‘This is one of the most confusing updates they've ever done’: Spotify users are frustrated with the absence of audio mixing and Messages features

If you’re a Spotify user like me, or you’re just a nerd when it comes to music streaming services, then you’re already aware that Spotify is in the middle of one its biggest upgrades yet.

A few weeks ago, the company surprised us with the announcement of its new Mix tool for playlists – an obvious rival to Apple Music’s AutoMix. A couple of days later, Spotify followed with another huge announcement, unveiling a new Messages feature that allows subscribers to share music, podcasts and audiobooks with friends.

You don’t need to be a huge music streaming fan to understand that these new features are Spotify’s biggest upgrades so far (they’ll be surpassed if Spotify HiFi rolls out). But a few weeks have passed, and these unique tools are still not widely available.

A lot of subscribers are confused, as some have access to the Mix function but not Messages, and vice versa. But users are more frustrated than confused with what’s one of Spotify’s strangest rollouts.

Comment from r/truespotify

Why the exclusivity?

As it stands, I have full access to Spotify’s new Mix tool for playlists and after having some time to experiment with it, I see a lot of potential – but this isn’t the case for all Spotify subscribers.

According to Spotify’s official announcement the Mix function is "now in beta", and will be "rolling out to eligible Premium users". No official date has been unveiled, which is quite coy for Spotify. But even then, those who have been enrolled in beta testing for a while still don’t have access. See one user’s response to a Reddit discussion below:

Comment from r/truespotify

But it’s not just beta testers who are still waiting patiently for access, and the other burning question among users is what makes them ‘eligible’ Premium subscribers when they’re already giving Spotify their hard-earned money for a complete music streaming experience.

Comment from r/truespotify

When it comes to the Messages feature, it’s very much the same case where it’s been rolled out to a limited number of users. Spotify’s post states the following, but it doesn’t provide any answers: "Messages will start rolling out to Free and Premium users aged 16 years and older in select markets on mobile devices."

Time is ticking, and impatience is growing

So why is it taking Spotify this long? Well, one response in the thread highlighted that this isn’t totally out of Spotify’s usual habits, suggesting that it works like a lottery and is all depending on which region you’re based in – which is what happened with AI DJ.

Although if I had to venture a guess, it seems as though the new additions to Spotify’s mobile app interface are still in early stages, and will need a little more testing time before they’re rolled out globally, despite the current user demand.

You might also like

• I’ve been using Spotify’s new answer to Apple Music’s AutoMix – here are 5 of your biggest questions answered
• I’m a huge Spotify fan but Apple Music does these 7 things much better – and they’re tempting me to switch
• Spotify is offering three months of Premium for free – here’s how to get it, plus 3 other ways to score a free Spotify trial