He could certainly receive iMessages via Apple ID. And pretty sure texts, too. That is more carrier dependent.
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Anyone understand how the watch thing works for kids attached to parent’s phone?
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He could certainly receive iMessages via Apple ID. And pretty sure texts, too. That is more carrier dependent.
This is also what I am interested in, from my reading he would get texts and phone calls with his own unique phone number.
Since the device will be on a carrier "wearable" plan, that has different network/device characteristics vs. a smartphone. Like today, even though your LTE Apple Watch has a phone number, you can't independently send texts and calls from it.
So we may have to get first-hand reports on the behavior before anyone knows for sure.
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But according to Apple's website, this is the new unique thing about the Family Plan or whatever they are calling it, you can send and receive phone calls/texts without the aid of an Iphone, they created this for people who want to give an Apple Watch to a child or older family member but I'm looking at the possibilities of piggybacking off a relative's Iphone plan and allowing me to use an Apple Watch without the need to buy an Iphone.
Obviously it would not be perfect, it would not be akin to one day in the future when Apple announces a fully independent Apple Watch that allows you to do everything without an Iphone, but this would be pretty close.
My situation is rare, I want to use a fliphone and have an Apple Watch for driving directions, some news and stock headlines, some music and podcasts, weather etc., without being bothered by a smartphone.
The Apple quote is 14 hours but that considers Wi-Fi being on and Cellular being in standby for that period. Normally the Watch uses Bluetooth to communicate with the paired iPhone and is the lowest power. It is not any different than if you leave your own iPhone at home and wear your Cellular enabled Watch all day. The real battery killer is actually long cellular calls.
Dave
You should be able to do all of that, because I can do that today if I leave my iPhone at home.
I'll try to find out more about the phone calls/texts, more to come.
OK here's the skinny on how this will work:
- You will definitely get your own number, and this number is assigned by your carrier (not Apple).
- Your number will be able to send receive phone calls/text/etc. just like a regular phone (not just iMessages, FaceTime Audio)
- You do not need a cellular-active iPhone to set this up. Any supported iPhone can set up the Family Sharing feature up, even if the iPhone does not have cellular service active.
- However, your carrier plan must support wearables, because of course you're adding this to your carrier plan. Not all carriers have a standalone wearable plan, but most shared/family plans will.
- All data functions should work just fine, just like an LTE watch does today.
Actually just thought of one downside: your cousin won't get watchOS updates, unless he has an iPhone laying around that supports his version of the Apple Watch.
As I mentioned above, the iPhone doesn't need cellular service, but at least set up, and getting its iOS/watchOS updates via Wi-Fi, so it can update the standalone watch when in proximity. In other words, you'll need an iPhone to get your updates for your Watch, just like you do today.
EDIT: never mind! @dave006 just pointed out that Apple Watch can update itself now, without an iPhone required beyond initial setup. Excellent!
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The host iPhone doesn't need a cellular plan, but you do need to attach it to a plan that supports wearables.
For example, you could have 4 Androids on your carrier family plan, and one iPhone 7 just sitting around on Wi-Fi. You can still set up and use the Family Sharing feature for a standalone Apple Watch service.
No you can directly update the Watch directly, hey it even has it's own App store. Go to Settings > General > Software Update for WatchOS updates.
Dave
Oh awesome! When did they start allowing this? I guess I've always been updating via my iPhone, so I never noticed the Watch gained this functionality.
Apple has posted that there are some limits under this Family Setup as posted at this source:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211768#features
Please note that you can still use Apple Cash just not Apple Pay.
Dave
Hmm WatchOS 5 or 6 if I recall correctly at the same time they added a Watch App store function.
Dave
So Apple touts this as a benefit for older family members, but a bunch of features that would be GREAT for older family members are not supported...?!?
The reason those features are not available under Family Setup is due to the fact that each of these specific features need functions only available on a paired iPhone. Currently your iPhone can't support multiple users. So to make uses of these additional features your older family member will have to have their watch paired to a dedicated iPhone.
Dave
I think this was basically answered by the pros on this thread, thank you, but just to clarify, hypothetical, relative has an unlimited data plan on a network that supports this, has their own Iphone, I have an Iphone SE used strictly for music, no service attached.
Others here have written that you can pair your Apple Watch to an Iphone that is sitting around unused/unconnected to any plans, so I can pair my Apple Watch to my Iphone SE, control the settings myself, my relative adds my Apple Watch to the Family Setup, $10 or more a month, I get my own unique number etc.
So the question is, does this allow me to not bother my relative, they don't have to adjust a thing on their Iphone, I control everything on my non connected Iphone SE, just give them $120 for the year and I'm done, right?
No your Watch can only be paired to one iPhone and it has to be the one with a Cellular plan if you want a cellular plan on your watch with the Family Setup.
So in your example above either yours and no Cellular option or to your relative's iPhone with a Cellular plan that supports wearable devices.
You can have your own Wearable cellular plan from a different carrier if you can find one that supports this. It is a relative new feature so not all carriers will support the Apple Watch as a stand-alone wearable plan but again your watch must be paired to the relatives iPhone and the application limits I covered above still apply.
Dave
Can you further explain "you do not need a cellular-active Iphone to set this up", Dave006 disputes this, if what you write is true I would like to accomplish what I wrote about in post #44.
The opposite is written here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211768
* A cellular plan isn't required to set up an Apple Watch for a family member, but is necessary for some features.
Which features do you lose?
Toldya
Beat Apple with the news/info by 24-hours. Can I be the new Prosser?
Toldya
Beat Apple with the news/info by 24-hours. Can I be the new Prosser?
Thank you, do you know what features are lost if we pair the Apple Watch to a non cellular connected Iphone?
Sorry, I do not know that and I think that is up to Apple (I do not work for Apple).