Spotify Enhances Mobile Listening Experience with New Community Features

By Terrence O'Brien, The Verge

Spotify has long been a pioneer in social music sharing, allowing users to see what their friends are listening to—originally on desktop and, more recently, on mobile in a limited capacity. After experimenting with community features on mobile in 2022 that never made it to full release, Spotify is now rolling out significant updates to bring Listening Activity and social sharing directly to the mobile app.

Listening Activity Comes to Mobile

The new Listening Activity feature is now available on iOS and Android devices. Unlike other social features, it requires opt-in consent via the privacy settings, giving users control over who can see their listening habits. You can select specific friends with whom to share your activity, allowing for a personalized social experience without exposing your entire friend list.

Once activated, your mobile sidebar will display what your friends are currently listening to, alongside your chats. Users can interact with this feature in multiple ways: tapping on a song to add it to their library, or reacting with emojis to share their reactions quickly and easily.

Introducing "Request to Jam"

In addition to listening activity, Spotify is launching a new "Request to Jam" feature. Premium users can initiate a jam session by tapping the Jam button within a chat, sending a request to a friend. If accepted, both parties' listening sessions are synchronized, enabling them to queue songs together and share real-time reactions. The app even suggests songs based on shared listening habits, enhancing the collaborative experience.

Free users can participate in jams if invited, but they cannot start one themselves. Both features are currently rolling out across markets with messaging capabilities, with Spotify stating that full availability is expected by early February.

Stay Connected and Discover Music

These updates aim to deepen social interactions around music on mobile devices, making it easier to discover new songs and share musical moments with friends. To stay updated on these features and more, follow topics and authors on your personalized homepage feed.

Enjoy your new social listening experience!