Spotify Running gets even better by adding integration with Runkeeper

By Kris Wouk February 26, 2016

Spotify — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Whether you absolutely love to run, or simply look at it as something you’ve got to do to stay in shape, there’s a simple truth: it’s much better when you’ve got music to help you keep going. Spotify has been aware of that for some time, and now it wants to help you take your run to the next level.

Spotify announced yesterday that it has teamed up with the popular run-tracking app Runkeeper. The goal? Runkeeper keeps track of your run, while Spotify provides the perfect soundtrack to help you keep your momentum.

There is a little more here than simply picking a playlist while you run. Spotify Running, which lies at the heart of the integration between these two apps, uses beat matching to play music that matches your running tempo. Now, Running can read your track records from Runkeeper, and use it to create a perfectly paced playlist for your run.

Spotify Running was introduced in May of last year, at the same time the company announced its then-upcoming video feature. Running made its debut on iOS, making its way to Android devices a few months later in September.

Setting up the two apps to work together is easy. Simply select Spotify as your music source within the Runkeeper app. Once this is done, just find the Running category in the Browse menu of the Spotify app, and the two apps will take care of everything else for you.

Like the Spotify Shows video feature that was introduced last month, you won’t need to worry about whether or not you are a Spotify Premium subscriber, as this in-app integration is available to free users as well. The integration is available to users of both apps on iOS now, and will be rolling out to Android users in the near future.

For more information on Spotify Running, see the company’s website.

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One day you might get emergency alerts through Netflix and Spotify

Hawaii

A bipartisan bill was recently reintroduced in the Senate to require audio and video streaming services to display emergency alerts like those for hurricanes and tornadoes while you’re watching or listening to them.
The bill, which was introduced by U.S. senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and John Thune (R-S.D.), was originally introduced by the senators last year after a false missile alert text was inadvertently sent out in Hawaii.
Called the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act, the legislation’s goal is to ensure that more people are able to receive emergency alerts.
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According to a blog post on Schatz’s site, the READI Act would ultimately:
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•Explore establishing a system to offer emergency alerts to audio and video online streaming services, such as Netflix and Spotify;
•Encourage State Emergency Communications Committees to periodically review and update their State Emergency Alert System Plans, which are often out of date;
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•Establish a reporting system for false alerts so the FCC can track when they occur and examine their causes.
In addition to the Senate bill, companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawai‘i), Pete Olson (R-Texas), and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.). The READI Act is supported by NCTA -- The Internet and Television Association, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the Internet Association, CTIA -- The Wireless Association, and the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

Audio / Video

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We've got some good news for those who use Spotify on Apple devices: The latest version of the app -- released on Monday, October 7 -- adds built-in support for Siri, which means you can now keep your phone in your pocket (or wherever it lives) and use your voice to ask for your music. The company has also launched an app for Apple TV HD and Apple TV 4K.

Previously available as a beta feature, there are some caveats and a few restrictions on how you can work with Siri. First, Siri support for third-party music services is an iOS 13-only feature. If you own an iPhone 6 or older phone, or any of the older iPads that aren't getting the latest version of Apple's mobile software, this won't work. Second, it appears to only work on devices that have the Spotify app. You can't use it to get Siri to play Spotify on your Apple Watch, according to The Verge, because at the moment there's no Apple Watch Spotify app.