Can it stream music I OWN from iTunes or is it just with an Apple Music subscription?![]()
Today's watchOS 4.1 beta, seeded to developers this morning, introduces support for streaming music directly to the Apple Watch over LTE and it brings a new Radio app with access to Beats 1 live and other Apple Music radio stations.
We went hands-on with the beta to get a look at the new features, which are primarily aimed at Apple Music subscribers who have a Series 3 Apple Watch.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The Music app on the watch looks mostly the same with access to your Music Library, recently played songs, playlists, and Apple Music mixes, but now all of your music content can be streamed over an LTE connection on the Series 3 Apple Watch models and doesn't need to be downloaded to your device.
With the update, you have access to the full range of Apple Music content, and can ask Siri to play songs with or without a phone and over WiFi or LTE.
The new Radio app houses all of your Apple Music radio stations and provides access to Beats 1 radio content. Siri can also create new radio stations with requests like "Play Taylor Swift" or "Play something fun."
It's not yet clear just how much streaming music over an LTE connection will affect battery life, but when possible, the Apple Watch will use the iPhone's connection or a WiFi connection to conserve battery.
These new features are available in watchOS 4.1, which is only available to developers at the current time. Apple doesn't offer watchOS public betas, so non-developers will need to wait for the update to be released to try out the new music capabilities.
Article Link: See watchOS 4.1's Music Streaming and New Radio App in Action
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
See watchOS 4.1's Music Streaming and New Radio App in Action
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Not exactly though. When streaming music, the LTE radio is on only a fraction of the time. So playing a five minute song might only require the radio to be on a few seconds for the download or buffering, then it goes back off. So five hours of music listening ≠ five hours of LTE use.
I’m glad that Apple Music streaming is available on WiFi and via iPhone network. I felt certain this would be an cellular AW exclusive. Not sure why though. Maybe because that’s what I expect of Apple these days.
As long as you have your iPhone with you, you really don’t need the LTE Apple Watch for anything. But I know that’s besides the point.
As long as you have your iPhone with you, you really don’t need the LTE Apple Watch for anything. But I know that’s besides the point.
No, I have it installed on my Series 2—however the Radio app seems to be missing
There are actually a few things that I could care less about than Apple Music, proper grammar being one of those things. But it's still maddening that Apple took away an incredibly useful feature and has not provided any answer whatsoever as to why. Seemingly the only reason they did this is to force users onto their monthly subscription.If you “could care less”, then you care. At least get the expression right if you’re going to insult Apple Music.
I used to leave my phone around the house and select music from my phone to play around the house. Also, this would not be an issue if Apple would let you downgrade firmware like the Iphone, in my haste I upgraded and didn't realize the consequences.
Off topic, anyone else bothered that they have now playing worse as well? I can no longer see how much is left on a particular podcast or song, its the little things that just annoy me more and more.
Yes, I want to be able to listen to my Podcasts while I have the LTE watch on.
It's been significantly better for me, and I don't see any downsides to running the beta at the moment.
Thanks! I’ve just updated. Radio is only for series 3
Don’t know about 4.1, but in 4.0, Siri on the Apple Watch still points to the library on your iPhone, not the watch itself. Meaning that if you for instance have a playlist there that hasn’t been synced to the watch, and you ask Siri on the watch to play that list, she will start playing it, and you can operate it through the Now Playing complication.
So you can Siri as a workaround. It’s all very fragmented and inconsistent, I know. Now Playing is a complication except it’s technically an app ‘cause it shows up in the Dock except not on the Apps home screen... and the watch will now only show music that’s on the watch itself but if you say the secret word to Siri she will sneak you in through the back door to your iPhone’s content... unless you’re on LTE in which case it will bypass the phone entirely, and... umm... meaning that Now Playing should have nothing to do with the phone, anything on the phone should now logically be handled through the Remote app, but that app is really more like the Apple TV remote app than the semi-retired iTunes Remote app that it happens to share its app icon with... so, ummm... Apple. It just works.
Yes WiFi. Significantly faster speed than a Nomad not to mention that it can stream a nearly infinite number of songs leaving your point moot. Lame attempt at trolling is lame.
Plus it’s a freaking computer on your wrist!
[doublepost=1506559276][/doublepost]
According to 9to5mac’s video, yes it does. They went as far as showing it doesn’t show any difference between what is downloaded on the watch and what is streaming from Match.
While we’re here can we add a toggle to Apple Music “don’t play songs from singers that try to show off”. More and more I’m getting fed up with loading up the For You new music station and it’s just warbling women or men singing falsetto. It’s pretty annoying.
In fact, if it added tags like that it’d be wonderful. Tags you like, tags you dislike. And options to feature less of the ones you don’t like and more of what you do like. Because currently apple’s “what I think you’ll like” NEURO bionic AI just isn’t cutting it. It’s going through what’s new and warbley and thinking I want to hear it! Nah!
BUT having just bought a series 3 Watch I’m very excited for my iTunes library playable from my watch. That’s such a neat function.
Next up - view Photo libraries on iCloud.
In fact, if it added tags like that it’d be wonderful. Tags you like, tags you dislike. And options to feature less of the ones you don’t like and more of what you do like. Because currently apple’s “what I think you’ll like” NEURO bionic AI just isn’t cutting it. It’s going through what’s new and warbley and thinking I want to hear it! Nah!
BUT having just bought a series 3 Watch I’m very excited for my iTunes library playable from my watch. That’s such a neat function.
Next up - view Photo libraries on iCloud.
This is good news and it sounds like 4.1 might be out soon. But I’m not sure how I feel about a separate Radio app. Why not combine it into the Music app like on the iPhone?
Maybe I’m getting old, but all of these separate apps make it harder to get to where you want to be, IMO. Put all the music into one app for ease of use!
Maybe I’m getting old, but all of these separate apps make it harder to get to where you want to be, IMO. Put all the music into one app for ease of use!
Just installed this quick before I had to head out tonight. I turned off my phone and played an album during my 20 minute commute across town. The music played flawlessly aside from some issues getting the first song to play. Just navigational type stuff. This played off my Apple Music collection.
Once I arrived, I checked my battery level. It had dropped from 77% to 67% during that time.
On the ride back, I checked the battery level and it was at 66% and repeated the same process, but this time my phone was on. My assumption was that the Apple Watch would work though the iPhone's LTE instead. I played music the entire commute and checked the battery level again. It was at 63%.
So the story here is, playing music through the LTE connection on the iPhone is about 3x more battery efficient for the watch, but it's totally transparent to the user. This also means that you can expect to get about 3 hours of LTE audio playback through the watch if the numbers are extrapolated.
Once I arrived, I checked my battery level. It had dropped from 77% to 67% during that time.
On the ride back, I checked the battery level and it was at 66% and repeated the same process, but this time my phone was on. My assumption was that the Apple Watch would work though the iPhone's LTE instead. I played music the entire commute and checked the battery level again. It was at 63%.
So the story here is, playing music through the LTE connection on the iPhone is about 3x more battery efficient for the watch, but it's totally transparent to the user. This also means that you can expect to get about 3 hours of LTE audio playback through the watch if the numbers are extrapolated.
DISCLAIMER: I know it's a BETA, but...
Just wondering how stable this is? I have a new Series 3 LTE model.. Does this cause any notable issues with battery or anything else, bug wise?
I installed 4 on my Series 0 when it first came out and it was very slow and buggy initially. But then it got better. Problem was that I couldn't downgrade so I had to wait for it to get better.
I'm desperate for the LTE streaming - but also don't want to screw things up. I know I should wait but... y'know... Impatient! ha ha
Just wondering how stable this is? I have a new Series 3 LTE model.. Does this cause any notable issues with battery or anything else, bug wise?
I installed 4 on my Series 0 when it first came out and it was very slow and buggy initially. But then it got better. Problem was that I couldn't downgrade so I had to wait for it to get better.
I'm desperate for the LTE streaming - but also don't want to screw things up. I know I should wait but... y'know... Impatient! ha ha
The battery life on my new Series 3 is MUCH better than the Series 1. I had a real drop off in battery performance there until I installed the production version of watchOS 4.
That being said, I extrapolate that you'll get 3 hours of audio playback if you're running completely off the Apple Watch using LTE. If you're iPhone is turned on and nearby, I estimate you will get about 9-10 hours of audio playback on your Apple Watch (it's much more efficient if you're not using LTE). I'm not sure what to expect via WiFi. I'll have to run that test next.