I’ve tried — I have tried — to make Apple Music my default streaming app, but I always end up deferring to my trusty algorithm-generated Discover playlists on Spotify. When home screen widgets rolled out with iOS 14, Spotify was front of my mind as a great application for this iPhone feature.
Today, Spotify officially launched its iOS widget in both the small- and medium-sized versions. The small version will show you whatever you listened to last, while the medium version will display the five most recently accessed podcasts or music. Tapping these will launch them in the app. But home-screen customizers, beware: TechCrunch noted the widget changes colour based on the theme of the album art it’s playing, which has the potential to throw a wrench into the whole “aesthetic AF” element of themed home screens. You’ve been warned.
Now, why would I opt for this widget over Apple’s own? Well, for starters, Spotify has about a decade’s worth of logged and ever-evolving music taste to help surface new artists and highlight stuff I may have missed. (Which happens a lot — I am old.) Even though I use Apple Music for CarPlay, I still find that I prefer Spotify’s algorithm and user experience to Apple’s in most cases. And having all of my most recent activity shown right there on a Spotify widget without having to open the app and search for it will definitely be useful on the go or when multitasking or working out.
To add the Spotify widget in iOS 14, first make sure that your iPhone and apps are updated. Then, press and hold any icon or the home screen and in the upper lefthand corner, select the + button to launch your widget menu. From there, if you have the update, you should be able to scroll down to your apps and select Spotify from the menu, where you’ll be able to choose either a small or medium widget to add to your home screen.
Just, you know, don’t say I didn’t warn you about any customisation disruptions. That’s between you and your god.