Apple watch cellular or not?
Discussion
I can’t see the point of a cellular capable Apple Watch except in very particular circumstances when I might not also have my iPhone with me, like when excersizing outdoors.
The normal apple watch functionality is good (I have a series 2) and it will jump onto known WiFi networks that are stored on the iPhone so in the majority of cases you don’t need a cellular connection to use messaging apps.
I wouldn’t suggest a cellular watch can ever replace an iPhone for day to day use so I would save the money and go for a non cellular version.
Chris
The normal apple watch functionality is good (I have a series 2) and it will jump onto known WiFi networks that are stored on the iPhone so in the majority of cases you don’t need a cellular connection to use messaging apps.
I wouldn’t suggest a cellular watch can ever replace an iPhone for day to day use so I would save the money and go for a non cellular version.
Chris
Vodafone can do Esim now for the watch and depending on your plan it may not cost any extra.
Utility? Really depends on how often you’re out of the house away from your phone. I have friends that run marathons and will be out for hours training - they love that they can be contactable in case there’s a family emergency (or that they can make a quick calls or send a text) without taking a phone with them. If you always have your phone in your pocket or in a bag when you’re out then it’s of very little use.
Utility? Really depends on how often you’re out of the house away from your phone. I have friends that run marathons and will be out for hours training - they love that they can be contactable in case there’s a family emergency (or that they can make a quick calls or send a text) without taking a phone with them. If you always have your phone in your pocket or in a bag when you’re out then it’s of very little use.
I have a cellular S3 Nike and while I was with EE it was awesome. I hardly took my phone anywhere and as I have AirPods they work seamlessly for calls etc...
I have since moved to 3 and they don’t support the eSim so am back to using my iPhone all the time and I miss not having cellular on my wrist.
It took an age for EE to get the eSim to work properly though (c.8weeks) which was a joke but it was all new at the time sonunderstnad that’s not the case now.
I would highly recommend it for untethering yourself from your handset, assuming you’re on a compatible network!
I have since moved to 3 and they don’t support the eSim so am back to using my iPhone all the time and I miss not having cellular on my wrist.
It took an age for EE to get the eSim to work properly though (c.8weeks) which was a joke but it was all new at the time sonunderstnad that’s not the case now.
I would highly recommend it for untethering yourself from your handset, assuming you’re on a compatible network!
samsock said:
Do you sometimes leave your phone at home because you like the lack of weight? For any reason? If so it’s worth the money for sure. If not, no point.
Yes, I leave it at home for the lack of weight and bulk, and the distraction too. If I have my phone, I will sit and surf or check emails etc, so going for a coffee with someone, I can leave it in the car and know that if I get a work call I can grab it if needed. As others have already said, it largely depends on how often you think you'll be away from your iPhone (and the Apple Watch in general only works with iPhone, requiring it for setup - Android watches can work with iPhones).
I'm a runner and whilst my wife was in the final weeks of pregnancy with our son, I had to lug my phone about with me on all of my runs, which was a pain. I decided to give the cellular Series 4 watch on EE a go, which has been fantastic. I've been able to make and receive calls, send texts, check a map for routing, potentially arrange for an Uber (haven't had to yet). Apple Pay has also been useful for popping into a shop to buy a drink if needed, though Apple Pay will work with the non-cellular watch if away from the phone. Has also come in handy at work, where I'm on a large site and don't always carry my phone with me if I think I'm only going to be away from my desk for a few minutes - all calls and texts still come through, even though I'm in a completely different building and nowhere near my phone.
Only works on EE and Vodafone in the UK, and requires that you have a compatible plan (I believe some business plans are ineligible, at least on EE). With EE, I had the first 3 months of coverage for free, which then went up to £5 a month but came with unlimited data on the watch (useful for streaming) and also an additional 1GB for use on my iPhone. The setup procedure is really simple, but migrating an existing Apple Watch plan to a new watch (warranty replacement) is an absolute ballache with EE, where nobody seems to know what they're doing. I was disconnected for almost a week, though was reimbursed with £15 of credit, so I've in effect had 6 months of coverage for free. Roaming does not work when outside of the UK, so the watch will basically become a non-cellular version and will just forward calls from your iPhone (which can roam).
One downside I've noticed is I've started to collect different straps for the watch, which is money I need not be spending!
A poster recommended the stainless steel version above, which comes with cellular as standard. As they've already said, it's finished with more hardy materials for the body and glass (stainless steel vs aluminium; sapphire crystal vs similar glass to the iPhone). I've yet to pick up any scratches or dents on my watch, but I feel I have to be more cautious with my standard version. Also as the poster said above, buy the stainless steel version because you really want it as the resell value is awful and typically only nets an extra £50, when it originally costs over £200 more.
I'm a runner and whilst my wife was in the final weeks of pregnancy with our son, I had to lug my phone about with me on all of my runs, which was a pain. I decided to give the cellular Series 4 watch on EE a go, which has been fantastic. I've been able to make and receive calls, send texts, check a map for routing, potentially arrange for an Uber (haven't had to yet). Apple Pay has also been useful for popping into a shop to buy a drink if needed, though Apple Pay will work with the non-cellular watch if away from the phone. Has also come in handy at work, where I'm on a large site and don't always carry my phone with me if I think I'm only going to be away from my desk for a few minutes - all calls and texts still come through, even though I'm in a completely different building and nowhere near my phone.
Only works on EE and Vodafone in the UK, and requires that you have a compatible plan (I believe some business plans are ineligible, at least on EE). With EE, I had the first 3 months of coverage for free, which then went up to £5 a month but came with unlimited data on the watch (useful for streaming) and also an additional 1GB for use on my iPhone. The setup procedure is really simple, but migrating an existing Apple Watch plan to a new watch (warranty replacement) is an absolute ballache with EE, where nobody seems to know what they're doing. I was disconnected for almost a week, though was reimbursed with £15 of credit, so I've in effect had 6 months of coverage for free. Roaming does not work when outside of the UK, so the watch will basically become a non-cellular version and will just forward calls from your iPhone (which can roam).
One downside I've noticed is I've started to collect different straps for the watch, which is money I need not be spending!
A poster recommended the stainless steel version above, which comes with cellular as standard. As they've already said, it's finished with more hardy materials for the body and glass (stainless steel vs aluminium; sapphire crystal vs similar glass to the iPhone). I've yet to pick up any scratches or dents on my watch, but I feel I have to be more cautious with my standard version. Also as the poster said above, buy the stainless steel version because you really want it as the resell value is awful and typically only nets an extra £50, when it originally costs over £200 more.
page3 said:
Connectors said:
Serious question, why?
It’s just better made, has a sapphire crystal screen, feels a lot more premium and can be dressed up or down accordingly.Unfortunately it also costs a ridiculous amount more, none of which you’ll get back when you sell it!
BMWBen said:
The only thing is that the watch is only going to last a couple of years before obsolescence anyway, so having a robust one is slightly pointless. That was my take on it anyway!
Totally agree. That’s why I asked the question, I wondered if there was a massive plus that I’d missed.davidexige said:
Slight thread drift, hopefully picking mine up tomorrow and already feel the need to get a few straps, has anyone got any recommendations of where to purchase from, more interested in quality rather than price.
Nomad in the US make some great leather straps. I have the traditional strap with black lugs, which changes the look of the Apple Watch subtly to look less like a gadget and more like a regular watch.Not cheap, but great quality. Thankfully wasn't stung by customs by choosing the standard postage.
Cybertronian said:
Nomad in the US make some great leather straps. I have the traditional strap with black lugs, which changes the look of the Apple Watch subtly to look less like a gadget and more like a regular watch.
Not cheap, but great quality. Thankfully wasn't stung by customs by choosing the standard postage.
I was actually looking at the Nomad strap the other day, It was lug design that attracted me to it, as you say it seemed to changes the way the watch looks, but I sort of went off the idea after a reading a few reviews, seems to be complaints about how rigid the strap is and how it seems to crease when put on, would be interested if you had any problems with yours. CheersNot cheap, but great quality. Thankfully wasn't stung by customs by choosing the standard postage.
davidexige said:
I was actually looking at the Nomad strap the other day, It was lug design that attracted me to it, as you say it seemed to changes the way the watch looks, but I sort of went off the idea after a reading a few reviews, seems to be complaints about how rigid the strap is and how it seems to crease when put on, would be interested if you had any problems with yours. Cheers
The traditional strap is quite stiff, due to the padded part closest to the lugs. On the whole, it's been fine but I did break the leather in when I first got it by just fiddling with the straps whilst watching TV. The modern strap is reportedly more supple, even from new, due to it's flat design.A London-based company, WSC, has some good looking leather straps and other materials. No experience of these, sadly.
My favourite and most comfortable straps are the official Apple sport loops with velcro. Easy to adjust throughout the day as my wrist expands and contracts. Great for sports and looks good for casual wear. Probably need one of the darker colours to smarten it up.
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