Spotify Tests Untethered Apple Watch Streaming for Some Users

In November 2018, Spotify released an accompanying app for Apple Watch that allows iPhone users to access and control their favorite Spotify music and podcasts from their wrist.

spotify streaming

Image via iPhone-Ticker.de

One of the limitations of the app is that it doesn't allow users to stream music directly to their Apple Watch without an ‌iPhone‌ connection, which effectively makes it a wrist-based remote control for Spotify on ‌iPhone‌.

That could be set to change, however, as iPhone-Ticker.de reports that some users of the app are seeing dedicated support for direct audio streaming to Apple Watch without being connected to ‌iPhone‌.

Users with the feature report that they can stream Spotify through connected Bluetooth headphones or through the Apple Watch's built-in speaker over LTE or Wi-Fi. The function appears in the app as a blue beta icon, suggesting it's still an experimental feature with limited rollout.

There's no indication that the appearance of the beta feature is tied to a particular version of watchOS or iOS, but hopefully it won't be long before the ability to stream Spotify from the wrist will be available to all subscribers. That should come as good news for Apple Watch LTE owners who regularly leave their ‌iPhone‌ at home to go for a run, for instance.

Having said that, the Spotify app for Apple Watch still has no option to store music locally on your wrist for offline listening, so hopefully that's something the company is also working on behind the scenes.

Tag: Spotify

Popular Stories

Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
Apple Wallet ID Illinois

iPhone Driver's License Feature Launching in Illinois

Tuesday November 18, 2025 8:47 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Starting this Wednesday, November 19, the feature will be available to residents of Illinois. The announcement confirmed that the...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
CarPlay Liquid Glass Dark

Here's When Tesla is Expected to Add Support for Apple CarPlay

Sunday November 16, 2025 6:49 am PST by
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated that Tesla plans to add Apple CarPlay support to its vehicles "in the coming months." This is easily the biggest news for the regular version of CarPlay in years, should Tesla actually follow through with offering the system in its vehicles. As noted by Gurman, this would be a stunning reversal for Tesla and its CEO Elon ...
Apple Sports App Preview Feature

Apple Sports App on iPhone Now Available in More European Countries

Monday November 17, 2025 6:27 am PST by
The free Apple Sports app on the iPhone was released in additional European countries today, including Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, Estonia, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine, and others. The app was already available in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Austria, France, Germany,...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...

Top Rated Comments

Quixotic3 Avatar
68 months ago
I still only really care about being able to store a playlist locally so that if I am biking or out for a hike etc. I don't have to carry a iPhone
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tom.humphrey Avatar
68 months ago
About time
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
agffth Avatar
68 months ago
I'd much rather just download songs for offline playback. How is this not standard for Apple Watch by now?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChrisMoBro Avatar
68 months ago
Maybe by 2025 they’ll release offline playback
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maerz001 Avatar
68 months ago

This exact feature made me move to Apple Music years ago... This is just beyond lazy from Spotify and too little, too late!
Before watchOs 6 is was not possible by apple restrictions not because of laziness ;)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
68 months ago
Crazy how this wasn’t already a feature
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)