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[iOS] Apple Watch: Spotify Streaming and Offline Listening

Submitted by on ‎2018-09-28 06:50 PM
Status: Implemented

Apple Watch: Offline Listening

 

watchOS 5 should allow Spotify to develop an app that allows offline listening and streaming via cellular data.

 

Vote here to show your support for this development!

Updated on 2021-07-20

Hey everyone,

Thanks for coming to the Spotify Idea Exchange and voting to make this happen.

Тhis has been one of our most upvoted ideas and we've known it's something that our users would really like to see come true. We're happy to announce that this feature will now become available for the Apple Watch Series 3 or later.


It will be gradually rolled out, so it might take a bit until everybody has access to it.  That being said, we'd like to let you know that the roll-out rate has increased a lot in the last weeks, so if you haven't received the feature in the past, try reinstalling the app on your watch again and there's a big chance you'll get Offline listening now.

Once again, thanks for helping us make Spotify better and voting to make this happen, here on the Community.

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Comments
dixieflatline
Newbie
2019-04-24 04:48 PM

Any update would be nice. 

0 Likes
Moberg1984
Newbie
2019-04-24 05:17 PM

Come om where in tre pipeline is this idea

0 Likes
jdavies04
Newbie
2019-04-24 07:31 PM

Well, here goes another customer from Spotify to Apple Music. Well, 5 customers I guess. What's the point of having a cellular watch without the ability to stream music. I don't want to run with my phone.

 

There's a learning curve when going from Spotify to Apple Music, but it'll be worth it I guess.

0 Likes
bernzify
Newbie
2019-04-28 09:23 PM

Clearly Apple is playing nasty with Spotify (read on); and perhaps they're winning since — as seen here — folks are migrating to Apple's proprietary version.

 

If Apple keeps this up, I won't be migrating to Apple music, I will instead be switching from my Apple Watch to another Spotify ​friendly watch. On principle alone, I'll gladly dump all my Apple devices (and apps) for Spotify and Spotify accommodating devices. If anyone here is wondering what I'm talking about, check out: https://www.timetoplayfair.com/timeline/​

 

And, so you know, I have zero affiliation to Spotify other than being a subscriber.

0 Likes
Rahoulb
Regular
2019-04-28 09:39 PM
@bernzify wrote:

Clearly Apple is playing nasty with Spotify (read on); and perhaps they're winning since — as seen here — folks are migrating to Apple's proprietary version to compete with Spotify.

 

If Apple keeps this up, I won't be migrating to them, I will instead be switching from my Apple Watch to another Spotify ​friendly watch. On principle alone, I'll gladly dump all my Apple devices (and apps) for Spotify and Spotify accommodating devices. If anyone here is wondering what I'm talking about, check out: https://www.timetoplayfair.com/timeline/​

 

And, so you know, I have zero affiliation to Spotify other than being a subscriber.

 

Yes and no.

 

There is stuff that Apple is withholding that is giving them an unfair advantage - in particular Spotify cannot access SiriKit, so we can't have full Siri integration.  

 

However Spotify can access Siri Shortcuts, which isn't as flexible as SiriKit but means we could build our own Siri integrations.  But Spotify has had access to this since June last year and chooses not to implement it.  Other third-party audio apps have already done so.  

 

Likewise, Apple was the only one that could play background audio on WatchOS - until WatchOS 5.  Spotify has had access to this since June last year and chooses not to implement it.  Other third-party audio apps have already done so. 

 

In Apple's defence - this is how they do things; they release stuff for their own use first, then when it's been tested in the wild, they open it up to third parties.  As I say, they've NOT done this with SiriKit for music integration - but for pretty much everything else that people are complaining about, the ball is in Spotify's court and they are refusing to do it.  

 

 

0 Likes
toenni13
Regular
2019-04-28 09:45 PM

Completely agree with @Rahoulb here. Spotify not making a usable AW App has nothing to do with the AppStore fee that Spotify is trying not to pay. Companies are allowed to make offline playing and streaming apps on the AW and Spotify simply chooses not to do them. No one knows why but if they think I’ll toss my AW, iPhone and MacBook away for a music streaming platform they’re out of their minds. 

bernzify
Newbie
2019-04-28 09:53 PM

So am I to believe that the https://www.timetoplayfair.com is propaganda by Spotify (or someone else)? I'm curious to know how you know all that you stated?

0 Likes
toenni13
Regular
2019-04-28 10:04 PM

No it’s not propaganda, everything they state on that site is probably valid. I’m guessing they have legal fights with apple over those things and it’s good that they fight them out. But their issues with the payment system that apple has, have nothing to do with them not doing a proper AW App. They’re allowed to do it but chose not to. 

0 Likes
bernzify
Newbie
2019-04-28 10:08 PM

Thanks for this perspective. I'll wait and see where things go from here

0 Likes
asdasdasdassdsa
Newbie
2019-04-28 10:16 PM

 

Yeah, spot on! I think it's an extremely curious case here, in that what is essentially happening is Spotify trying to leverage its customer loyalty to blackmail Apple. It seems they are deliberately withholding offline playback from AW, to rally the troops and get Apple change its stance over App Store fees. 

 

Now it's very interesting to see if it works even to a small degree. Can't think of many besides Spotify (Amazon and Netflix too!) who could do such a thing. But will it work? 

 

@toenni13 wrote:

Completely agree with @Rahoulb here. Spotify not making a usable AW App has nothing to do with the AppStore fee that Spotify is trying not to pay. Companies are allowed to make offline playing and streaming apps on the AW and Spotify simply chooses not to do them. No one knows why but if they think I’ll toss my AW, iPhone and MacBook away for a music streaming platform they’re out of their minds.