotify and manually touch the screen while driving.
 
If you're an Android user, you can use AAIDrive to add native Spotify functionality (amongst other things) to the MINI's infotainment system (you'll also need the Spotify and MINI app on your phone too)

mini_spotify1.webp
mini_spotify2.webp
 
SameGuy said:
I don’t use Spotify, but like all CarPlay apps, it streams via the connected device; CarPlay is just the UI that integrates all the user apps with the car’s media system — ie. if you don’t have Spotify on your phone, it won’t be on the car’s display. Essentially, to make any decent use of streaming services with CarPlay, you need a large enough data plan with your mobile carrier.
Click to expand...
That's not actually an accurate description of CarPlay (or Android Auto). All that the car Infotainment system is doing is providing a display area for video that is coming out of the phone. All the computing is done in the phone.
 
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