Google finally adds streaming to YouTube Music on Wear OS

By Michael Allison May 18, 2022

Google is finally bringing streaming to its YouTube Music app on Wear OS. It now joins Spotify as the main method of streaming music on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and other Wear OS-powered smartwatches.

“We’re excited to share that the YouTube Music app on your Wear OS watch is rolling out two new features. First, starting this week you will be able to stream music over LTE or Wi-Fi, so you can listen to your favorite playlists wherever you go, even when your phone isn’t nearby. Second, you can now add a new YouTube Music tile to your watch that allows quick access to your recently played playlist or to the browse page of the YouTube Music app,” the Wear OS team shared.

Google rolled out YouTube Music to Wear OS watches after the launch of the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic last year, albeit limited to streaming only. The company was joined by Spotify shortly afterward, giving Wear OS users options when it came to music. You’ll still need a YouTube Premium subscription to stream without ads or download on Wear OS, and Google notes that cellular streaming is limited to Android phones only.

The company isn’t leaving Wear OS neglected like before — at least in the short term. The company recently announced a Pixel Watch, as well as a partnership with Samsung. It’s certainly working on building up its native suite of apps so even if third parties weren’t delivering expected experiences, people who purchased Wear OS watches would have services they could rely on. More importantly, little app updates like this serve to continually signal that Google is paying attention, though it may take more than that to sway the more skeptical.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Michael Allison

Mobile News Writer

A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…

Mobile

Fossil’s first Wear OS 3 smartwatch looks like a better (and cheaper) Pixel Watch

fossil gen 6 wellness smartwatch wear os 3 pixel watch

Fossil today launched the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition, its first Wear OS 3 watch. It's a minor update on something we've already seen before, with the major non-aesthetic updates here being driven by the Fossil Wellness app.

The Fossil Gen 6 is reasonably powerful. It's got a Snapdragon 4100+, 1 GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and a 1,3-inch AMOLED display — all wrapped in a 44mm chassis. The connectivity specs are here, with Bluetooth 5.0 and all the usual suspects. There's 3ATM water resistance and sensors for your heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. These all play with the Wellness App and allow you to keep track of your vitals while exercising, sleeping, and passively. Fast charging is also included here, and it'll take your battery to 80% capacity in 30 minutes as with other Fossil watches.

Mobile

Wear OS 3 is finally coming to these older smartwatches this month

Fossil Skagen Falster Gen 6 on the wrist.

Wear OS 3 has been supported by Samsung smartwatches for over a year at this point, but now it's finally coming to Fossil devices in just a few days. While the launch of the Google Pixel Watch today has put Wear OS 3 back in the spotlight, Fossil smartwatches are the first to be upgraded from the previous Wear OS 2 version.

While it's certainly exciting that Wear OS 3 is coming to more devices, it's important to note that it won't be headed to all of Fossil's lineup. As reported by Android Central, the upcoming Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition will be launching with Wear OS 3; the Fossil Gen 6, the Michael Kors Gen 6, and the Skagen Falster Gen 6 will all be receiving the OS update together when the Wellness Edition launches. Luckily, fans won't have to wait long as the update rolls out on October 17.

Mobile

The Google Pixel Watch isn’t great, but it could still save Wear OS

Google Pixel Watch on a wrist.

Last week, the Pixel Watch launched. As Google's first premium smartwatch, it fills up the void that has existed for eight long-drawn years. During this time, Android users have felt the absence of a powerful smartwatch that offers an unadulterated Android experience, competing against the Apple Watch. Google arrives late to the party, at a time when brands already imagine successors to smartphones, and Apple and Samsung have strongholds in the market.

The Pixel Watch stands against the odds, and the first impressions lend no mercy. Things could have been much different had Google set a timely foot in the segment. So, a few basic questions crop up: Is it too late for the Pixel Watch to get the success that Google claims it to be worthy of? Can Google salvage that? Is this the end of Wear OS?