Apple Music subscribers can access the streaming service's robust song library on a variety of devices, but is it possible to stream songs on an Apple Watch? Apple has spent the better part of the last decade solidifying its portfolio of subscription services, including iCloud+, Apple Fitness+, Apple News, Apple TV+, and Apple Music. The company's music streaming service has a library of over 100 million songs and is one of the most popular music streaming services in the world.
Apple Music went live just a few months before the debut of the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch was announced in September 2015 and became available for purchase shortly after, quickly becoming the world's best-selling smartwatch. Though the first Apple Watch was fairly limited in terms of functionality, relying heavily on the processing power of the paired iPhone, the smartwatch became more independent over time. Now, the latest Apple Watch SE, Series 8, and Ultra models have powerful systems-on-a-chip (SoC) processors that run robust watchOS software. But can the Apple Watch be used to stream Apple Music?
The good news is that Apple Watch can be used to stream Apple Music through the smartwatch itself or can control music playing through a connected iPhone. Just like on other devices, the Apple Watch has a Music app that houses songs, albums, and playlists. After launching the Music app on an Apple Watch, users will be greeted with the song library found on their smartwatch. However, it's also possible to access the full library stored on their iPhone by tapping the 'On iPhone' button at the very top of the app. Apple Music songs can be downloaded to an Apple Watch to be listened to at any time, but the full Apple Music catalog is available when an Apple Watch is in range of an iPhone, or connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Apple Watches running the latest version of watchOS 9 can download songs directly from the Music app.
How To Stream Apple Music On An Apple Watch
Apple Music compatibility on the Apple Watch comes with a catch — users can't play music through the smartwatch's built-in speakers. Though the speakers on certain Apple Watch models are insanely powerful — loud enough to drive an 86-decibel siren — they cannot be used to listen to any kind of media. Instead, Apple Music songs available on an Apple Watch must be listened to through a wireless speaker or a wireless pair of headphones. Apple Watch has Bluetooth connectivity for quick pairing with wireless audio devices, and is compatible with AirPlay products as well.
Apple Watch users can navigate their Apple Music library manually via the touchscreen display and Digital Crown, but due to the small screen size, the experience might not be the greatest. Luckily, content available on Apple Music can be played using Siri voice commands. Using simple phrases like "Play rock music" or "Play Midnights by Taylor Swift" will start playing the user's desired music. Since an Apple Watch is always on the wearer's wrist — and Siri can be triggered by holding the Digital Crown — this is one of the quickest ways to listen to Apple Music.
Source: Apple