Spotify Free users can no longer stream audio to Google’s smart speakers, screens

Spotify Free users can no longer stream audio to Google’s smart speakers, screens

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Image: HAYOUNG JEON / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock

Matthew Humphries
for PCMag

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If you rely on a Spotify Free account to listen to music and podcasts, your ability to listen has diminished this week without any warning.

As reported by 9To5Google, it seems that Spotify has decided to quietly eliminate the possibility of broadcasting audio using a free Spotify account on the smart speakers and smart screens of Google Assistant. Anyone who tries to do so will now be shown the “Premium Only” notification that appears below the device they are trying to broadcast on.

There is currently no official confirmation that this change has occurred, or if it applies to devices other than Google Now, but if it’s a feature you use regularly, you’ll need to sign up for a $ 9.99 per month or $ 14.99 per month to bring him back. The recently announced HiFi subscription plan will no doubt include that feature as well.

As 9To5Google points out, there is a workaround, but there is no guarantee that it will work for a long time. If you link your Spotify Free account directly in the Google Home app, you can ask it to play certain podcasts or playlists, which exceeds the limits and allows audio cast to occur.

This article was originally published here on PCMag

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