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I buy all my music so I can't speak for sure, but we just got a 3-month trial of Amazon music & it downloads seamlessly to my Apple Watch Series 7. If Spotify isn't working correctly, then maybe try another service to see if you get better results.
 
Whap app? Spotify? Apple music?

I don't understand why your issue in this thread is with Apple when you use Spotify. Spotify has been intentionally crippling their compatibility with Apple devices to make a point of their issue with Apple's App Store and integration policies. If you are choosing to use Spotify, expect these issues and if you don't like them then there is an alternative that works much better than it.
 
I don't understand why your issue in this thread is with Apple when you use Spotify. Spotify has been intentionally crippling their compatibility with Apple devices to make a point of their issue with Apple's App Store and integration policies. If you are choosing to use Spotify, expect these issues and if you don't like them then there is an alternative that works much better than it.
Yes, I agree. Better to use Apple Music if have an iPhone. I’ve used apple music on android years back and it’s not good. It would often stutter or stop playing.
 
Same as a few other posters. I'm using Apple Music, have a few playlists synched with the watch (since I'm using a series 7, GPS - no cellular - one), and run with the watch and headphones - without the phone - and works super nice. Same for podcast. Now, it's true that the access to internal memory by 3rd part app is pretty limited (if there was a possibility to access the memory as for other iOS device and drop files on it, it'd be soooo convenient), but in this specific case, seems more spotify related since they've always loved to complain although Apple had made available the APIs to sync. If i'm not mistaken they did the same for the HomePod... they seem to love being victimized while just being business decision on their side. Nevertheless, Apple has definitely crippled some part of the watch, but in this occurence I'd say Spotify is also to blame.
 
I will vouch for the fact that Spotify on Apple Watch is total disaster. At one moment the offline functionality worked ok, I realised that regular uninstalls and reinstalls helped the app updates really commit (and the updates seemed to help), or at least killing the app fully on the watch and relaunching it made it work better. However eventually I'd hit the same issues again where an album or playlist clearly marked as downloaded would simply refuse to play when away from the phone, with no errors, no reason as to why. I'm finding that Apple Music which I've been using for a few months works a lot better on Watch. I have a Series 6, but your Series 4 shouldn't fundamentally be any different. To summarise, Spotify simply do not care about Watch functionality.
 
I have found my Apple watch an Beats Pro to be a great combination for running and my Airpod Pro's for walking.
For me I found having a dedicated playlist for workouts works well for running, but I also stream music or listen to audio books when walking.
I have never had any issues and like the solution a lot, saves me taking my phone out all the time.

But to be fair I am invested in the Apple infrastructure and use Apple Music as its part of my subscription and work well enough for me.
 
The problem is synching music from phone to apple watch. It's a terrible process. If you launch spotify on the watch there's no way you make sure music is downloaded to the watch...

Really 'd like to hear from someone that really actually use those features. Also would be really a pity for a user who uses spotify on all devices to subscribe to apple music just to hear it on the go on the watch. But it seems to me Apple Music is on the same boat...

It's unbelievable, in 2024 there's no convenient solution for listening to music while running/jogging. Missed your leadership Steve..
I use this daily with Watch Ultra and AirPods or some cheap bone induction bluetooth headphones, works flawlessly with Apple Music and Podcasts.
 
Thanks for all replies. Seems like synchronization to apple watch works better with apple music. I might give it a try in the future. Still its a pity since spotify works really well across many other devices
 
> Personally, I wouldn’t use Spotify Premium for free.

It depends. Maybe I use Apple Music incorrectly, but every single playlist there seems incompatible with my tastes. For example, if I pick a random Rock playlist, I can’t understand why Korn would be included alongside the Rolling Stones.

On the other hand, almost every playlist on Spotify is perfectly aligned with my taste.

I’m not promoting Spotify, just explaining my reasons.
 
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It depends. Maybe I use Apple Music incorrectly, but every single playlist there seems incompatible with my tastes. For example, if I pick a random Rock playlist, I can’t understand why Korn would be included alongside the Rolling Stones.

On the other hand, almost every playlist on Spotify is perfectly aligned with my taste.

I’m not promoting Spotify, just explaining my reasons.
Yeah, I understand. Especially if you started using Spotify before Apple Music. I’ve used Apple Music for 7 years and would not switch. I don’t like having a lot of 3rd party apps on my phone.
 
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Thanks for all replies. Seems like synchronization to apple watch works better with apple music. I might give it a try in the future. Still its a pity since spotify works really well across many other devices
Truly it does, and no I don't have Apple shares to benefit from. Like I said earlier, I jumped over to Apple Music for a few months apart from a few minor issues such as its stability and resilience compared to the Spotify app (Spotify just works better - it's faster, more ready - "snappier" even), Apple Music on the watch is just perfect, it even pre-copies and downloads a bunch of popular albums, playlists that I listen to frequently without even having asked me. Was handy one day when I went out for a walk, my phone died soon after and I wanted to listen to something - about 6/7 full albums were available to me on the fully charged watch and I was not stuck for music that day.

The Spotify app on the other hand - the downloaded symbol is right beside the album / playlist I want to listen to and it will NOT play no matter what I do, the app just doesn't know what to do. Also the downloading of albums/playlists to the Watch takes an eternity, even when at home connected to fast Wifi, or with the phone connected just in my pocket. It's a truly crappy experience.
 
Hi,

I'm trying to find a solution or device that let me listen to music (preferably spotify) while running/jogging, without carrying an smartphone. Does anybody have a hassle-free solution?

PS: Already tried many times airpods 2nd gen + Apple watch 4. It doesn't work, it is a really poor solution that either doesn't work or seems to work but fails miserably (synching, no way to check if the songs are downloaded, no way to check if the songs are replicated, apple should be ashamed)!

Thank you very much.

So you're running 3rd party software with a watch 6 generations out of date... and this is an Apple problem?

My ultra with iTunes works fine. Easy. Never disconnects. Shrugs. I do get your frustration, but the right tool for the right job.
 
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Thanks for all replies. Seems like synchronization to apple watch works better with apple music. I might give it a try in the future. Still its a pity since spotify works really well across many other devices
I had issues in the past with getting Spotify to download onto my Watch. I did get it to work at some point (either by removing the app off my watch/phone and reinstalling).


 
Maybe you consider an iPhone mini? It’s very small. I know it’s still an iPhone, but it’s hard to get around the cellular data problem when you want streaming.
^—This is what I do. Having gone through the lengthly hassles of downloading songs to the watch, as others noted, it technically works. So, that’s OP’s main answer, but they don’t want to hear that (yes it is a pain) so IDK what else OP can be told…. I like the Airpods compared to most others, but, they are not without their annoyances. And btw, I have the latest Apple watch, so maybe it’s faster than OP’s but it’s still too slow and annoying for me to even bother after doing it a few times in the past (loading music on it)… maybe someday I will try again.

Minor tangent/rant, to just point out that nothing is “perfect,” so we all might just need to accept “good enough” —> the other day I had to deal with the cold wind blowing while running, and I checked and checked again they were in “noise canceling mode”, they were, but the wind (not even strong wind) makes noise with them. So then I put my hood on, better yeah? Nope, the dang “pro” pods make even more noise against the hood material. Alas!
 
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I’m confused. I run with the Apple Watch AirPods setup. Never had an issue - when I’ve downloaded what is on my watch. I wouldn’t stream on my watch while running.

I’ll admit, it isn’t easy to check if the stuff is “on” the watch. But I do it in the app, then put my phone on airplane mode and try it out before relying on a playlist.



This sounds like something you tried once, twice, or a few times and got frustrated and threw your hands up. This is the best option out there right now that I know of.
Good to read this, which I guess fits my situation. Will try again sometime. It is indeed the best option, I just wish it were easier.
 
How do I load/sync music from Amazon Music to my Apple Watch as I didn’t activate a cellular plan on my AWU. Thanks.
 
iPod Nano always worked well for me in outdoor activity without cellular. Not only downloaded music, but FM radio for music, news, and information. 7th gen in particular with bluetooth. The 6th gen was worn by many as a watch. Shame Apple ended radio in all devices.
 
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Not sure if serious or.....

I cannot think of anything worse than terrestrial radio and haven't listened to it, unless in someone else's vehicle, in 25 years. Below is a sample of a classic rock station, feel free to change out the songs/artist with your genre of choice, they are all the same.

On a normal day:
6-10am: Awful "morning zoo" show, rarely even local anymore
Rest of day:
1 of the same 5 Led Zeppelin songs
1 of the same 5 Who songs
15 minutes of hideous commercials
1 of the same 5 Queen songs
1 of the same 5 Lynyrd Skynyrd songs
15 minutes of hideous commercials
Rinse and repeat

On any holiday:
[corny radio dj voice]
"That was Black Dog by Led Zeppelin in at number 20 of our WXXX Memorial Day top 100 countdown, we'll be right back with the song you, our listeners, voted number 19"
15 Minutes of hideous commercials, the worst are Kia dealerships!
"We're back for more of the WXXX Memorial Day top 100 countdown and in at number 19 is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd...
[/corny radio dj voice]
Rinse and repeat until a 20 minute build up to the inevitable Stairway to Heaven at #1.

The template for regular radio has literally not changed in 50 years plus.
I love an overly sarcastic post. I remember listening to a station like that in a college town 30 years ago. Haven't heard anything like it since. So many more stations out there at your disposal. As others have said, find yourself a good college station. You won't be disappointed and just might learn something about the music you're listening to.
 
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