Leave your iPhone at home when you run; Apple Watch will play music without it

By Caleb Denison September 19, 2014

apple watch to come with power reserve time only mode hands on 7

We thought it was odd that Apple didn’t say a thing about its Apple Watch playing music. Apple did, on the other hand, do a fair amount of talking about how the Apple Watch and iPhone would have to work together to pull off many of its functions. That being the case, many, like ourselves, were operating under the assumption that users would have to carry on with playing music from their phone as they always have, albeit with the new convenience of playback control on the wrist. It turns out, that assumption was wrong. In an interview with Charlie Rose, Tim Cook disclosed that it would indeed be possible to play music directly from the Apple Watch, without the need for an iPhone.

For fitness buffs, this is pretty great news. Despite becoming lighter and thinner with each new version, the iPhone (and most other smartphones) remains larger than most people really want to tote around during a run or workout, armband or no. Now, along with all its health-related sensors and accompanying fitness apps, the Apple Watch’s ability to play music wirelessly via Bluetooth makes for a compelling product, especially for those with an active lifestyle.

Recommended Videos

Cook didn’t mention how much storage space the Apple Watch will make available for music, or whether the user will be able to allocate space for apps or music as they please, but it is clear that hardwired headphones will not be an option. Users will need to invest in a pair of Bluetooth-enabled headphones to listen. It’s hard not to notice that poses a convenient opportunity for Apple, which would be only too happy to sell a pair of Beats Bluetooth headphones along with the Apple Watch.

This news could have ripples throughout other industries as well. Now that Apple has set a new bar for fitness wearables, we can probably expect to see more with music playback capabilities, and that means headphone makers will need to burn the midnight oil developing Bluetooth-capable earbuds that aren’t so clunky and uncomfortable. Presently, few companies have cracked that code, with Jabra standing as one notable exception with its recently announced Sports Pulse Wireless earbuds.

In any case, its probably safe to say the gym will never look the same once the Apple Watch arrives.

Topics

Editor at Large

Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…

Mobile

5 things I learned after I stopped wearing my Apple Watch

Apple Watch Ultra sitting on a yellow bench.

This past March, I did something I never imagined I would do: I stopped wearing my Apple Watch. After owning and wearing Apple Watches since 2017, I decided I was ready for a change. I strapped a Garmin smartwatch on my wrist, put my Apple Watch aside, and dived into the deep end of a non-Apple Watch world.

To say the very least, it's been a fascinating experience. I've had a lot of fun exploring a completely different smartwatch ecosystem, Garmin's approach to health/fitness has been hugely beneficial, and I haven't had a big desire to go back.

Mobile

I hope Apple brings this Vision Pro feature to the iPhone

A concept of spatial FaceTime from Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset running on iPhone.

Digitally crafted alternative realities can be exciting or discomforting, based on how you envision them. But Apple, among other companies invested in AR- and VR-dominant future, clearly wants you to focus on the bright side. That's why Apple spent a substantial chunk of time at its WWDC 2023 developer conference to highlight the various features of the Apple Vision Pro — Apple's extravagant new mixed reality headset.

As per Apple's surefooted narrative at the event, the Vision Pro delivers us into a new era in computing and pushes beyond the boundaries of fixed displays. The promotional walkthroughs easily convince us the headset is both visually and functionally unique in many ways.

Mobile

Have an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch? You need to update it right now

iPhone 14 Pro Max against a red background.

If you own an Apple product — be in the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or a Mac — you should update it immediately. Why? Apple has begun rolling out updates to all of its devices with fixes for a serious security vulnerability.

The security vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-32434, and it has to do with the kernel privileges of Apple devices. Per Apple's website, the vulnerability allows third-party apps to "execute arbitrary code." In other words, if a bad actor knows how to exploit this vulnerability, they could potentially gain access to your Apple device and wreck havoc.