Spotify is testing a new Favorite Device feature for handing off music to a nearby speaker

Spotify is testing a new feature for speakers with support for Spotify Connect that will allow users to select a device as their Favorite Device. A notification will pop up when your phone is physically nearby so you can swap what you’re listening to on your phone to that speaker. The feature, which is still in testing, was spotted by Thurrott with impressions of how it works.

It’s a surprisingly simple setup: once a Favorite Device is selected and your phone is nearby, a notification will ask if you’d like to switch playback from your phone to the speaker, which can be done from the notification drop-down menu. It’s an easier process than opening the app and changing playback manually, which is likely the point. It seems like only one device can be set as the Favorite Device for the automatic switching behavior, so if you’ve got more than one Spotify Connect speaker around, be prepared to choose your favorite.

The new feature sounds similar to Apple’s upcoming hand-off speaker for the HomePod that it unveiled at WWDC earlier this year, which allows users to transition music from their phone to their smart speaker just by bringing it close to the HomePod. While there’s no word yet about a broader rollout for Spotify’s feature, Apple’s version is expected to be available this fall when iOS 13 ships.