WatchOS 4.1, the newest version of Apple’s operating system for wearable devices, is expected to be rolled out before the start of November. Fans of the iPhone maker’s wearables have every right to be excited -- this latest update comes with loads of new enhancements, including the addition of music streaming over a cell network and Wi-Fi by way of Apple Music and iCloud Music libraries plus a new Radio streaming app (more on these later).
On top of that, WatchOS 4.1 also brings patches that should take care of past cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity issues, as well as a Wi-Fi control button for switching in between cellular and Wi-Fi connections. The new Wi-Fi control button is of the toggle type, and wearable enthusiasts may notice that the button was not present in earlier WatchOS versions. To be perfectly clear about everything, that button will only be used for the Apple Watch Series 3, especially the particular model that features LTE connectivity.
With regards to the music streaming related updates, the upcoming release of WatchOS 4.1 should allow Apple Watch users to have full and easy access to their iCloud Music Library, that is if their Apple Watch is paired with their iPhone device. What happened before was that people could only browse playlists and albums that have been synced from their iPhone.
Apart from providing access to iCloud Music Library, WatchOS 4.1 now also allows access to Apple Music’s extensive catalog via a Wi-Fi connection (if using the Apple Watch with LTE, access is provided through an LTE network). And while it is true that Apple has not introduced a functionality yet that specifically lets users type in order to look for content through their smartwatch, Apple Watch owners can still take full advantage of Siri for assistance in finding certain songs. Music loving Apple Watch users can also search according to genres, current mood, or provide specific instructions like requesting Siri to play tracks in random order, or play only classic rock tracks. Users need to be reminded though that even though new music can be streamed, they can not be downloaded directly to an Apple Watch unit when the smartwatch is not paired to an iPhone.
Now for the new Radio streaming app -- this latest addition basically offers a combo of streaming music services, including Beats One, a trio of live radio stations (namely CBS Radio, ESPN, and NPR), and lots of other Apple Music radio stations that match whatever is on the iPhone Apple Music app.
