Spotify has updated its Apple Watch app with the ability to download songs to your wrist, giving you true offline playback without needing your iPhone nearby. You can go for a run while keeping a favorite playlist on hand.
You can download songs or podcasts by finding them on the Apple Watch, tapping the three-dots button and choosing “Download to Apple Watch.” You can verify progress in a Downloads section, and any downloaded tracks will have a green arrow near their names.
The update is part of a broader update for the Apple Watch app that should reach people worldwide in the weeks ahead. Spotify noted that this was the “first iteration” o the feature and wanted feedback.
The feature has been a long time in coming. Spotify first got serious about an Apple Watch app when it hired developer Andrew Chang in 2017, but the first iteration of its official app was limited to remote control. A later update enabled direct streaming, but that was only useful as long as you had a cellular or WiFi connection. This puts Spotify largely on par with Apple Music you don’t have to switch services just to have access to your music at all times.
