Deezer beats Spotify to offline music playback for the Apple Watch
Deezer has announced that it will be bringing offline playback to its native app on Apple Watch, making it first music service to offer this feature for the device outside of Apple Music.
Available exclusively via a Deezer paid subscription, users will be able to download their favourite songs and playlists to the Apple Watch, giving them the opportunity to leave their phone at home and still enjoy listening to music on the go.
Until now, it was only possible to listen to music offline on the Apple Watch via Apple Music, but in bringing the feature to its own watchOS app, Deezer has managed to outdo Spotify which is also reported to be working on offline support for Apple Watch.
This feature is part of a wider refresh to the Deezer app for Apple Watch, with the interface having been tweaked to also for easier access to playback controls.
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Commenting on the update, Nicolas Pinoteau, Director of Partnership Solutions at Deezer said: “When we updated our new Apple Watch app we wanted our users to have an effortless and hassle-free experience. Downloadable playlists give music fans the peace of mind to listen at will and enjoy with the convenience of Apple Watch from the wrist.”
While offline Deezer support is a new concept for Apple Watch, the feature isn’t entirely new to Deezer subscribers, as the Fitbit Versa 3 and Fitbit Sense also boast the same technology.
Still, the ability to listen to music offline on a wearable is a huge selling point, particularly within the running community wherein it can be cumbersome to bring along a bulky smartphone.
The update is particularly well timed for Apple Watch as the current smartwatch champion may have finally met its match in the recently announced partnership between Google and Samsung. The two companies will be working together to deliver a vastly improved Wear OS experience, one with wider app support and better battery efficiency that’s expected to arrive this autumn.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
