YouTube Music is reportedly coming to Garmin watches with offline playback
Garmin watches could finally be getting a dedicated YouTube Music app
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
If you’re aYouTubeMusic user who’s frustrated with not being able to use your account on your fitness watch, there’s potentially good news – an unconfirmed report saysGoogleis developing YouTube Music apps for a glut of third-party devices, including thebest Garmin watches.
The report, originally published by9to5Google, stated that a YouTube Music app will be made available onGarmin’s ConnectIQ third-party app store, although the report doesn’t specify when the app will be launched. The app is expected to be able ot play music without connecting to your phone, either via downloadable playlists for offline playback, or over the watch’s LTE connection.
This is good news forAppleusers too. At the moment, YouTube Music’s legacyApple Watchapp doesn’t allow for offline music storage, but if a Garmin app with this functionality is in the pipeline it’s likely the Apple Watch app will get an update with similar features.
The Garmin app is reportedly part of a wider push to get YouTube Music apps onto a slate of third-party devices such asSonos(check out ourbest Sonos speakersfor a full run-down) and Apple TV. AtWWDC 2023, YouTube Music was shown to be supported on Apple’s HomePod, so it seems Google is pushing the service hard as a potential competitor to the likes of Spotify and Tidal. Who knows? Perhaps it might soon find its way onto our list of thebest music streaming servicesvery soon.
Analysis: offline is key
Garmin watches, especially premium models such as theGarmin Fenix 7andGarmin Forerunner 265, are designed to offer maximum functionality independent of a phone. With full-color GPS maps, music storage, and emergency contact notification tools such as LiveTrack, you’re able to head out the door without your phone in your pocket or strapped to yourarm.
Consequently, any YouTube Music app for Garmin must have offline or LTE-only play front and center in order to see any real use on the watch. After all, what would be the point of creating an app which relies on phone connectivity for Garmin users if they want the option to leave their phone at home?
That’s why it’s encouraging to hear, even unofficially, that this feature is being developed for YouTube Music. If that’s the case, it’s likely to also materialize as an update for thebest Apple Watchestoo.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Apple never releases stats about which apps are most and least used on its devices, but we can’t imagine YouTube Music gets much use on the watch except perhaps as a showy remote control. If the rumors are true, the app could turn out to be extremely popular, and YouTube Music users may want to invest in a really good set of thebest running headphones.
Matt is TechRadar’s expert on all things fitness, wellness and wearable tech. A former staffer at Men’s Health, he holds a Master’s Degree in journalism from Cardiff and has written for brands like Runner’s World, Women’s Health, Men’s Fitness, LiveScience and Fit&Well on everything fitness tech, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.
Matt’s a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 could launch sooner than expected – with new features and a thinner design
Future Apple Watches could get a genius way to track your health, thanks to smart straps
Best lightweight Linux distro of 2024
