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Spotify unveils new running features

Alex Yau
May 21, 2015

Spotify hopes to improve the experience of anyone who uses the music streaming app during their runs.

The company’s Chief Product Officer, Gustav Söderström, said that Spotify will now use your phone’s sensors to detect your running pace. The app will soon feature running man button and once you hit that, Spotify picks certain tracks based on your tempo. If you want to change the tempo, Söderström said: “We’ll find the right music for that, again and again and again.”

Spotify and Tiesto

Spotify is also working with musicians like Tiesto to create specific tracks for running. Söderström noted that his team spoke to runners who said that, when the right song comes on, it makes them “feel like a hero.” They also said that effect lasts for about a minute and half, and wears off until the next song plays.

To continue this high, the new tracks will adjust tempo mid-song. Söderström said: “The composition itself seems to rearrange to fit your current pace.” Spotify has created six of these compositions so far, each with their own special characteristics.

These features were developed with runners and fitness experts, with tests being conducted on many runs. Söderström said: “I likely have the most fit product and design team by now.”

The company has also announced Nike and RunKeeper partnerships for Spotify running integration later this year.

For more on Spotify, visit What Mobile’s dedicated Spotify page.

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