Microsoft Teases Spotify Integration with Windows 11

Microsoft’s Panos Panay has teased a coming Windows 11 feature called Focus sessions that will include, among other things, Spotify integration.

“Another first look from the team … Focus sessions on Windows 11 [is] coming soon,” Mr. Panay tweeted. “This has been a game-changer for me, especially with Spotify integration.”

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His tweet includes an all-too-short promotional video that Windows enthusiasts will pore over like it’s the Zapruder film. But here’s what we can see: Focus sessions is a new feature that’s being added to the Alarms & Clock app, which has been renamed to Clock in Windows 11. And it sits alongside this app’s other features, like Timers, Alarms, Stopwatch, and World clock. It will apparently be the default view in the app in Windows 11.

According to the UI shown in the video, Focus sessions will help you “achieve your goals and get more done.” First, you configure some amount of time, as with a timer, and an optional break. Then, you select a task for the session from your tasks list in To Do.

Then, you choose a Spotify playlist to enjoy while you complete that task.

And then you just start the focus session and get to work. The feature also tracks your daily progress with focus sessions, in a nod to the gamification we see in mobile productivity apps.

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Conversation 23 comments

  • sherlockholmes

    Premium Member
    06 August, 2021 - 12:17 pm

    <p>How much did Spotify pay them? Windows 11 is looking more and more uninteresting right now. </p>

    • bart

      Premium Member
      06 August, 2021 - 1:58 pm

      <p>This is a dumb argument. Just don’t use the feature??‍♂️</p>

      • sherlockholmes

        Premium Member
        06 August, 2021 - 2:30 pm

        <p>Thank you for your opinion. I have mine. </p>

        • nickysreensaver

          Premium Member
          06 August, 2021 - 3:11 pm

          <p>and yours is bad.</p>

          • sherlockholmes

            Premium Member
            06 August, 2021 - 10:16 pm

            <p>This is exactly the kind of feature Paul complains for years after years. That Microsoft puts more and more crap into Windows. I can say right away that this feature will go away because nobody will use it. </p>

            • casaout

              07 August, 2021 - 3:55 am

              <p>Actually, I wouldn’t call this crap, but a necessity in today’s distraction-driven world. </p><p>There is enough research showing that distractions and interruptions are one of the biggest impediments to productivity, and people have a hard time to focus. </p><p>Having a tool where you (1) commit to a task for a (2) short and manageable timespan (e.g. 30mins) and listen to (3) music that helps you get into the flow, is scientifically proven to be helpful (look for e.g. "Pomodoro" or "Focused Work Session" studies). <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Obviously, having this as a separate (third-party) app would be just as useful, and there seems to be a prominent promotion of Spotify. </span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I only wish that during such a focus session, it will also be possible to disable notifications (and possibly even block some apps and websites), only then (most) people can truly focus on their task(s).</span></p>

            • ianbetteridge

              07 August, 2021 - 7:31 am

              <p>Hard disagree. This is an excellent feature and one that I would use every day. I’ve yet to find any really good Pomodoro timer and focus/distraction free application for Windows. </p>

            • wright_is

              Premium Member
              08 August, 2021 - 2:37 am

              <p>I agree, although it depends. The setting up timed tasks is a good idea.</p><p><br></p><p>The question is, whether the Spotify integration is simply a form of "file association", or rather service association, or whether Spotify is hard coded into the tool. If it is the former and any service can be plugged in to be activated, that is a nice move – although it sounds a lot like Task Scheduler on steroids, as opposed to an extended clock app. The other problem is, if it allows the integration of services, it could be a simple way to get malware onto a system and keep it silent until some event or some time has elapsed – although they can do that today with Task Scheduler, as some of the crypto malware has shown after the Exchange bugs earlier in the year.</p>

              • wright_is

                Premium Member
                08 August, 2021 - 2:39 am

                <p>Ah, sorry, misunderstood it on first read. The using it for malware would be more difficult to disguise than I originally though, on the first read through.</p>

  • dkrowe

    Premium Member
    06 August, 2021 - 12:53 pm

    <p>I use Alarms &amp; Clock in 10 for the alarms, but don’t like that it always opens on Timers and there is no way to change this behavior. Now that Focus Sessions "will apparently be the default view in the app", it may be time to look for a single purpose alarm app.</p>

  • ecumenical

    06 August, 2021 - 1:10 pm

    <p>Built in pomodoro is pretty cool, but the Spotify tie in feels weird.</p>

  • mattbg

    Premium Member
    06 August, 2021 - 1:10 pm

    <p>It’s a nice idea, but the reason I find it difficult to focus on in my workday isn’t mainly because Windows doesn’t have support for it :)</p><p><br></p><p>Does this also do something like put you in a zen-like mode where the notifications are off, and the only apps you can see are the things you need to complete your task? That would be very helpful.</p>

    • casaout

      07 August, 2021 - 3:56 am

      <p>yes! I agree that blocking interruptions are a must for this feature. It’s sad that Microsoft doesn’t allow developers to change the Focus Assist feature in Windows, I hope that this changes (now that Apple macOS supports it…)</p>

  • cnc123

    06 August, 2021 - 1:23 pm

    <p>Windows should be neutral on this, and not using its market power to advantage specific third parties. Build an API for this. Don’t use Windows to disadvantage Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal, Amazon, etc.</p>

    • jdawgnoonan

      06 August, 2021 - 1:33 pm

      <p>Exactly, an API so you connect the service of your choice would be a far superior option. What would really be annoying would be if every time this feature is used non-Spotify users have to look at a Spotify ad or a suggestion to use Spotify. </p>

      • ekim

        Premium Member
        07 August, 2021 - 1:27 pm

        <p>You mean like we have to look at every time we go to Google with anything other than Chrome?</p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      06 August, 2021 - 7:07 pm

      <p>How do you know there isn’t an API and they just used Spotify to show how the feature works?</p>

  • bart

    Premium Member
    06 August, 2021 - 1:58 pm

    <p>Not sure how anyone can complain about this. An independent service adding a feature to Windows 11 you don’t have to use if you don’t like it. </p>

    • sharps

      Premium Member
      06 August, 2021 - 2:22 pm

      <p>It’s feature bloat the same as Ms are doing with Edge. I do not want see any product placement "ads" in windows.</p>

  • VancouverNinja

    Premium Member
    06 August, 2021 - 2:48 pm

    <p>This is fantastic. </p><p><br></p><p>And for those complaining it should be open – I will bet you dollars to cents that any music service that would like to be available in this feature would be welcomed 100% by Microsoft. </p>

  • blue77star

    06 August, 2021 - 7:56 pm

    <p>Interesting</p>

  • nbplopes

    07 August, 2021 - 6:02 am

    <p>Sounds good on paper. Like everything that MS announces.</p><p><br></p><p>I personally need to trust MS back … Apple decisions are annoying me the heck out of me.</p><p><br></p><p>At the moment if MS got it self a nice Windroid OS I might even give it a try :)</p>

  • samp

    07 August, 2021 - 7:15 pm

    <p>Looks good – as long as I can choose my own music provider and not need to use Spotify. I hope they are just using it in the promo, and I will be able to use, for example, YouTube Music. </p><p>It a bit sad in MSFT starts promoting Spotify over others. </p>

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