Spotify Streaming Service Drops Support for Apple's Safari Web Browser
Spotify users who use Safari to listen to the music service will find a message telling them to switch browsers. The streaming company has silently dropped support for Apple's default browser for the macOS, as their support forum confirmed.
The music service has also removed Safari from the list of browsers supported, as the recently updated system requirements page will show. The page, which has just been updated on Friday, Sep. 8, according to Macrumors, now only lists Chrome 45+, Firefox 47+, Edge 14+, and Opera 32+ for the browsers that can be used to open Spotify's web player.
The issue was raised on the support forum of Spotify by user riegelstamm, who contacted the streaming service' customer support to get official word on Safari support. A representative responded, confirming that Apple's built-in browser will no longer be able to open Spotify's web player.
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"After taking a look backstage, we can confirm that after recent updates Safari is no longer a supported browser for Web Player," Rollie, a Spotify customer support representative, answered.
"We can't say if or when any specific features will be back. But as soon as we've got anything to announce, we'll let everyone know via the Spotify Community," the response continued.
Spotify's decision to drop the browser may have something to do with the Widevine media optimizer plugin developed by Google, which the web app needs to stream music online through a web browser. Apple has opposed the extension, citing potential security issues as the reason to ban it from Safari.
For an alternative, the message from Spotify advises users to switch browsers or get the Spotify app for desktop PCs. Safari users can also resort to using the Spotify app for iOS and Android, as well.
Ever since Apple Music launched in 2015, the new music service has eaten into Spotify's market, cornering 27 million accounts for itself, according to Apple Insider. Spotify remains dominant in the space, though, with more than 60 million paid subscribers, and countless more using their free, ad-supported service.
