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I couldn't justify the price of the non-LTE version as many have said it is simply an extension of your phone. If I need to communicate, I just pull my phone out and do whatever I need to do. I guess it makes sense for the marathon runners.
 
While I think an apple watch with LTE is "cool." As with most, the amount of times I'm without my phone is next to 0, so it really doesn't even have the convenience factor.
and until you actually own one, it only seems cool :)
Being able to leave your house without your iphone, or mow your lawn, shovel your driveway whatever without bringing along your iPhone..priceless.
 
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Sorry, but LOL @ the USA.

Not only do you have to suffer 12 month warranties without any cost saving, but you also have to pay $15 a month for Watch service?

Australia: 3 year warranty on Macs, at least 2 years on everything else Apple, without paying a cent more. And Watch service costs $5 Australian dollars at all 3 carriers, with no extra fees, taxes or charges. I also get an extra SIM card for my iPads that share my data plan for free!

I think you guys need stronger consumer laws with teeth, and an enforcement agency not afraid to use them.
 
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Same reason that I canceled my iPad cellular plan. Paying extra for something that can be done just as easily with tethering. I never leave my phone, so it is always available.

Too bad it doesn't work on Google Fi. Can use data SIM for free, just pay data and data for a Watch can't be much.
 
I only pay $5 a month extra on the Telstra network in Australia. $10-$15 a month extra is a bit much I think for just a watch using the network.
 
Not new technology per se but, new with this particular Apple product.

Many of the same people complaining about the $10.00 are the same people that spend $150+ on Apple Watch bands and $100+ a month at Starbucks etc. I am not knocking the behaviour but gently reminding some that like everything else, it all comes down to willingness to pay for what is deemed important. And that is ok.

This is one of the unfortunate circumstances of being limited to a just a few service providers. Reminds me a lot of the telecomm business for local markets (I'm looking at you Comcast). You essentially get 2 (3+ if you're lucky) providers to choose from, and then you're completely at their mercy on costs. I would love to see 10 competitors with similar networks of coverage and speed.
 
50 years later, and somethings haven't changed -- everyone still hates the phone company. It doesn't seem to matter who it is, we hate them all. This reminds me of this dialog exchange from the 1967 movie The President's Analyst:

Dr. Sidney Schaefer: You know, one thing I learned from my patients... they all hate the phone company. It's interesting; even the stock holders of the phone company hate the phone company!

V.I. Kydor Kropotkin: I know. Bedouins hate the phone company. Matter of fact, I've never been in a country where everybody didn't hate the phone company.
 
Real world answer: People who run long distances and don't want to carry their (increasingly larger) smartphones with them, but must have a method of communication with them for safety reasons.

For example, I run multiple marathons a year and am training year round. I go on long runs all the time. I also live in the middle of a very large non-pedestrian-focused city with a lot of drivers who are generally oblivious to pedestrians, and have had several close calls over the years. Additionally, I'm an asthmatic and while problems are rare–there's always the threat of something bad happening. I have to have a way to call in case of an emergency. For people like me having a watch that can do emergency calls (or allow you to receive messages while you're on a 3+ hour run just in case someone else is having an emergency worth cutting your run short for) without having to carry a large device with you is very appealing.

Edit: Clearly this isn't a need that isn't covered by a phone. It is, however, a substantial quality of life improvement for some.

This is me. If it weren’t for LTE, I wouldn’t even have upgraded from my series 0. It was running fine. But I REALLY REALLY like running without a phone strapped to my arm, something I didn’t feel safe doing before.
 
This is one of the unfortunate circumstances of being limited to a just a few service providers. Reminds me a lot of the telecomm business for local markets (I'm looking at you Comcast). You essentially get 2 (3+ if you're lucky) providers to choose from, and then you're completely at their mercy on costs. I would love to see 10 competitors with similar networks of coverage and speed.
There are a lot of cell companies offering service. The problem is some people don't feel comfortable being part of an off brand carrier, or risking giving up good coverage even if it is more expensive than they want. The other part of the equation is the entitlement mentality that is ravaging our society. We have seen numerous examples of said mindset here.
 
$12.97 here in North Texas. I will admit it is a little annoying but I value LTE and use it quite often...so its not a deal breaker for me at this point.

Screen Shot 2017-12-18 at 7.13.22 PM.png
 
Thank goodness for TMobile including fees. I'm still a bit undecided after 3 months how I feel about the untethered data. I barely use it, and when I do use it, it's so minimal that I really need to rethink the justification for it. I thought when it first came out that I would be using it more, but I find myself surprisingly not. When Apple finally gets a Podcast app for the watch it may make a difference, but for now, I still remain tethered for most of the time.
 
Thank goodness for TMobile including fees. I'm still a bit undecided after 3 months how I feel about the untethered data. I barely use it, and when I do use it, it's so minimal that I really need to rethink the justification for it. I thought when it first came out that I would be using it more, but I find myself surprisingly not. When Apple finally gets a Podcast app for the watch it may make a difference, but for now, I still remain tethered for most of the time.
How does T-Mobile including fees make any real difference? You are still paying the fees and on top of that, you don't see the specifics of the breakdown. I may be different but, I prefer to see how my bill breaks down to make sure something isn't amiss.
 
Before the Series 3 was released all of MacRumors was nothing but: "LTE is a must! I will not buy it without LTE. LTE is a 100% requirement!"

Now that the Series 3 is out, MacRumors is nothing but: "Why in the world would anyone need LTE on their watch? Totally pointless!"
 
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Welcome to cellular hell, my friends.

Yes, a 44% tax and fees for “service”.

But then again, I suppose the “rich”* deserve it...

*be careful what you wish for. If you’re writing this on an Apple device, you’re most likely richer than 99% of the world.
 
Sorry, but LOL @ the USA.

Not only do you have to suffer 12 month warranties without any cost saving, but you also have to pay $15 a month for Watch service?

Australia: 3 year warranty on Macs, at least 2 years on everything else Apple, without paying a cent more. And Watch service costs $5 Australian dollars at all 3 carriers, with no extra fees, taxes or charges. I also get an extra SIM card for my iPads that share my data plan for free!

I think you guys need stronger consumer laws with teeth, and an enforcement agency not afraid to use them.
And then when you see that local price > US$ price x exchange rate and complaint that “Apple charges too much in my country” ...
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How does T-Mobile including fees make any real difference? You are still paying the fees and on top of that, you don't see the specifics of the breakdown. I may be different but, I prefer to see how my bill breaks down to make sure something isn't amiss.
If they are capping the total price at $10 then they are charging a lower base fee. For instance, if they are charging $10 in Chicago they are absorbing $8.50 that AT&T passes on to us and effectively charging only $1.50.
 
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Why does a wristwatch even need LTE???

I suspect LTE has the very low energy, efficient connection time that were not available in 3G for GSM/CDMA.

WiFi and Bluetooth have very low energy protocols so you don't have to turn them off and on so often. Mobile is just catching up. Thats why the battery in the watch is a fraction of the size in recent mobile devices.

I'm not sure how long the Watch even works on the old cellular UMTS technologies. And I doubt Apple will bring it out in countries with little or no LTE.

Google "Verizon discontinue 2G 3G" and you will see we are late in the five year plan to get rid of old technology.
 
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Sorry, but LOL @ the USA.

Not only do you have to suffer 12 month warranties without any cost saving, but you also have to pay $15 a month for Watch service?

Australia: 3 year warranty on Macs, at least 2 years on everything else Apple, without paying a cent more. And Watch service costs $5 Australian dollars at all 3 carriers, with no extra fees, taxes or charges. I also get an extra SIM card for my iPads that share my data plan for free!

I think you guys need stronger consumer laws with teeth, and an enforcement agency not afraid to use them.

LOL @ Australia where you pay $3,499 AUD for a 15" MBP, which equates to $2,681 USD, while we pay $2,399 for the same device. For the additional $367.96 AUD that you pay for the exact same product, we can buy AppleCare, which offers longer and better coverage than you're offered with your warranty, and still have money left over.

And on products we don't feel the need for a longer warranty, we get to save several hundred dollars over you.

Have fun paying more than we do for everything.
 
I too train year round, often on long single track runs. And run multiple marathons and ultramarathons. I don't carry my phone when running, never have even when on long runs in the bush or in the town. **** happens and touchwood, I've never been in the position where I've needed to communicate in an emergency.

While some people feel the need for 24/7 contact or emergency contact, I never have. I began running many years before the advent of a cellphone that you could carry and hope to continue for a few more yet.

I just can't see the point investing in yet another insurance policy in the form of a cellular account on a watch. I bought an AW3 without cellular for that reason. It just seemed absolutely pointless.

I do carry my phone when cycling, but only because it's easy to slip into the back of the shirt.

Life is risky.

I suspect you are a man.

I am a woman whose mother instilled in her from a very young age how careful you need to be with your surroundings— and specifically other people in your surroundings. I wouldn’t go for a long run without my phone/now watch.
 
Its a shame Apple seems more and more profit driven as time goes on.

Umm so you do know that:

1. Apple is not involved in this, it is the carriers that are charging the fees.

2. Apple has always been a for profit company, they are in business to make a profit off of the products they sell. Since the days that Jobs and Wozniak began hand building computers in their garage, Apple has designed, built and sold products so they can make money. They have shareholders that invest in the company so they can make a profit. Yes they make exciting things that many people want and are pushing the limits of what can be done with technology, but Apple has ZERO obligation to do anything for free and they owe you exactly NOTHING.
 
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