Watch: watchOS 4 restricts browsing of connected iPhone music library

AppleInsider · September 20, 2017 10:08PM

With the release of watchOS 4, Apple no longer allows users to browse their iPhone's music library, restricting song list viewing to tunes stored on device.

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ben20 · September 20, 2017 10:13PM

Doesn't matter, it runs out of battery quickly anyway. I wonder what surprises we see with iPhone X....

cmd-z · September 20, 2017 10:24PM

This is a bummer! I used this feature to select/ change playlists on my iPhone while it AirPlays to my home stereo (cool party trick). Luckily I can still use my watch to pause, skip, change volume on my iPhone, but cannot change playlists from the watch like I used to. Oh well ...

eightzero · September 20, 2017 10:25PM

Breaking: Apple announced today that an app to allow full viewing of the library on the watch, but requires an in-app purchase of a $10/mo subscription. First 3 months are free.

colesq · September 20, 2017 10:27PM

Old way could get confusing when the Watch would magically go back to preferring iPhone source right before running outside and leaving it behind. Probably best to start the obvious process of consciously decoupling the two devices, just as Apple slowly did with iPhone years ago.

acsfernalld · September 20, 2017 10:30PM

Bad move.

strangedays · September 20, 2017 11:17PM

colesq said:

Old way could get confusing when the Watch would magically go back to preferring iPhone source right before running outside and leaving it behind. Probably best to start the obvious process of consciously decoupling the two devices, just as Apple slowly did with iPhone years ago.

My partner had this problem often while prepping for a run. Once outside the range of the paired iphone left at home, music stopped and she didn’t know what to do. This fixes that.

edited September 2017

strangedays · September 20, 2017 11:19PM

ben20 said:

Doesn't matter, it runs out of battery quickly anyway. I wonder what surprises we see with iPhone X....

Huh? All day battery. I charge at bed time, some get up to two days.

anilu_777 · September 20, 2017 11:21PM

StrangeDays said:

colesq said:

Old way could get confusing when the Watch would magically go back to preferring iPhone source right before running outside and leaving it behind. Probably best to start the obvious process of consciously decoupling the two devices, just as Apple slowly did with iPhone years ago.

My partner had this problem often while prepping for a run. Once outside the range of the paired iphone left at home, music stopped and she didn’t know what to do. This fixes that.

How did they play music - stored on the Watch?

ireland · September 20, 2017 11:24PM

Corporate Apple.

strangedays · September 20, 2017 11:41PM

Anilu_777 said:

StrangeDays said:

colesq said:

Old way could get confusing when the Watch would magically go back to preferring iPhone source right before running outside and leaving it behind. Probably best to start the obvious process of consciously decoupling the two devices, just as Apple slowly did with iPhone years ago.

My partner had this problem often while prepping for a run. Once outside the range of the paired iphone left at home, music stopped and she didn’t know what to do. This fixes that.

How did they play music - stored on the Watch?

She never really got that the Music app could be in one of two different “modes”, and despite being vaguely aware of this wasn’t certain how to switch between them. Even I found it sometimes confusing. So I suspect the reason for the change is to make it more streamlined — the Music app on the watch is for music on the watch, or streamed to it off the cloud. I’d bet Apple’s use data shows few people used the Music app to remotely control the library on their iphone (even if a cool party trick). And that the Now Playing feature was more useful (quick controls to the music playing on your iphone in your pocket right now)...I used that in the gym all the time and I think it’s easier for normals to grasp without thinking about it.

edited September 2017

mac_128 · September 21, 2017 12:44AM

AppleInsider said:

With the release of watchOS 4, Apple no longer allows users to browse their iPhone's music library, restricting song list viewing to tunes stored on device.

Do we yet know whether the entire 16GB storage can be dynamically allocated by the user, to store more than the current 2GB/250 song limit?

anantksundaram · September 21, 2017 1:17AM

Sayonara, S3. I just canceled my pre-order.

Will stick with S0 for now, unless that gets compromised too via some stupid software update (I might just go back to my analog watch, and iPhone).

edited September 2017

anantksundaram · September 21, 2017 1:17AM

ben20 said:

Doesn't matter, it runs out of battery quickly anyway. I wonder what surprises we see with iPhone X....

You obviously have not used a Watch all that much.

boondock · September 21, 2017 2:05AM

anantksundaram said:

Sayonara, S3. I just canceled my pre-order.

Will stick with S0 for now, unless that gets compromised too via some stupid software update (I might just go back to my analog watch, and iPhone).

This isn’t a S3 issue this is a watchOS 4 issue. But from reading other things about the S3 I can see why you might cancel your order.

anantksundaram · September 21, 2017 3:06AM

boondock said:

anantksundaram said:

Sayonara, S3. I just canceled my pre-order.

Will stick with S0 for now, unless that gets compromised too via some stupid software update (I might just go back to my analog watch, and iPhone).

This isn’t a S3 issue this is a watchOS 4 issue. But from reading other things about the S3 I can see why you might cancel your order.

For S0, that would be a significant degradation of functionality since there is no opportunity to stream.

I am awell ware that it is a watchOS4 issue, and am bracing for the possibility that my planned purchase of iPX with iOS 11 may end up requiring watchOS4 on my S0, or brick it. I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

I think, no, hope that Apple will -- indeed, will have to -- reverse this decision.

esquirecats · September 21, 2017 3:18AM

This is a good change, the music app on the watch used to be a pain in the ass with the source constantly switching back to the phone. Likely a hangover from the series 0 which didn't have the incredible battery life of the Series 2.

As for remote controlling the phone, this seems like a ripe opportunity to update the Remotes app - the place where it should have been all along.

rayz2016 · September 21, 2017 5:10AM

StrangeDays said:

colesq said:

Old way could get confusing when the Watch would magically go back to preferring iPhone source right before running outside and leaving it behind. Probably best to start the obvious process of consciously decoupling the two devices, just as Apple slowly did with iPhone years ago.

My partner had this problem often while prepping for a run. Once outside the range of the paired iphone left at home, music stopped and she didn’t know what to do. This fixes that.

Yes, a really annoying problem. Same thing happens in the gym. You have to remember to switch off Bluetooth on the phone before switching on the Powerbeats.

talexy · September 21, 2017 5:32AM

Does anyone knows, if you still can „like“ or „dislike“ a song played on your iPhone on Apple Watch?

kingpacific · September 21, 2017 5:36AM

Pulling no punches : this was a mistake by Apple. Not that they usually admit them. The music feature on Apple Watch as it functioned on previous iterations was absolute genius and the most used feature of the Watch by many including myself: for those drones who re-spin with tales of poor battery life
..... whhhhhhhaaaaaatttttt....... the f are you talking about....... the Watch was used to select songs not play them. No brownie points for you.
i am confident Apple will correct this because it’s pure Android not to.
Was this sucky enough for typical forums. Thankfully no.

ceek74 · September 21, 2017 11:44AM

So exactly HTF is this a "feature"?

Watch: watchOS 4 restricts browsing of connected iPhone music library

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