After removing Driving View last year with no obvious alternative, Spotify is reportedly allowing certain Android users test out a new, voice-focused car mode.
What’s New?
According to reports, Car Mode looks more like a version of Spotify’s standard UI that has been adjusted to make short operations easier, rather than the hyper-simplified Car View that came before it.
While the latest version of Spotify Car Mode includes a tab that allows you to access your recently played music, the search screen has been replaced with a voice control option.
The control interface for what’s now playing is comparable to Spotify’s regular mode, so you should be able to employ muscle memory (without a lot of the visual distractions that are on the standard screen).
What’s More?
The resemblance to the standard UI overcomes a problem that some users had with the former Car View – when Spotify “retired” it, several commenters expressed their dissatisfaction, claiming that it took more of their focus to use because it was so foreign.
The test does not appear to be available to all people. The app asked if I was in a car and if I wanted to launch Google Maps when I opened Spotify on my Pixel 2 while connected to my car’s Bluetooth.
Otherwise, the user interface remained unchanged. Spotify on my iPhone appeared to have the same interface as it had in November when I tested it.
Digging In More Details
Spotify did not immediately answer to The Verge’s request for comment on its testing plans or when (or if) Car Mode would be made available to more users.
Hopefully, it will ultimately be integrated into the app – drivers will certainly use their phones to control their music while driving, and the experience should be as seamless as possible (without having to pay $90 for Spotify’s Car Thing gear).