If you have a smartwatch that runs on Google’s Wear OS software, there’s just been an update to one app: Shazam, which is owned by Apple. And it’s a key upgrade: it now works without the app on your watch needing to talk to your phone.
As spotted by 9to5Google, the app has been improved so it recognizes songs without your phone app. This means that even if you don’t have the app downloaded on to your Android phone, it will still work. That’s pretty cool.
One of the first people to test it was Victoria Song at The Verge who said that she downloaded the app direct to her OnePlus Watch 2, without having Shazam on the Pixel 8 Pro it was paired to and it worked. Song said that it was fast, identifying several K-pop songs in a just a second or two. She caveated her success by saying she was testing it in a quiet office, so a noisy environment could have more trouble.
And I’d add that, as you’ll know, the app’s recognition features are not restricted to K-pop.
I’ve since tested it on a largely similar set-up: OnePlus Watch 2 and OnePlus 12, with similar results, though not K-pop, since you ask.
There’s more to the update. This is clever: if you’re offline when that irresistible but unrecognized song is playing, the watch will record a clip of the song and save it, waiting until you have an internet connection again and identifying it then.
This is especially handy if your watch doesn’t have cellular connectivity, either because you figured you’d never need this capability when you bought it or such a feature wasn’t available for your model.
There’s one more addition: the songs that you’ve used Shazam to identify will “now instantly sync across your devices in real-time.” As 9to5Google puts it, “You have to first log-in. If you’re not using the Google Account option, make sure to first open the Shazam app on your Android phone to get everything to work.”
When you open the app, there’s a change to how you use it. Previously, it started listening on launch. Now, the Shazam icon appears and you need to tap it to start identifying the song. When it’s done that, it shows the song title, artist and background image. This works the same on Apple’s smartwatches such as the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
It’s all in version 14.18 of Shazam for Wear OS, available from the Play Store.
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Jessica Irvine is a tech enthusiast specializing in gadgets. From smart home devices to cutting-edge electronics, Jessica explores the world of consumer tech, offering readers comprehensive reviews, hands-on experiences, and expert insights into the coolest and most innovative gadgets on the market.
