Spotify is rolling out standalone streaming for Apple Watch

Although Spotify initially launched on watchOS back in 2018, that app was largely limited to playback control of other devices running full-fledged versions of the service.

More recently, however, Spotify in early 2020 began to test direct-to-Apple Watch streaming, enabling content streaming without a partner iPhone.

Technically, the feature is still in beta, but Spotify confirmed to TechCrunch that it is in the midst of "rolling out" as of Tuesday.

The standalone streaming feature will allow users to stream music or podcasts via Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity directly from their wrist to a pair of Bluetooth headphones. That will be useful in cases when carrying an iPhone isn't convenient, such as during a run.

Although Spotify is beginning to introduce the feature across its user base, it may take some time for standalone streaming to become available to everyone.