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Spotify Hits the Road: Introducing Their First Native Car App

Published

9 hours ago

October 21, 2026

Spotify is busting free of CarPlay with the launch of its first native car app

Spotify has unveiled its next-generation in-car app, developed on Google’s Android Automotive operating system. This standalone app, debuting in select Audi models, operates directly on the vehicle’s infotainment hardware, eliminating the need for phone connectivity.

This move signals Spotify’s shift away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, major phone projection systems. With a significant portion of Spotify users streaming music in their cars, the choice of platform for listening becomes crucial.

The new native Spotify app will roll out in various Audi models, including electric and gas-powered variants. Jonathan Tarlton, Spotify’s automotive business development lead, emphasized the app’s user-centric approach and complete control by Spotify.

Unlike the previous headless integration, the new Audi application is headful, allowing Spotify to design its own user interface directly on the vehicle’s screens. This ensures a seamless and unique Spotify experience.

While Spotify remains committed to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the native app aims to rival phone mirroring. The app’s features enhance the in-car listening experience, offering a new way to enjoy Spotify content.

“We’re drawing all the pixels. We own the user experience. So we’re not in a template or a framework. It’s 100 percent Spotify.”

— Jonathan Tarlton, head of automotive business development at Spotify

The app aims to provide users with choice and flexibility in accessing Spotify content, whether through iOS or Android ecosystems. It addresses common connectivity issues experienced with phone mirroring.

The native Spotify app offers advantages over projected apps, such as enabling passengers to join a wireless Spotify Jam session and interact with the music queue. Additionally, passengers can access video content and lyrics on dedicated displays.

Spotify’s focus on Android-based systems aims to prevent fragmentation and simplify app distribution across multiple platforms, including automaker stores.

“Our number one goal was to prevent fragmentation, not just for our sake, but for the sake of the whole industry,” Tarlton emphasized. “We believe in having an open and fair place for apps to thrive in the automotive space.”