Which smartwatches have Audible?

Here is the short version.

The Audible app is currently available on both Apple’s WatchOS and Google’s WearOS smartwatches. For users of other platforms (like Garmin, Fitbit, Amazfit, Polar), there’s no dedicated Audible app released so far.

Now we will delve deeper to explain Audible availability/unavailability on popular smartwatch platforms.

Audible on Apple Watch: Best Experience

Amazon released its very first wearable app for Audible back in 2021.

It preferred WatchOS for obvious reasons. Apple had almost 30% share in the smartwatch market. More importantly, the Apple Watch had the right software and hardware combinations to offer a smooth Audible experience.

The squarish screen and the latest bezel-less high-resolution screen on iWatch can fit a lot of information (timeline, book title, 15-sec skip, and so on).

Later in 2022, Amazon’s Audible released an update that essentially made the overall experience independent of the iPhone. That means, users no longer need to rely on an iPhone connection to stream or download content.

Users can now:

1. Access their Audible library and download titles directly on their Apple Watch.
2. Seamless sync across multiple devices. You can switch between the Apple Watch, an Alexa device, or iPhone and pick up content where you left off on another device.
3. Download content in the background while streaming for offline listening.
4. Control the narration speed.
5. Set a sleep timer to automatically stop the audiobook at a specific time.

You can download the app on Apple Watch 3 and later. Again, you don’t need an iPhone for that. You can download the Audible app on the app store right on your Apple Watch as long as it is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.

Keep in mind, you cannot play the audiobooks on the watch speakers. Instead, you would have to pair external headphones or Airpods to the Apple Watch first.

Also, you can download the app for free, but to access premium features you would have to buy a paid subscription.

Audible on WearOS:

On Dec 7, 2023, Amazon released the first ever Audible app for Wear OS smartwatches.

Though not explicitly mentioned on the website, it seems to be working on the latest Wear 4.0 watches only.

The following smartwatch models can run the Audible app:

1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Series (Confirmed)
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5/5 Pro (Confirmed)
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4/4 Classic (Confirmed)
4. Google Pixel Watch 1 & 2 (Confirmed)

I’ve not been able to personally test the app on a WearOS platform. However, the latest models in the Galaxy Watch and Pixel Series are most likely to run the app flawlessly.

Audible on other platforms (Garmin, Polar, Coros)

At present, there is no dedicated Audible app for the smaller platforms including Garmin, Polar and COROS. Moreover, Amazon doesn’t plan to release one soon.

There’s a reason: why invest in a specific app for minor players with uncertain futures in an increasingly competitive market?

Interestingly, Garmin Watches are among the top watches for Amazon Music. Yet, Audible has not made it to these athlete-focused watches.

Nevertheless, most watches from these brands can play audio files. They also have ample storage for many audiobooks. You simply need to upload the audiobooks to these watches manually.

Final Words:

Audible wearable app is available on two platforms: Google’s WearOS and Apple’s WatchOS.

Here’s a breakdown by platform:

• Wear OS:
  • Compatible watches: Any smartwatch running the latest Wear OS (version 4.0). This includes recent models from Samsung and Google only.
  • Note: Earlier Wear OS watches from Mobvoi, Fossil and Skagen Falster don’t support Audible.
• Apple Watch:
  • Compatible watches: Apple Watch 3 and any later models.