Apple Watch SE and Series 6 Include 'Family Setup' for Pairing Multiple Watches to a Single iPhone

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced Family Setup for Apple Watch Series 4 and later and Apple Watch SE, describing the feature as a way for parents, guardians, and carers to pair Apple Watch models worn by others to a single iPhone.

Currently, every Apple Watch needs to pair with its own iPhone, but Family Setup will allow users to pair watches for children or older members of their household who might not have their own iPhones.

Apple is pitching it as a new way for families to use Apple Watch in a novel way, allowing parents to specify who kids can call, and set up automatic location notifications.

Family Setup also includes a "Schooltime Mode," which sets up Do Not Disturb on kids' watches with restricted interaction and a special watch face.

This story is part of our ongoing coverage of Apple's virtual "Time Flies" event today. Refresh for more details and follow our live blog.

Article Link: Apple Watch SE and Series 6 Include 'Family Setup' for Pairing Multiple Watches to a Single iPhone

 

[Wackery]

So far this seems like the parts bin keynote

 

[axantas]

So Apple Watch SE and Series 6 have the new A14 multi-pair chip built in, which the older ones do not have. Makes sense...

 

[liberte1776]

Dumb that Apple Watch Series 3 is not supported!

 

[btrach144]

How young is too young? 😅

 

[Baymowe335]

This is kind of a game changer.

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

The fact that you have to pair the watch at all is a joke in first place... then that is limited to iPhones. Can't even use an iPad.

Can't innovate my...

 

[Jmausmuc]

This keynote is boring.

 

[phgreer]

I think this is the best announcement today. I have elderly parents and dad has been having more and more fall issues. The SE would be perfect and it's also a sneaky way for them to sell more watches too. I love they recognize we may have elderly folks who are not tech savvy at all and do not need an iPhone.

 

[axantas]

I think this is the best announcement today. I have elderly parents and dad has been having more and more fall issues. The SE would be perfect and it's also a sneaky way for them to sell more watches too. I love they recognize we may have elderly folks who are not tech savvy at all and do not need an iPhone.

It is THE sneakiest way to sell more watches - and finally make a lot of people ditch their old watches, they gave to their parents/children, because they were still "good enough" - now they lack the most interesting new feature.
Good move - yet - no Tim, it is a bit too obvious....

**
EDIT: Ok, apparently it is series 4 and up - this is fine then. I WILL test this...

 

[WRXHokie]

Could this be a way to have an android phone while still having an apple watch? The options are endless.

 

[jaytv111]

Could this be a way to have an android phone while still having an apple watch? The options are endless.

As long as you have an iPhone to pair then it works. If you have no iPhone at all it won't let you set it up with another device.

 

[vmistery]

I think the presentation mentioned it worked with Apple Watch 4 and higher? Or was that something else?

 

[sirozha]

Too bad Apple is too greedy to allow older watches to be paired to parents' iPhones.
I would buy a used Apple Watch 3 with LTE for my 10-year-old son to have access to a phone feature and so that I could track his whereabouts. No way I'm buying him a new Apple Watch SE with LTE for it.

There is no hardware limitation for Apple Watch 3 to support this feature. Shame on Apple. They would have done themselves a favor if they allowed the Apple Watch 3 and 4 and 5 to be paired to the parents' iPhones. This would allow parents to give their older watches to the kids and buy new watches for themselves.

What Greed!

 

[WRXHokie]

We shall see

 

[aaroncon]

Too bad Apple is too greedy to allow older watches to be paired to parents' iPhones.
I would buy a used Apple Watch 3 with LTE for my 10-year-old son to have access to a phone feature and so that I could track his whereabouts. No way I'm buying him a new Apple Watch SE with LTE for it.

There is no hardware limitation for Apple Watch 3 to support this feature. Shame on Apple. They would have done themselves a favor if they allowed the Apple Watch 3 and 4 and 5 to be paired to the parents' iPhones. This would allow parents to give their older watches to the kids and buy new watches for themselves.

What Greed!

Apple no longer selling series 3 with cellular - so maybe that is the reason. I wonder if it will still work with an existing Series 3 that has cellular....

 

[sirozha]

Apple no longer selling series 3 with cellular - so maybe that is the reason. I wonder if it will still work with an existing Series 3 that has cellular....

I guess we shall see. I'm not planning to upgrade from my Watch 3 this year, but if a Watch 3 can be paired to someone else's iPhone, then I may give my wife's Watch 3 with LTE to my son and get her a new Apple Watch this year.

 

[Gix1k]

So any reason other than blood oxygen to upgrade from Series 5?

 

[agsystems]

So any reason other than blood oxygen to upgrade from Series 5?

that's the idea - I doubt Apple is counting on people upgrading their gear every year - this would be perfect for series 0,1,2 and 3 users.

 

[Gix1k]

that's the idea - I doubt Apple is counting on people upgrading their gear every year - this would be perfect for series 0,1,2 and 3 users.

Great! $429 saved for iPhone 12.

 

[MiniApple]

I think the presentation mentioned it worked with Apple Watch 4 and higher? Or was that something else?

Family Setup requires AW cellular, Series 4 or later + carrier support

Apple no longer selling series 3 with cellular - so maybe that is the reason. I wonder if it will still work with an existing Series 3 that has cellular....

Hope somebody that has one, can tests this 🤞
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[Apple_Robert]

This is a very good feature. Glad to see Apple finally supporting what should have been done long ago.

 

[PSeg90]

I don't see why this couldn't be a feature of WatchOS7 instead of JUST the new AW7/SE ???
Isn't this strictly software? Nothing is hardware-limited to just set up multiple watches on a single iPhone...

 

[LotusLord]

I don't see why this couldn't be a feature of WatchOS7 instead of JUST the new AW7/SE ???
Isn't this strictly software? Nothing is hardware-limited to just set up multiple watches on a single iPhone...

It's supported by the cellular series 4 too. The question is only will it work with the cellular series 3.

 

[aeropix]

Apple WATCH - a wrist computer more powerful than the ones that sent men to the moon YET you CANNOT set THE TIME on the WATCH - it has to be set by the paired phone! That is a total deal breaker if anybody wants to buy this for friends or parents in another time zone.