Spotify’s updated Wear OS app is releasing “over the coming weeks,” Spotify has announced, and it’ll support offline playback on smartwatches running Wear OS 2.0 and up. The new functionality was announced in May alongside the news of Google’s collaboration with Samsung on the next-generation of the wearable operating system, Wear OS 3.
The fact that offline downloads will be available on Wear OS 2 means that it’s not exclusive to upcoming Wear OS 3 watches like Samsung’s recently announced Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Spotify says it should work on watches from the likes of Fossil, Mobvoi, and Suunto. Meanwhile Google’s new YouTube Music Wear OS app, which also supports offline listening, is exclusive to Wear OS 3.
Similar to Spotify’s offline listening on the Apple Watch, which launched in May, you’ll need a Premium subscription to use the feature. Spotify says you’ll be able to download music or podcasts by hitting the “Download to watch” button in the Wear OS app. A small green arrow will appear next to a playlist, album, or podcast once it’s available for listening offline. Free users will be able to download podcasts directly to the watch for offline playback, but when it comes to music they’ll have to stream in shuffle mode over Wi-Fi or cellular.
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