It’s a small factor, actually. However then, essentially the most impactful interface parts typically are.
There are a number of causes folks choose Spotify to Apple Music, and over time Apple has improved its service to make it extra aggressive, softening the influence of most of these Spotify benefits.
One in all them has pushed me loopy for years, although: With Spotify, you swipe left and proper on the present music interface to skip to the subsequent or earlier music. With Apple Music, you need to faucet the little << and >> arrows.
Now, in any case these years, iOS 26.1 is lastly giving me my want. Swiping navigation to vary tracks! On the Now Taking part in display screen, swipe left or proper on the album artwork or on the observe/artist information to leap to the subsequent or earlier observe.

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However that’s not the one place swiping navigation was added in iOS 26.1. Whereas enjoying music, you’ll see a little bit “miniplayer” on the backside everytime you go away the Now Taking part in display screen. This miniplayer can be swiped left and proper to vary tracks.

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Importantly, this isn’t a change to the way you navigate in Apple Music, it’s an addition. If you happen to just like the buttons, they’re nonetheless there and work as they all the time have.
Notice that iOS 26.1 is presently in beta testing, and there may be all the time an opportunity, nonetheless unlikely, that this transformation goes away earlier than launch.