John Paul M. Joaquin Tech 07.20.2023 09:Jul AM EDT

Spotify Finally Gives Its Tesla App a Major Update

Spotify's app for Tesla cars just got a major makeover.

Company CEO Daniel Ek recently posted a video on Twitter detailing the many major changes the company made in its Tesla app through its most recent update.

Spotify first released its Tesla app in 2015, though it would remain unchanged until the update Ek announced, per Mashable.

(Photo : Alexander Shatov on Unsplash)

Spotify For Tesla Cars New Features

If you drive a Tesla - you’ll probably notice a pretty major update to Spotify today. Here’s a look at what you can expect.🏎️

Let me know what you think! pic.twitter.com/MeLMPzF192
— Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) July 19, 2023

Spotify's app for Tesla cars is now vastly different from the way it was at its launch, from the way it looks to the features it has. According to Ek's video on Twitter, the app now allows Spotify users to log into the Tesla app easily and quickly through a QR scan instead of providing their login credentials.

The update also allows Spotify users to access the company's audiobooks, a feature the company introduced in 2022 but didn't add to its Tesla app until now. For those unaware, Spotify launched its Audiobooks in the US in late Sept. 2022, giving subscribers access to more than 300,000 titles at launch, per Tech Crunch.

The feature wouldn't be made available outside the US until Nov. 2022, meaning that Spotify's Tesla app can access the company's Audiobooks anywhere in the world as of press time.

Spotify also gave users the ability to jump to their favorite artists and albums in one touch through the update. Thanks to this ability, users can now focus more on the road than on the touchscreen located at the front of a Tesla car's interior.

The previously mentioned features are the most important changes Spotify brought to its Tesla app. However, there are other features (or lack thereof) that Ek's video didn't cover.

According to the comments Spotify made via its SpotifyCares Twitter account, the company's Tesla app still couldn't download content directly from Spotify. As such, Tesla subscribers still need to connect their phones via Bluetooth and use their Spotify app to play their downloaded music.

Spotify's DJ feature is also absent in the update it gave to its Tesla app. As such, it is not possible for the Tesla app to algorithmically recommend music the connected user would like.

Similarly, Spotify's Crossfade feature isn't available in its Tesla app. Interestingly enough, it could be in the foreseeable future, as Spotify did commend the Twitter user who recommended that the feature be added to the app.

Spotify is gradually rolling out this update to Tesla cars worldwide; many Tesla owners might not have the new update even after updating the car's firmware as of press time. Whether Spotify will provide a timeline for when the update will be available in various regions is still up for debate.

Spotify's Potential Price Increase

Spotify may have improved its Tesla app, but its subscribers might be in for some contemplation on their budget. While the company is still offering its audio streaming services for a monthly fee of $9.99, Ek mentioned in the company's Q1 2023 earnings report that Spotify is "ready to raise prices."

As such, it is only a matter of time before Spotify raises its prices in the way YouTube and NBCUniversal did with their streaming services. When exactly will this price increase happen is still unknown.