Apple Says Apple Watch Series 3 Lasts Up to 7 Hours When Streaming Apple Music Over LTE - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Says Apple Watch Series 3 Lasts Up to 7 Hours When Streaming Apple Music Over LTE

Following yesterday's release of watchOS 4.1, which enables Apple Music and Beats 1 streaming over LTE on cellular-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 models, Apple has outlined how much impact the functionality has on battery life.

apple watch apple music streaming
While all Apple Watch Series 3 models are rated for up to 10 hours of battery life when playing music from the watch's built-in storage, Apple says the device gets up to seven hours of battery life when streaming Apple Music with LTE.

Apple also says the Apple Watch Series 3 has up to five hours of battery life when streaming live radio with LTE. watchOS 4.1 features a new Radio app with access to Beats 1 and other Apple Music radio stations.

For outdoor sessions with the Workout app, the Apple Watch Series 3 is rated for up to three hours of battery life with streaming audio, GPS, and LTE. That's one hour less than an outdoor workout without streaming audio.

Apple says battery life varies by use, configuration, cellular network, signal strength, streaming quality settings, and many other factors.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Popular Stories

youtube iphone apple watch health ad 2026

New Apple Ad Sells the iPhone and Apple Watch Health Pairing

Thursday April 23, 2026 11:18 am PDT by
Apple has published a new ad to appeal to customers in the market for an iPhone and Apple Watch pairing, highlighting the insights it can offer for your health. Titled simply "Health with iPhone + Apple Watch," the half-minute ad focuses on a woman waiting in line at a cafe who begins receiving unsolicited health and fitness advice from other people in the queue, as well as local residents,...
watchos 26 gradient light

This New Apple Watch Face Is Coming in watchOS 26.5

Friday April 24, 2026 5:51 am PDT by
iOS 26.5 and watchOS 26.5 will have a new Pride Luminance wallpaper and Apple Watch face when the updates are released in the coming weeks, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a brief tweet, Gurman revealed that Pride Luminance will "Celebrate the vibrancy and individuality of the LGBTQ+ community and customize your watch face with colors from Pride flags." iOS 26.5 has been in...
modular ultra training load

watchOS 27 to Offer New Watch Faces, Including 'Modular Ultra' Variant

Monday May 4, 2026 5:58 am PDT by
For watchOS 27, Apple is testing new Apple Watch faces, and one of them is a simpler version of an existing Apple Watch Ultra watch face that could be coming to standard Series models. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is testing multiple new faces for watchOS 27, code-named "Orchid." One of them is said to be a "simplified take" on the...

Top Rated Comments

840quadra Avatar
112 months ago
Considering I can get 4 days on a single charge (I take it off at night) I don’t doubt this. I think apple was really conservative with their battery life statements on this device.

3 hours of battery working out! ROFL!

This is why you will never see a triathlete with an apple watch.
I would say that anyone trying to swim with AirPods in, has other problems to worry about.

Without streaming music you get 4-5 hours, and more if you don’t have it in workout mode. But again, Apple is conservative so I would expect people see more, even when streaming music.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OldSchoolMacGuy Avatar
112 months ago
Once again people slam the Apple Watch over battery life before knowing what it's actually capable of.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xavier Avatar
112 months ago
Did anyone mention how the original iPod had 10 hours of battery? It's pretty damn impressive that a watch, streaming music over cellular, connected to your wireless headphones, last 7 hours.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbeagle Avatar
112 months ago
Why do you get seven hours of battery when streaming Apple Music over LTE, but five hours when streaming radio over LTE? How is streaming Apple Music more battery efficient?
With Apple Music, the song is downloaded all at once to the watch, then LTE is not being used until 2-3 minutes later another song needs to be loaded.

With streaming, the LTE data is always being used.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bbeagle Avatar
112 months ago
For what the watch cost, that is not very good battery life, in my opinion. Get the battery to 12 hrs and I will buy.
You're working out with music for a full 12 hours? What type of super-human athlete are you?

I work out with music 2 hours a day. That is a lot with a full time job and a life. My watch has 30-50% battery left by the end of an 18 hour day.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iPhysicist Avatar
112 months ago
3 hours of battery working out! ROFL!

This is why you will never see a triathlete with an apple watch.
Never knew that triathletes need to listen to music during competition.

You learn something new every day.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)