Strava, Spotify collaborate to give access to music while using the tracking app

Strava, an American internet service for tracking physical exercise, has teamed up with Spotify to allow users to access music, audiobooks, and even podcasts without the need to separately open the Spotify app. This partnership was described as first-of-its-kind since this set-up is not available anywhere else.

Strava is used by over 100 million individuals around the world, and it revealed its new in-app integration this week. With the team-up, users will be able to listen to music directly from their Strava app while they are doing their tracking activities.

People can play music and other content offered by Spotify. They can also easily pause, skip, and resume the viewing or music listening.

What’s more, browsing for content is also hassle-free and available to all Strava users. The integration means that users do not have to switch between the two apps anymore and just use both in just one platform.

The announcement of the collaboration between Spotify and Strava comes not long after the former acquired the European firm that builds 3D global maps, Fatmap. In any case, the company’s ultimate goal for Strava is to incorporate Fatmap’s main platform into the Strava app as well.

"Over time, the consumption of music has evolved dramatically from CDs to streaming, which has opened the door for audio to inspire us in ways it couldn't before," Strava’s vice president of connected partnerships, Mateo Ortega, said in a press release. "We are excited to partner with a global leader like Spotify to seamlessly integrate music and movement on the platform. This new feature further solidifies Strava's position at the center of connected fitness and continues to demonstrate the power of the global community of active people on Strava."

Spotify’s vice president of business development, Ian Geller, also commented, "One of our biggest goals at Spotify is to be everywhere our listeners are – whether that's on a run, in the gym, or anyplace in between. This integration with Strava is another way we're moving with our listeners and allowing them to seamlessly connect to the music and audio they love."