Meta and Spotify are testing a new feature that could allow users to continuously share the music they’re listening to through Instagram’s Notes, a recent discovery suggests.
This feature was first identified by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently uncovers unreleased developments in popular apps.
Paluzzi shared a screenshot on Meta’s Threads platform that highlights an option enabling users to “continuously share” their music from Spotify, rather than manually selecting a song from Instagram’s existing catalog.
A message in the screenshot also indicates that users would have the option to stop sharing at any time.
While the discovery is intriguing, it’s important to note that companies like Meta and Spotify regularly experiment with new features, and this one may not necessarily be rolled out to the public anytime soon.
If introduced, this functionality would build on a feature launched by Instagram just over a year ago, which allowed users to share 30-second song clips via Notes.
Introduced in 2022, Instagram Notes are brief messages that appear above users’ inboxes, allowing for quick updates and status sharing.
The song clip feature is available in all markets where Instagram holds music licensing rights.
A partnership with Spotify could potentially automate music sharing on Instagram, generating content on the platform even when users are engaged with other apps.
This feature echoes Spotify’s existing social networking activities, such as its “Connect with Facebook” option that lets users see what friends are streaming on the desktop app.
Spotify has also experimented with a Community feature that would enable users to view real-time streaming activity on mobile, though it has not yet been publicly released.
Despite Spotify’s efforts to integrate more social features, such as podcast commenting and enhanced user profiles, the company acknowledges that much of music discovery still happens on social networks where users have established connections and check in more frequently.
Additional clues of a Meta-Spotify collaboration have emerged as well.
Technologist Chris Messina noted that Instagram added a “SpotifyiOS.framework” to its app around the release of version 338.0.
Messina also speculated that Instagram might integrate music offerings with Spotify to better compete with TikTok on music discovery.
Meta and Spotify have a history of working together on music-related features.
In 2021, they partnered on a miniplayer that allowed users to stream Spotify directly within Facebook.
Moreover, the two companies share a common adversary in Apple, as both have voiced concerns about the tech giant’s App Store policies, which require them to share revenue through in-app purchase commissions.
Additionally, Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature has impacted Meta’s advertising business, while Apple Music remains a competitor to Spotify.
