Feature Suggestion: Disable automatic device switching on entry/start

[miketheredherring]

Plan

Premium

Country

United States

Device

Google Pixel 6 Pro / Car Thing

Operating System

Android 12

My Question or Issue

I use a Car Thing with my Tesla since I like the experience it provides more and the interface is just easier/more enjoyable to use (has less bugs with playback). I usually use the Car Thing as a "remote" for the car so the output device selected in the Spotify app on my phone is the vehicle (not via bluetooth); this works reasonably well! One quirk I have found with Car Thing is that when I enter the car the music I was listening to will resume per normal, but then the output device will be automatically switched to bluetooth and thus stop. From there I usually open the app and then switch it back to the car. 

It would be great if this could be a setting to not change the output device upon "power up" and/or for it to remember the previous selection or set a default. I could see this functionality being useful when pairing Car Thing with another streaming device, like a Chromecast Audio, as the remote interface. Benefits for doing this for the Tesla means I can use the mobile data plan there rather than on my phone and have enhanced audio quality compared to bluetooth. Additionally, in the event that I do not have cellular service, I can switch to bluetooth for my offline playlists and have the same great interface!

I realize this is not a conventional use of the Car Thing, but I like its versatility so much for this case, this addition would really enhance the experience!

[MattSuda]

Hey @miketheredherring

Switching the playback to your Tesla in the Spotify Connect menu in the mobile app will work, but Car Thing will always default to the mobile app for playback.

Right now this is expected behavior. Car Thing's expected behavior is for the audio to play in the Spotify mobile app and have the audio go out of the phone either via Bluetooth, USB, or AUX port to the car's speakers and not through Spotify Connect such as directly to a car app or to the Spotify desktop app.

If this is an option you would like to see, you can copy this idea and post it in the Ideas Exchange if there isn't already a similar idea.