Unable to download episodes on the watch reliably

[mchowning]

This is to track issues downloading episodes on the watch so we can see whether there is a problem here.

Before adding a comment with an issue, please make sure you try downloading when your watch is (a) only connected to wifi, (b) only connected to a paired phone with Bluetooth, and (c) only connected via a cellular network (if applicable).

[mchowning]

[downloading] works better when the watch is charging. It may be some battery optimisation setting from Samsung (or a bug on wearos), but sometimes when not charging, even with wi-fi on, the episodes won't download. And sometimes everything works as supposedly ¯_(ツ)_/¯

6589085-zd-woothemes

[sibbl]

I also experienced some problems: I wanted to download 4 episodes.

On the Pixel Watch 2, I tapped on each episode in my up next playlist and clicked the download icon for each. I had some troubles finding where I could download the episode which was currently playing on my phone. I found the gesture to get to this screen after fiddling around quite some time.

After I triggered the download of all 4 episodes, I tapped the first one again to check the progress. The UI looked like it hadn't started. I tapped the download button again. I tried this multiple times: always with the same result. No progress indicator was shown when navigating there. At some point it just appeared finished when I went into the podcast's details.

After having listened to it, I'm not sure what happened with the download. I have auto-deletion enabled on my phone, but never enabled it somewhere on my watch. It's also not in the "Downloaded" screen on the watch anymore. Feels a bit inconsistent as it doesn't follow the auto-download strategy of my phone, but it follows the auto-delete strategy...?

Finally, I'd wish it was simpler to download episodes. I need to have my phone nearby, so why not simply add a button there. Like going into the "up next" playlist, tap the episodes and click some button to download it to my watch instead of my phone. Right now it's delaying my running session by a few minutes as I have to go through the watch for a minute to download a few short episodes.

[thabotswana]

Often when downloading episodes on the pixel watch 2 app, the download is very slow, and it seems like the transfer is going via the phone Bluetooth rather then the WiFi connection (I disabled Bluetooth on the phone and the downloaded failed). Sometimes it seems like WiFi is being used – I’m not sure what determines this.

Is there a way to force the app to download via WiFi or at least to prefer WiFi. I think the watch is only turning WiFi on when an app requests it.

https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/downloading-on-pixel-watch-with-wifi/

[mdrockwell]

Hardware: Samsung Galaxy Fold; Samsung Watch 6 (rotating bezel)

Connection status: Watch connected to internet via WiFi and Bluetooth to the phone.

Select a podcast in the app from one of my subscribed podcast series.

Hit 'Download'.

Nothing happens for a long time. Eventually a very small and slow bit of progress appears on the meter on the left of the watch face.

It barely moves and/or freezes and eventually it needs to be abandoned.

BUT if I turn off the phone's Bluetooth then restart the download on the watch it starts immediately and downloads at a normal/sensible rate.

So, it appears we have some kind of clash happening between the watch's access to the phone via Bluetooth and the internet via WiFi.

8638512-zd-a8c

[erricgunawan]

Another additional note from 8638512-zen:

… look at how the watch has got its WiFi credentials. Samsung devices share WiFi network access quite freely and I wonder if it's something to do with the same device being tapped into the phone Bluetooth while also borrowing its WiFi network credentials.

Could be something in the phone OS causing headaches for the watch radio systems?