watchOS 4.1 will bring LTE music and radio streaming to Apple Watch Series 3

AppleInsider

The newly released watchOS 4.1 developer beta includes expansions to the Apple Watch's built-in Music app, including the ability to stream songs from Apple Music and iTunes Match via an LTE connection on the new Series 3 hardware.

Apple previously said that LTE music streaming for Apple Watch Series 3 will arrive to the public in October at the earliest. Wednesday's launch of watchOS 4.1 developer beta 1 suggests the feature is on track for launch within the coming weeks.

The release notes accompanying watchOS 4.1 note that the update will allow users to stream any song from Apple Music or the iCloud Music Library, which includes tracks purchased from iTunes and songs matched with iTunes Match.

Apple has said that athletes using music streaming with GPS and Bluetooth headphones can expect about four hours of uptime with Apple Watch Series 3 while running, biking or otherwise outdoors.

In addition, watchOS 4.1 will also include a new Radio app that gives access to Beats 1 live or any Apple Music radio station over LTE. It also works with Siri, letting users request genres to create custom stations on the fly.

However, the release notes for watchOS 4.1 note that the Radio app currently does not support cellular connections. Presumably that issue will be resolved before the software is released to the public.

In addition, the ESPN radio station is said to not operate at all, even when the watch is tethered to a phone or connected to Wi-Fi.

Access to radio stations beyond Beats 1 require a subscription to the Apple Music service, which is available for $9.99 per month for an individual or $14.99 in a family plan. iTunes Match, which costs $24.99 per year per person, does not include radio access.

AppleInsider published its review of the Apple Watch Series 3 earlier Wednesday, and found it to be an excellent device, even before Apple Music and iCloud Music Library streaming are available. However, the device is not meant to be entirely independent of an iPhone, as evidenced by its relatively short battery life when using its own LTE radio.

airnerd

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

macxpress

Will it get rid of the ugly red dot on the watch?

ihatescreennames

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

alandail

I don't know if it's because we have a business account, but Verizon has yet to be able to activate LET on our apple watches.  I called Friday to get it set up, they failed, I gave them a few days to figure it out and tried again today and it still doesn't work. Either they didn't do enough training, or they somehow didn't manage to think business customers would buy these.  I've been on the call for 90 minutes now, and have had multiple people tell me to insert a SIM card into my watch.

CourierJoe

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

Try reading the article again.  I have the Series 3 Apple Watch and LTE works fine.  This article does NOT say what you said above.  It simply states that on the new developer beta which includes Apple Music does not yet allow music over LTE, but will in its final form.   Everything else works fine on LTE.   The watch is truly incredible and music over LTE will be an awesome addition!

foggyhill

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

He's lying... The snide crap about Tim tells it all.

Doing a clean up through your WIFI info and settings on the Phone is workaround (it is a bit annoying cause it affects your phone's WIFI connections too).

Options for WIFI autoconnects and connection lists should be separate for the watch and the phone (or at least a toggle to go from shared settings to independent settings).

WIFI was never really set up to be a fallover service for LTE and the other way around, which causes its own issues.

It cannot be smooth an transparent the way things are now.

Not sure if someone's looking into that, but they should. Having a way for WIFI to advertise connectivity, quality of service, how people log on, should exist. Right now it is in the hand of people handling these things manually on each different networks they connect too.

The FemtoCells (like mini cell towers) that people can use at home/work and connect to WIFI on the back end were made to be such a bridge to make this handover easier though not many seemingly use that right now.

Oh, and I don't believe this person actually own a watch, because that comment is too extreme.

foggyhill

macxpress said:

Will it get rid of the ugly red dot on the watch?

If it eliminates redundant, almost meme like comments like yours, on the Internet it would solve most of mankind's problems; we can only hope for this.

macxpress

foggyhill said:

macxpress said:

Will it get rid of the ugly red dot on the watch?

If it eliminates redundant, almost meme like comments like yours, on the Internet it would solve most of mankind's problems; we can only hope for this.

So its not going to get rid of the red dot then? Boo!

kiowavt

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

Mine has worked fine so far.

nhughes

CourierJoe said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

Try reading the article again.  I have the Series 3 Apple Watch and LTE works fine.  This article does NOT say what you said above.  It simply states that on the new developer beta which includes Apple Music does not yet allow music over LTE, but will in its final form.   Everything else works fine on LTE.   The watch is truly incredible and music over LTE will be an awesome addition!

Music works fine. It's the radio that doesn't work over LTE (yet). And that's just because it's a beta. But I just tested music streaming in the wild and it works like a dream.

ihatescreennames

CourierJoe said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

Try reading the article again.  I have the Series 3 Apple Watch and LTE works fine.  This article does NOT say what you said above.  It simply states that on the new developer beta which includes Apple Music does not yet allow music over LTE, but will in its final form.   Everything else works fine on LTE.   The watch is truly incredible and music over LTE will be an awesome addition!

Try reading my comment again, and also reading the comment I quoted.  Then things will probably be more clear for you.

I’m happy to hear you are liking your Series 3 as I’m planning to get one, I have 2 originals and feel like my Sport could use an upgrade.

ihatescreennames

foggyhill said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

He's lying... The snide crap about Tim tells it all.

Doing a clean up through your WIFI info and settings on the Phone is workaround (it is a bit annoying cause it affects your phone's WIFI connections too).

Options for WIFI autoconnects and connection lists should be separate for the watch and the phone (or at least a toggle to go from shared settings to independent settings).

WIFI was never really set up to be a fallover service for LTE and the other way around, which causes its own issues.

It cannot be smooth an transparent the way things are now.

Not sure if someone's looking into that, but they should. Having a way for WIFI to advertise connectivity, quality of service, how people log on, should exist. Right now it is in the hand of people handling these things manually on each different networks they connect too.

The FemtoCells (like mini cell towers) that people can use at home/work and connect to WIFI on the back end were made to be such a bridge to make this handover easier though not many seemingly use that right now.

Oh, and I don't believe this person actually own a watch, because that comment is too extreme.

This commenter has also been posting the same “I’m waiting” on several threads.  Meanwhile, the Series 3 hasn’t even been in hand for a week yet.  I could understand the “I’m waiting” if there still isn’t a fix in November but less than a week after launch is kind of ridiculous. 

@nhughes will Radio work with non-LTE and previous generation Apple Watches as well, via a connected iPhone?

nhughes

ihatescreennames said:

foggyhill said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

He's lying... The snide crap about Tim tells it all.

Doing a clean up through your WIFI info and settings on the Phone is workaround (it is a bit annoying cause it affects your phone's WIFI connections too).

Options for WIFI autoconnects and connection lists should be separate for the watch and the phone (or at least a toggle to go from shared settings to independent settings).

WIFI was never really set up to be a fallover service for LTE and the other way around, which causes its own issues.

It cannot be smooth an transparent the way things are now.

Not sure if someone's looking into that, but they should. Having a way for WIFI to advertise connectivity, quality of service, how people log on, should exist. Right now it is in the hand of people handling these things manually on each different networks they connect too.

The FemtoCells (like mini cell towers) that people can use at home/work and connect to WIFI on the back end were made to be such a bridge to make this handover easier though not many seemingly use that right now.

Oh, and I don't believe this person actually own a watch, because that comment is too extreme.

@nhughes will Radio work with non-LTE and previous generation Apple Watches as well, via a connected iPhone?

Yes, and I suspect that is how Apple will fix the "You can't browse your music library on your phone" problem as well — as long as your an Apple Music/iTunes Match subscriber (or if all of your music was purchased via iTunes).

foggyhill

nhughes said:

ihatescreennames said:

foggyhill said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

He's lying... The snide crap about Tim tells it all.

Doing a clean up through your WIFI info and settings on the Phone is workaround (it is a bit annoying cause it affects your phone's WIFI connections too).

Options for WIFI autoconnects and connection lists should be separate for the watch and the phone (or at least a toggle to go from shared settings to independent settings).

WIFI was never really set up to be a fallover service for LTE and the other way around, which causes its own issues.

It cannot be smooth an transparent the way things are now.

Not sure if someone's looking into that, but they should. Having a way for WIFI to advertise connectivity, quality of service, how people log on, should exist. Right now it is in the hand of people handling these things manually on each different networks they connect too.

The FemtoCells (like mini cell towers) that people can use at home/work and connect to WIFI on the back end were made to be such a bridge to make this handover easier though not many seemingly use that right now.

Oh, and I don't believe this person actually own a watch, because that comment is too extreme.

@nhughes will Radio work with non-LTE and previous generation Apple Watches as well, via a connected iPhone?

Yes, and I suspect that is how Apple will fix the "You can't browse your music library on your phone" problem as well — as long as your an Apple Music/iTunes Match subscriber (or if all of your music was purchased via iTunes).

All those things are considered "streamed" I believe (maybe wrong), so it makes sense that a streaming fix will work.

I doubt they'd reestablish the browse phone music unless they specifically said it was removed to fix it and it is coming back (say they have moved them voluntarily),.

Everything they removed and putting back they've said they would.

libertyforall

Watch OS 4.1 sucks since it requires connecting to BT Audio just to play the streaming.  It will not connect to Mac, ATV or iPhone to output the audio, nor AirPlay Audio.  Dumb.  

StrangeDays

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

Does that affect you? EG, you connect to unsecured networks that lack connectivity?

Phoenix303

nhughes said:

ihatescreennames said:

foggyhill said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

He's lying... The snide crap about Tim tells it all.

Doing a clean up through your WIFI info and settings on the Phone is workaround (it is a bit annoying cause it affects your phone's WIFI connections too).

Options for WIFI autoconnects and connection lists should be separate for the watch and the phone (or at least a toggle to go from shared settings to independent settings).

WIFI was never really set up to be a fallover service for LTE and the other way around, which causes its own issues.

It cannot be smooth an transparent the way things are now.

Not sure if someone's looking into that, but they should. Having a way for WIFI to advertise connectivity, quality of service, how people log on, should exist. Right now it is in the hand of people handling these things manually on each different networks they connect too.

The FemtoCells (like mini cell towers) that people can use at home/work and connect to WIFI on the back end were made to be such a bridge to make this handover easier though not many seemingly use that right now.

Oh, and I don't believe this person actually own a watch, because that comment is too extreme.

@nhughes will Radio work with non-LTE and previous generation Apple Watches as well, via a connected iPhone?

Yes, and I suspect that is how Apple will fix the "You can't browse your music library on your phone" problem as well — as long as your an Apple Music/iTunes Match subscriber (or if all of your music was purchased via iTunes).

Sorry if this comment doesn’t post correctly. First time poster. I am running dev 4.1 on series 2 watch. Can confirm there is no Radio app at this time. 

GeorgeBMac

nhughes said:

CourierJoe said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

Try reading the article again.  I have the Series 3 Apple Watch and LTE works fine.  This article does NOT say what you said above.  It simply states that on the new developer beta which includes Apple Music does not yet allow music over LTE, but will in its final form.   Everything else works fine on LTE.   The watch is truly incredible and music over LTE will be an awesome addition!

Music works fine. It's the radio that doesn't work over LTE (yet). And that's just because it's a beta. But I just tested music streaming in the wild and it works like a dream.

LOL...
Not if your carrier is Consumer Cellular.   I just called them for the second time -- and they STILL have no idea what the Apple Watch with LTE is...

First she told me:  "Sure, just insert one of our SIM and it should work fine".
Then, after "talking to someone" for 5 minutes she came back an told me the watch gets its data from the phone and it will "probably" work if I buy one...
...  Sigh...

GeorgeBMac

ihatescreennames said:

foggyhill said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

He's lying... The snide crap about Tim tells it all.

Doing a clean up through your WIFI info and settings on the Phone is workaround (it is a bit annoying cause it affects your phone's WIFI connections too).

Options for WIFI autoconnects and connection lists should be separate for the watch and the phone (or at least a toggle to go from shared settings to independent settings).

WIFI was never really set up to be a fallover service for LTE and the other way around, which causes its own issues.

It cannot be smooth an transparent the way things are now.

Not sure if someone's looking into that, but they should. Having a way for WIFI to advertise connectivity, quality of service, how people log on, should exist. Right now it is in the hand of people handling these things manually on each different networks they connect too.

The FemtoCells (like mini cell towers) that people can use at home/work and connect to WIFI on the back end were made to be such a bridge to make this handover easier though not many seemingly use that right now.

Oh, and I don't believe this person actually own a watch, because that comment is too extreme.

...

@nhughes will Radio work with non-LTE and previous generation Apple Watches as well, via a connected iPhone?

Why would you want to drive any type of music or radio through the Watch with its tiny battery if you have to have your phone with you anyway?

ihatescreennames

GeorgeBMac said:

ihatescreennames said:

foggyhill said:

ihatescreennames said:

airnerd said:

And will it solve the inability to get LTE on the watch?   Tim said it was a simple fix.  Still waiting.  

I was under the impression there were issues with Series 3 holding onto Wi-Fi networks and not switching to LTE, I didn’t realize they were incapable of picking up LTE at all.  Glad I’m waiting. 

“Simple” doesn’t equal “fast”.  Growing grass is simple, it still takes time.

He's lying... The snide crap about Tim tells it all.

Doing a clean up through your WIFI info and settings on the Phone is workaround (it is a bit annoying cause it affects your phone's WIFI connections too).

Options for WIFI autoconnects and connection lists should be separate for the watch and the phone (or at least a toggle to go from shared settings to independent settings).

WIFI was never really set up to be a fallover service for LTE and the other way around, which causes its own issues.

It cannot be smooth an transparent the way things are now.

Not sure if someone's looking into that, but they should. Having a way for WIFI to advertise connectivity, quality of service, how people log on, should exist. Right now it is in the hand of people handling these things manually on each different networks they connect too.

The FemtoCells (like mini cell towers) that people can use at home/work and connect to WIFI on the back end were made to be such a bridge to make this handover easier though not many seemingly use that right now.

Oh, and I don't believe this person actually own a watch, because that comment is too extreme.

...

@nhughes will Radio work with non-LTE and previous generation Apple Watches as well, via a connected iPhone?

Why would you want to drive any type of music or radio through the Watch with its tiny battery if you have to have your phone with you anyway?

When I mow the lawn I like not having things in my pockets, having my Apple Watch and AirPods works great for me.  I usually leave my iPhone on my porch where it’s in range but not bouncing around obnoxiously in my pocket.  Also, having Radio work on older hardware just makes it easier/better when people start to upgrade their device, it will already be something they’re used to, potentially.