Spotify Releases Latest Version Update For Apple Wrist Watch To Work When Offline

Spotify released a new feature for Apple Watch. (photo: doc. Pixabay)

JAKARTA - In a blog post on Thursday, November 10, Spotify shared details of an updated Apple Watch app that improves usability and offline playback. They also added more visual polish with bigger album covers and new animations.

You'll be able to easily browse and select your favorite music and podcasts in your Library, and download music faster for offline listening from the watch itself. "There's also a sleek new design with larger artwork, animations, and additional functionality—like swiping to like a song."

Unfortunately, Spotify doesn't mention whether Apple Watch users can now download higher-quality music files. But the wrist-worn version of the app has so far limited downloads to a fairly low bitrate.

The post also highlights other devices that have recently become available on Spotify. The music streaming service can be used in ambient/screensaver mode on Amazon's latest QLED Fire TV television, allowing customers to browse recommendations or “fly through albums, songs, and playlists using the remote control.”

Spotify is also bringing the Spotify Tap shortcut to the Ray-Ban Stories Meta sunglasses. It lets you start playing music on your phone by tapping and holding the side of the glasses; many earbuds and headphones now offer the Spotify Tap feature as well.

Spotify's latest blog post doesn't refer to Spotify HiFi, the long-delayed version of the service-level lossless streaming announced 625 days ago, or to rumors that the company is considering a more expensive “Platinum” subscription plan that could cost $19.99. (IDR 300 thousand) per month.

As Amazon Music pointed out this month, there's reason to be wary of a possible change to the service as Amazon's decision to expand the catalog of music available to Prime subscribers has been dogged by complaints from people angry about the loss of on-demand playback capabilities.

The version of Amazon Music included in Prime now forces subscribers into shuffle mode and makes it harder to hear certain songs using Amazon's Alexa app and voice assistant.

Spotify notes that users need the latest version of the iOS app to get the updated Apple Watch experience. So it looks like the update has at least been approved. The same couldn't be said last month when Spotify and Apple again got into a public spat over App Store policies.

Spotify accused Apple of blocking its newly launched audiobook initiative but ended up releasing an update that complies with Apple's rules.