Annual cost of Cellular? Is it worth it?

[AstroDrew]

I'm considering getting the Cellular version of the AW4. I do outdoor activities and would like to be able to not be tethered to my iPhone. However, every penny count in my household and I just don't want to add an expense that I'll regret.

So, I just want to get opinions from those who have been using AW3 with Cellular. How much is the annual cost and has it been worth it?

This will be my second go around with AW, I had the original and did not like it and have been a Fitbit user for a while now, but would like to try AW again with series 4.

Thanks!

 

[Legion103]

Do you mean cellular?

Doesn’t the watch come standard with LTE?

 

[AstroDrew]

Do you mean cellular?

Doesn’t the watch come standard with LTE?

Yup, Cellular. Thanks, I changed my title.

 

[redavis41]

for ATT after taxes and fees it comes to a little over $15 a month for me. The convenience factor is nice. For example, while at Cedar Point, I can leave my phone in the car and was able to communicate with my wife on her LTE apple watch. Which was nice since I hate roller coasters and she is in and out of lines all day while I watch kids! It's also nice for runs to not have to lug around a phone and be able to stream music at will.

In the end it all depends on what you plan to use it for as to whether it is worth it or not.

 

[sosumi99]

Most carriers in the US charge you $10 a month to add a watch to your plan. So that's $120 a year, pricey.

Is it worth it? Depends. I enjoy having the service when I'm out playing with my kids. Without my phone with me, I don't get distracted and can focus on the moment, but if I need to call their mom, I can use my watch. If you do a lot of outdoor activities where you prefer to leave the phone behind but still have a way to make a call, then it's worth it.

 

[Newtons Apple]

$10 to $15 a month.

I tried one month but my AW3 lost cellular signal all the time, even when my phone had full bars. I stopped after that month.

 

[PN4]

Not worth it IMO.

 

[AstroDrew]

Added a poll. So far the opinions are mixed, poll can help with metrics.

 

[michaelb5000]

I voted no, I did the demo for about 4 months and cancelled. If it was $5 a month, I may have kept it. It was at times, useful, mostly did work, and I did leave my phone at home intentionally more. That did mean unexpectedly getting calls while walking the dog in the woods. I also did have some issues, but I was never motivated enough to try to figure them out; so as an example I would sometimes send a text on the watch, then get a notification on the watch that it did not send, but then when I got back to my phone, it would show the text as sent.

 

[airjay75]

With the addition of an AW podcast app (and hopefully a Kindle App as well) and, assuming I will be able to stream or download through the cellular connectivity, it may be worth it for me to add cellular to my AW this year. If not, it won’t be worth the $15 per month (after taxes and fees) IMO.

 

[tekchic]

Not worth it to me, but I ALWAYS have my phone with me, even if it's in my bag. I even run with it, because I listen to Google Play music and like the safety of being able to be tracked should something happen when I'm running alone.

I suppose if you like running w/o a phone or do a lot of things where you never have the phone or forget it at home, it'd be convenient, but to me it's not worth the extra $100 plus the $120/yr.

 

[Deguello]

Don’t know. I’m going to try it to see if it makes it feasible to leave the phone at home when I do cardio or lift.

 

[caligurl]

i'm not paying the monthly fee. the ONLY reason i'm even getting an LTE (cellular) version is because I really want stainless and i'm stuck with the apple tax of having to buy LTE to get it. (AND I have to get ANOTHER white band rather than a band color I don't have. so I "lose" out on 49 that way, too!)

 

[keeper]

I have it, don’t really use it but it’s only £5 a month in the U.K.

I ride a mountain bike and find it’s better to take an old iPhone 4s for better signal quality, you can also pack it away to prevent damage in a fall.

Nothing worse than falling, breaking the watch and having no method of calling home.

In truth I take both, best of all worlds.

 

[MJ22]

Depends on how you plan to use it. I’m a female runner and I run alone about 5 days a week. I’ve never run with a phone yet I do run in some sketchy and/or quieter and desolate stretches. It makes me feel a lot safer. I haven’t had to use it for safety purposes but it’s been handy to respond to my husband or parents if we are trying to make plans or something and I’m on a run of an hour or longer and they’d otherwise be waiting one to answer. I also have to be on duty for work a few weeks of the year and I’m required to be reachable by phone the whole time. Previously I would have to carry my phone in my hand and it actually gave me tennis elbow, lol. So it’s been very handy for me. If you’re not outdoorsy or very active I can’t see the use for it though.

 

[zhenya]

I don't think it's good value, but I continue to pay it (about $15/month via ATT). I'm happy to leave my phone behind as much as possible, but the reality is there are still significant limitations to what you can do from the watch. The only real way to respond to a text message with more than a word is by voice, which isn't always possible or appropriate. The cellular signal isn't as good as on the phone. You can't pair it to most car stereos for integration or music playback. Basically I keep it because it means I have a connection when I'm running. The amount of time I use it for that $150/year isn't close to a good value - unless and until I really need it sometime.

 

[ChinaRye]

I've had LTE service on my series 3 for six months now. Really cool at first, but the novelty wore off quickly. I found that I never used data on the watch, at least not enough to justify the monthly cost. They need to lower the pricing, IMO. I called Tmobile and canceled. If I get the series 4, it will be GPS only.

 

[CaptMarvel]

I purchased the Nike+ LTE version last year but never activated the cellular plan. It sounds cool but I guess I wanted to have that version in case I ever activated or wanted to test it out. I still run/cycle and bring my iPhone X along with no problems.

The feature sounds great, but I haven’t felt myself in a situation that would REQUIRE the use of LTE on my Apple Watch. For me, more of an optional luxury than a necessity.

Funny thing is, I still want to purchase the AW4 LTE though this year haha

 

[AstroDrew]

I purchased the Nike+ LTE version last year but never activated the cellular plan. It sounds cool but I guess I wanted to have that version in case I ever activated or wanted to test it out. I still run/cycle and bring my iPhone X along with no problems.

The feature sounds great, but I haven’t felt myself in a situation that would REQUIRE the use of LTE on my Apple Watch. For me, more of an optional luxury than a necessity.

Funny thing is, I still want to purchase the AW4 LTE though this year haha

I had the same mentality when I first purchased my ipad years ago (ipad 3) . I purchased an ipad with cellular thinking that I might need it since I do travel, but I've never activated it because I'm always on wifi range and or tethered to my iPhone.

I don't want to have the same mistake with buying the AW4.

 

[artfossil]

The cellular cost is worth it to me and the connectivity is essential. I'm in my 70's and I feel much more secure knowing that if I am out of wifi range and I fall or if I am out driving and have forgotten my phone (which happens to me) I can make a call. Plus I love the convenience of being able to leave my phone at home when I go to the pool or out walking. For me, $180 a year (approximate cost of my plan) is well worth it for the peace of mind.

 

[Chairman.Jobbie]

I have it, don’t really use it but it’s only £5 a month in the U.K.

I ride a mountain bike and find it’s better to take an old iPhone 4s for better signal quality, you can also pack it away to prevent damage in a fall.

Nothing worse than falling, breaking the watch and having no method of calling home.

In truth I take both, best of all worlds.

How does it work in UK exactly? What provider are you with and is it a special sim deal?

Im thinking of getting a series 4 and was going for the cellular but now that im thinking about it I probably dont need cellular.

 

[Cashmonee]

I voted no because I found I almost always have my phone, and the times I didn't, the LTE on the watch was not reliable at all. This is especially true in buildings. To me, it is the most overhyped/underdelivered feature Apple has put out in a long time. Of course, they are trying to top that with the ECG in the new watch.

 

[ukms]

Yes from me ..... hardly ever need it but it’s been useful a few times on the beach and doing outdoor stuff. It cost me the equivalent of $6 per month here in Dubai although I have just deactivated it ready for my S4.

 

[AstroDrew]

Yes from me ..... hardly ever need it but it’s been useful a few times on the beach and doing outdoor stuff. It cost me the equivalent of $6 per month here in Dubai although I have just deactivated it ready for my S4.

Wow! At $6 a month is worth it. Unfortunately, from all the response it looks like around $15/mo. including taxes here in the US

 

[profets]

It's a yes for me, though in Canada it's $5 CAD per month, so really not a significant expense. I think beyond $10/month I would start to question it.

I do like using it for running and cycling without a phone, as well as going out to some events/functions and leaving my phone behind.