Is there a Play Music or YouTube Music app in the pipes?

Yes it's available now (not for older devices like FR245, F6Pro, FR945LTE, etc.)

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/newsroom/press-release/wearables-health/more-music-on-your-wrist-youtube-music-is-now-available-on-garmin-smartwatches/

https://apps.garmin.com/apps/b841615b-6b4c-4425-a912-377827866362?tid=2

Some CIQ level 4.2.x and all CIQ level 5.0.x branches with System 7 suppport are actually compatible with YT Music App

FR945LTE is always under System 6

https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/compatible-devices/

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Memory Limit - AudioContentProvider (edited after jim_m_58 reply)

• FR945 LTE = 524288
  • https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/reference-guides/devices-reference/#forerunner%C2%AE945lte

• Venu 2 Series = 524288
  
  • https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/reference-guides/devices-reference/#venu%C2%AE2plus

Understand this is not a device-app.  This is an audio-content-provider app.

On the 945lte, it's max size is this:

"memoryLimit": 524288,
"type": "audioContentProvider"

On the venu2 it's max size is this:

"memoryLimit": 524288,
"type": "audioContentProvider"

So the same.

Does the 945lte have wifi or just lte?  It could be something like that.

In looking at the supported devices, it looks like it's only available on System 7 devices, and not all of them.

The app description says "*Support for more devices coming soon", so hopefully older devices like 945LTE will be added at some point. I can't think of any reason that a music app would require System 7.

we only try to understand why it's limited for the moment, only speculation/analysis here.

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https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/06/youtube-music-setup-garmin-watches.html

here’s are a number of very-much music-capable devices that aren’t on the list (which support Spotify and others), which is odd to me. Things like the Fenix 6 series, or the Forerunner 945, or, or, or… I asked Garmin why so many missing devices and they said “more devices are expected to be added post launch! No set date but I can keep you posted as I learn more.” So…here’s to hoping.

Consider why these devices can't get the app today.  There must be a reason, as devices won't be excluded for no reason by most developers.

I suspect that a change was needed in the firmware.  With System 7 devices, FW gets updated much more often than on older devices, so a change could be made and rolled out before this app was launched

But consider devices like the 945, were the FW isn't rolled out that often.  With the 945, it's been 11 months since the last FW update and if there is another update for it, it could be longer or may not happen at all.

OTOH, Fenix 6, Fenix 7 and Fenix 7 Pro all got software updates roughly 1 month ago.

Fenix 6 is probably a rare example of a non-System 7 device which gets regular updates. 945 LTE (also non-System 7) has similar software/UI to newer watches, but it gets less frequent updates (supposedly due to LTE certification requirements.) 945 LTE still gets more frequent updates than watches such as 245.

If there was really something in the latest F7 firmware that was required for Youtube Music, F6 could’ve gotten it too. 

It could just be that the developer (whether it’s 100% google or whether they work with a team from Garmin) chose to prioritize the newest devices first. But I have no idea.

jim_m_58 said:

I suspect that a change was needed in the firmware.

jim_m_58 said:

With the 945, it's been 11 months since the last FW update and if there is another update for it, it could be longer or may not happen at all.

Wouldn’t this suggest that Youtube Music *won’t* be brought to (most) older devices, contrary to what Garmin just said? i.e. Assuming a firmware update is required for Youtube Music, and given that older devices are unlikely to get a firmware update, then logically, it’s unlikely for older devices to get support for YT Music.

It would be kind of lame if Google/Garmin just added 945 LTE and Fenix 6* to the list of supported devices for YT Music, when ppl would probably prefer that every (non-discontinued) music-enabled watch would get YT Music.

I guess if 245 Music, 945, etc. suddenly get a surprise firmware update with a changelog item like “Support Youtube Music”, then we’ll have our answer. 

Great to hear they have finally released a YTM app. Really disappointed it's not available for the older watches, particularly 245 and 945.