Wireless service plan required for cellular service. Apple Watch and iPhone service provider must be the same. Not all service providers support enterprise accounts; check with your employer and service provider. Roaming is not available outside your carrier network coverage area. Check /ca/watch/cellular for participating wireless carriers and eligibility.
Apple Watch and iPhone service provider must be the same. Check apple.com/ca/watch/cellular for participating wireless carriers and eligibility. Connection may vary based on network availability. Seesupport.apple.com/en-ca/HT for additional setup instructions. See support.apple.com/en-ca/HT for additional setup instructions.
Check apple.com/watch/cellular for participating wireless carriers and eligibility. See support.apple.com/en-us/HT for additional setup instructions. Let's start by discussing the most basic and important difference between Apple Watch GPS and Cellular - their connectivity. The Cellular model, on the other hand, has built-in GPS as well as a built-in eSIM that lets you connect your watch directly to a cellular network.
This, in turn, allows it to act as a standalone device, giving you the freedom to send/receive messages, notifications and calls on your watch even without having an iPhone near you. Not all features will be available if the Apple Watch is set up through Family Setup. This indicates to me that the watch uses UMTS for phone calls but not for SMS. Since phone calls with the watch under cellular can be completed without the assistance of the paired phone.
I tested this just to be sure and powered off my phone but could still make and receive calls on the watch perfectly. It appears the watch intends to send it's SMS messages to its paired phone over iMessage to then be relayed through the phone's cellular connection. Similarly the phone appears to receive an SMS first and then relay to the watch similarly.
I did delay testing using the watch connected to WiFi only and the phone only connected to cellular. The phone would receive the SMS first and between 0.5 and 2 seconds later the watch and other iMessage devices would receive the message as well. With Apple's family setup, the watch connects to its own cellular data plan and gets its own mobile service, phone number, and account. Not all carriers support family setup data plans–see this Apple document to learn what carriers work. The easiest way to think of Family Setup is it's Apple's take on the GPS tracking smartwatches for kids that have been sold by carriers for the past few years.
Parents like those devices for their ability to see where their child's location is at any given time and check in with them via text message or calls. Beyond that, the basic watches might track some simple fitness metrics and tell the time, but they are far from full-fledged smartwatches. Their designs are often chunky and kid-friendly, and their user interfaces are simplified down with big buttons and colorful graphics. The parental management apps for smartphones are similarly basic and not especially pleasant to use. There may also be data privacy concerns, as sometimes the companies that make these watches aren't as secure or have worse data policies than Apple.
The screen for Cellular Setup explains that if the watch is not connected to a Wi-Fi network, the user can still make and receive calls and use cellular data for apps such as Siri, Messages, and Mail. Sign into the person's cellular account with their carrier. AT&T and Verizon Wireless, for example, charge a network access fee of $10 a month to share your phone plan's texts, minutes and data with an Apple Watch. That's about the same as a Spotify subscription, but with the exception of avid joggers and gym rats, people may not use the cellular features frequently enough.
Hopefully, over time, Apple will negotiate with carriers to bring the monthly rate down. In the GPS-only variant, you always need to be in the range of your iPhone to enjoy these features. Coming to another major difference between the two models, the GPS-only model of the Apple Watch is cheaper as compared to the Cellular model. So, if you want the convenience of cellular connectivity on the Apple Watch, you'll have to shell out extra money from your pocket. Apple Watch Series 5 has a display that's always on, showing the time and important information—no need to raise your wrist. Cellular calling on your smartwatch works on Voice over LTE technology.
When your smartwatch is connected to a Wi-Fi network, you will only be able to make and receive calls and send and receive text messages via Wi-Fi calling. To learn more about the limitations of emergency calls over Wi-Fi, visit bell.ca/wificalling. When your iPhone is off or out of range, your Apple Watch can use a Wi-Fi network to send and receive data.
Your watch can also connect to a cellular network if it's a cellular model. And if you've set up an Apple Watch for a family member, they can use a cellular or Wi-Fi connection with their watch. The battery life of the cellular version of the Apple Watch 6 is fairly decent and it, unfortunately, is lower than the regular GPS version.
This is naturally due to the influence of the carrier on the watch. Out of the overall 18-hour battery life, 4 hours are sapped by the carrier network. The other 14 is split between the time checks, notifications, app use, workouts, and the Bluetooth connection to the phone. My guess is that ALL the Apple watches have the cellular circuitry built in, whether it's marketed as the GPS model or GPS + Cellular. Some watch owners may be in possession of a watch with the cellular-access firmware installed — essentially a glitch that is allowing the cellular circuitry to operate without activating it on a data plan.
Calls to international numbers using NumberSync are subject to international rates consistent with rate plans or international package. When watch is not connected to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, voice/data charges will apply to usage over the cellular network and will be deducted from your wireless plan for your watch. Sending / receiving SMS while using a cellular connection was difficult and out of 10 tests per device, including mine, we only got them to send an SMS and receive a reply 4 times out of 30 tests.
Since 3 carriers and 3 different models had these same issues, I am personally concluding that it is some kind of software issue. Since the devices are primarily designed to work with a cell phone within range, I expect that there is some as-yet-unknown issue in this specific though possibly rare use case. I think how it works is that you have to be connected to a wifi network that your phone has connected to and authenticated while wearing your watch. I don't believe open networks work, and you can't authenticate on a password protected network from your watch - your phone does that, and the watch remembers. Then next time you are in that wireless network without your phone your watch will automatically connect to that wifi.
And you will get what your watch gets as far as iMessage and wifi calling, email and other internet pushes. Not sure about sms and phone calls but likely not based on other comments. It's also just as expensive as any other Apple Watch. To use Family Setup, you need to have a Watch with cellular connectivity and then sign up for a service plan through your carrier, which runs about $10 per month. The Apple Watch SE with LTE is the lowest-cost new model that Apple sells that's compatible, and it starts at $329. Bell is the first Canadian carrier to offer smartwatch plans that support Apple Family Setup on compatible Apple devices.
If you have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection, your Apple Watch can do the following tasks, even if you are not with it. Get directions, send iMessages, and more with Siri. You can send and receive messages by using the internet.
Answering phone calls is a great way to spend time with family. Checkapple.com/uk/watch/cellularfor participating service providers and eligibility. Seesupport.apple.com/en-gb/HT207578for additional setup instructions.
Let's take a closer look at the details of the Apple battery test for both models. Apple has tested the battery life of both versions of the Apple Watch Series 6. All the features of the watch were used with the watch connected to an iPhone via Bluetooth and it lasted 18 hours. The Apple Watch 6 GPS + cellular was tested under similar conditions and it ran for 16 hours. This battery life difference may not seem like a lot but you would need to keep it in mind before making a purchase decision.
Your watch can also connect to a mobile network if it's a cellular model. And if you've set up an Apple Watch for a family member, they can use a mobile or Wi-Fi connection with their watch. Your watch can also connect to a cellular network if it's a cellular model. And if you've set up an Apple Watch for a family member, they can use a cellular or Wi-Fi connection with their watch. This is because the cellular service for Apple Watch GPS+Cellular allows it to act independently from your iPhone for those services, like a mini wearable iPhone.
An Apple Watch with GPS only relies on your iPhone and sometimes an internet connection for these functions. Like the Series 6, the Apple Watch Series 7 has a cellular model that allows you to place calls, check email, and stream music without your iPhone. You will, of course, still have to own an iPhone and pay for an iPhone cellular plan. But owning the cellular Apple Watch means you'll also need to add the cost of an Apple Watch data plan to your current bill.
So they are selling apple watches that have 4G, LTE, and wifi. So, does that mean that it has internet without being close to the phone? Like could I leave my phone home and it could still work when I go somewhere else?
Do I Really Need Apple Watch With Cellular However, the Apple series 3 offers two options an Apple Watch Series 3 GPS version & an Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular version. Both do not require you to have your own plan in order to function. Most people probably don't need a watch with cellular. If you're a runner and you want to leave your phone at home but want to stream your favorite workout mix and be reachable for calls and texts, the cellular option is a sensible upgrade.
But many users are rarely out of Bluetooth range of their phones, which makes a cellular watch redundant. The Apple Watch SE has the always-on altimeter, gyroscope, and compass found on the Series 6 and 7 models. The Apple Watch SE offers all-day battery life of up to 18 hours. Apple bases "all-day" battery life on 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use, and a 60-minute workout with music playback via Bluetooth. For LTE models, Apple assumes four hours of LTE connection and 14 hours of connection to an iPhone.
Any calls or data-related services are routed either via the paired iPhone or via a direct connection between the watch and a compatible Wi-Fi network . A separate cellular plan for the Apple Watch is not required. Apple Watch GPS + Cellular has all the same features as the GPS watch, as well as built-in cellular. It gives you the freedom to send and receive text messages, answer phone calls, receive notifications, and stream Apple Music and Apple Podcasts – even when you don't have your iPhone with you.
It requires an administrator in the household with an iPhone, but once it's set up, the watch will get its own phone number and be able to send and receive texts and calls with no iPhone connected. The international emergency calling feature requires an Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS + Cellular) model. For a list of supported countries and regions see apple.com/watches/ feature-availability. Since the Apple Watch was released in 2015, the smartwatch has gone through a number of makeovers and gained several new features. People love the Apple Watch for its durability, water resistance, and fitness-tracking abilities. Early versions of the watch could measure your activity levels, heart rate, and several other health metrics.
Later versions even come with tools like ECGs that can tell you when your heartbeat is abnormal and oximeters that can measure your blood oxygen levels. Just the other day I called Apple support and I was told that whether by Bluetooth or WiFi the phone must always be in proximity to the watch. Again, what's tripping me up is that I can actually improve the reliability of the watch to send/receive calls IF I disable Bluetooth. You'll need to use the same network provider for your Apple Watch cellular plan and your iPhone plan to send and receive messages, answer calls and use apps on your Apple Watch. For T-Mobile, you'll have to pay the same $10 extra to activate cellular services on your Apple Watch. The same introductory offer is given – three months of usage free.
T-Mobile offers 4G LTE data plans at a much faster speed. The international emergency calling feature requires an Apple Watch Series 7 (GPS + Cellular) or Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular) model. For a list of supported countries and regions, see apple.com/ca/watchos/feature-availability. For a list of supported countries and regions, see apple.com/watchos/feature-availability. This is backed up by an experience I had previously in testing the ability for a cellular device to run an internet service.
I had attempted to run a small web server on an Android device on my AT&T account and was unable to open a port on the Internet side of the connection. The test was part of a University project and not part of this testing. It was also indicated that this was done in the name of security but in the same call such provisioning was possible under specific request for a business account holder and would cost extra to implement.
In a bid to connect your watch with a cellular network, it would need to use the same carrier as your iPhone. If your current carrier does not support the Apple watch, it would be impossible to get it connected. Presently, cellular connectivity for Apple Watch is supported by major carriers in the US such as Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, Xfinity, and T-Mobile. Check with other carriers to confirm that they support the device before going ahead to buy the cellular version. LTE connectivity enables an international Emergency SOS feature that was first released with the Series 5.
With Emergency SOS, the Apple Watch can make international calls to emergency services regardless of where the device was originally purchased or if there's an active cellular plan. Apple Watch GPS lets you send and receive text messages, answer phone calls, and receive notifications when it's connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The built-in GPS works independently of your iPhone for distance, pace, and route mapping in workouts. If longer battery life is a priority and you know you'll rarely be away from your phone, you can choose the GPS-only version. However, if you want the convenience of Apple Watch as a standalone device and enjoy a few additional features, go for the Cellular variant. Just make sure Apple Watch Cellular is compatible with your carrier to truly enjoy its features.
