Spotify makes an interesting new hire to help build its Apple Watch app

An official Spotify app is said to be on its way
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Not long ago we told you that a developer was working on an Apple Watch app that would bring offline Spotify support to the smartwatch. Since then, there have been some interesting developments, including news that Spotify is now working on an app itself.

Spotty, the app created by Andrew Chang, was set to sync both Spotify playlists and albums to your smartwatch to listen offline and without the need for a nearby iPhone. It was also set to have some neat integration with Siri (the rollout of SiriKit no doubt helping there). All of which sounded great, but Spotify got wind of it and expressed concerns to Chang that it was too similar in branding - so Chang changed the name to 'Snowy'.

Read this: The Apple Watch could be Cupertino's secret hearable

Now there's been an interesting new development: Spotify has hired Chang to work on its own official Apple Watch app. Chang announced the update over on Reddit: "I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be working closely with Spotify to bring Snowy to the Apple Watch as part of an official Spotify iOS app. Spotify's powerful iOS SDK made it possible to develop Snowy, but I can't wait to take things to the next level with the expertise and tools available at Spotify.

"While I can't give any estimates as to when it'll be available, you can rest assured that a Spotify Apple Watch companion app is in the pipeline."

At last - we've been waiting for Spotify to deliver on this for a long time. It'll be particularly useful for runners using the Series 2 - right now you can store music from Apple Music on there, but Spotify could be the dealmaker for would-be Watch buyers, so Apple will no doubt be pleased (though it also gives people one less reason to buy an Apple Music subscription).

We don't know if Chang will continue to develop his own app, but we're skeptical. We've contacted Chang for comment and will update if we hear more.

Via: AppleInsider

Spotify makes an interesting new hire to help build its Apple Watch app




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Hugh Langley

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Now at Business Insider, Hugh originally joined Wareable from TechRadar where he’d been writing news, features, reviews and just about everything else you can think of for three years.

Hugh is now a correspondent at Business Insider.

Prior to Wareable, Hugh freelanced while studying, writing about bad indie bands and slightly better movies. He found his way into tech journalism at the beginning of the wearables boom, when everyone was talking about Google Glass and the Oculus Rift was merely a Kickstarter campaign - and has been fascinated ever since.

He’s particularly interested in VR and any fitness tech that will help him (eventually) get back into shape. Hugh has also written for T3, Wired, Total Film, Little White Lies and China Daily.


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