Apple Watch Series 3 Costs More Than $10/Month on Most Carriers, Can't Be Reactivated Without Fees

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Exactly. I just thought (maybe hopping) apple was better then that. But yeah, I know how capitalism works.

That's one of our collective problems- thinking that with Apple, it's actually about something for us more than it is about the money. We're wrong (if we believe that)... but can fool ourselves very well. We'll even try pretty hard to fool others.

 

[lazard]

Why I can't just use the watch as my primary phone, without a phone at all.

because then Apple would be sad

 

[goobot]

It doesn't need a law. Choose to NOT be a customer.

If enough of us would do that, the give & take in capitalism would have to find a new balance. As is, they take and take and take and we give and give and give. We'll certainly gripe about it, but then we'll roll right over and pay up. As long as we're willing, they are doing exactly what the seller's are supposed to do. Someday the buyers will rediscover that sellers desperately want the cash in our pockets much more than we want or need the service they provide at the prices they seek.

I don’t disagree that most of the time that works, but when you have two companies like Verizon and Att that will instead increase their prices against each other, it leaves little choice and it becomes difficult for the average consumer.

 

[Auhim]

Why not just use one of those straps you can put around your arm that carries your phone?

They're really uncomfortable for lengthy periods of time. So far I've used belts, which are better, but it's still certainly more comfortable to not have to have a large flat device strapped to me.

And none of this is a need. It's nice, though.

 

[LegendaryAced]

I use the Apple Watch Series 3 LTE in the UK with EE, where they offer 6 months free and then charge £5 per month for the service.

I have only used my Apple Watch on its own twice and it was for testing. I honestly don’t think it is a service worth £5 per month.

I would be willing to pay £2.50 max. So I will just cancel after the free period.

 

[Auhim]

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.

"Life is risky" as a reason not to take precautions is great for people for whom life is less risky than it is for others. We all make our own risk assessments.

While I've been fortunate not to have problems where I've needed emergency contact while running due to my asthma, I have had times where I needed help during a run and it was already present. I have also had multiple times over the course of my life where I, in fact, would have died if not for being able to contact people during an emergency–just not during a run. I'm not risk averse. I'll happily go bungie jumping, skydiving, etc. I don't make decisions not to do things because they carry risk. It's simply that I take precautions my prior experience demonstrates I have to take.

 

[Nickel Defense]

I was really exited about getting my son an AW3-LTE until I found out what the carriers were charging, or charging at all.

It's complete and unadulterated highway robbery... it's the SAME number

That is completely false. There is a second number you get for the watch. Have you ever even read anything about the watch before screaming?

And for those who can't figure out why LTE is useful on a watch, well, it would be silly to spend time enumerating the reasons. I use it frequently.

The cost for cell service for the watch is fine with me. Definitely worth it.

 

[RF9]

So basically its something you use at a party to show off and then never again because its far easier to just make a call on the phone rather then talking to your wrist like some sort of spy movie.

My wife uses the LTE when she goes running. She doesn't like to bring a phone.
Up 'til now she was just offline for the run (with the Apple Watch 2 without LTE.) Now she has the LTE, I can track her when running, and she can stay in contact with people. While you can stream music to it, I think she really just wants it for piece of mind in case she got injured or something and needed to call someone to pick her up. Worth it because she utilizes it almost every day.

The only other place I can see it being useful is when she'd go to Raging waters with my daughter she locks her phone up in the lockers (because going down a waterslide with an phone isn't great) and then she's out of touch the whole day. So something like that. But that edge case is not worth $10-$20/month.

So really this is mostly athletes that don't want to lug a phone.

Also, I use the Apple Watch Series 2 to take phone calls, either Wi-Fi calls, or as a bluetooth extension of my iPhone, but only in a pinch. It works remarkably well. It is speakerphone so you wouldn't want to carry on a conversation, but it's great in a pinch when your hands are full or to answer until you can get to your phone. Works great driving too.
Besides, what's wrong with spy gadgets?

 

[JohnApples]

It’s a shame this turned out so convoluted and pricey. I can’t justify $10+ a month for a tiny device that uses my phone’s number. Especially since I’d really only use this between April and September on my occasional runs.

Disappointed.

 

[Auhim]

funny
Real world facts: every sportsmen has asthma nowadays. Any doping is welcome and I believe Apple watch gets you far.

I believe this was meant sincerely, so I'm engaging as such:

Yep. Lots of athletes these days have asthma. It's great that some of us who probably wouldn't have made it to adulthood can not only survive, but participate in activities we love. The comfort of having a cellular device as an extra precaution is nice, and a cellular Apple Watch is just a thing that makes this kind of thing slightly more convenient.

Most of this conversation with multiple people is pointing out that things that are frivolous niceties to some are real improvements, even if minor, in areas of concern to others. And some things that are minor improvements in an important area to someone like me could be entirely life altering for someone else. People forget the most common use cases and sets of needs are nowhere near universal.

 

[RF9]

"Life is risky" as a reason not to take precautions is great for people for whom life is less risky than it is for others. We all make our own risk assessments.

While I've been fortunate not to have problems where I've needed emergency contact while running due to my asthma, I have had times where I needed help during a run and it was already present. I have also had multiple times over the course of my life where I, in fact, would have died if not for being able to contact people during an emergency–just not during a run. I'm not risk averse. I'll happily go bungie jumping, skydiving, etc. I don't make decisions not to do things because they carry risk. It's simply that I take precautions my prior experience demonstrates I have to take.

My wife entered a half-marathon and broke her leg half way through. It was a freak thing and race volunteers transported her to the med tent. She had her phone on her that time because it was before Apple Watch so was able to contact me hand have me meet her (and pick her up) at tent (today it would have been AW3 w/ LTE instead of a phone.)
The point is, stuff happens and it's better to have a lifeline if you find yourself immobile.

 

[Tinmania]

Because trolls berated Apple for not having LTE connectivity. Now that it has LTE those same trolls are castigating Apple for having it. See how that works?

Some would argue that making stuff up, with zero evidence, is the definition of trolling.



Mike

 

[andre n.]

That's one of our collective problems- thinking that with Apple, it's actually about something for us more than it is about the money. We're wrong (if we believe that)... but can fool ourselves very well. We'll even try pretty hard to fool others.

I like to think that some company in this world (not that Apple does) thinks on the humanity first rather than just money, but hey that's just me.

 

[slkh]

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.

Same here. Only my long runs are on rough trails. Falls happen. My watch is cheap and welcome insurance.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I like to think that some company in this world (not that Apple does) thinks on the humanity first rather than just money, but hey that's just me.

I believe that some do, but the ones calling the shots usually don't because they have to please the board and investors.

 

[Tinmania]

I think it’s because the people signing up now are considered early adopters, so the carriers know they can get away with charging so much.

You do know carriers have had almost the same add-on price for tablets and other cell devices for years now, right? This wasn't just invented for the Apple Watch LTE.



Mike

 

[HopefulHumanist]

It doesn't need a law. Choose to NOT be a customer.

If enough of us would do that, the give & take in capitalism would have to find a new balance. As is, they take and take and take and we give and give and give. We'll certainly gripe about it, but then we'll roll right over and pay up. As long as we're willing, they are doing exactly what the seller's are supposed to do. Someday the buyers will rediscover that sellers desperately want the cash in our pockets much more than we want or need the service they provide at the prices they seek.

That’s one way to go about it but you haven’t explained how it’s better than not allowing them to charge the fees in the first place. I don’t see why the desire to make the market more equitable to the customer has to fall entirely on the customer.
[doublepost=1513638232][/doublepost]

You do know carriers have had almost the same add-on price for tablets and other cell devices for years now, right? This wasn't just invented for the Apple Watch LTE.

But you are allowed to cancel and restart your tablet plan as you choose. That would alleviate a lot of the problem here.

 

[conifer]

Was at Apple store last night and I heard them saying 10 a month as their sales line. The sales person also thought Spotify had an app. Apple is also making out here as they sign new folks up for Apple Music subscription. I am going to try the cellular as it has 4x the storage for my own music and I will pass on Apple Music and also Lte service now.

 

[CrystalQuest76]

I don’t disagree that most of the time that works, but when you have two companies like Verizon and Att that will instead increase their prices against each other, it leaves little choice and it becomes difficult for the average consumer.

What you are describing is known as duopoly. They do have a very negative effect on consumers. The executives love working for them since they can very easily increase prices and the bonuses they take home.

 

[WRXHokie]

There will be a point where you will be able to have any device on your wireless plan like you would your wifi unit. Right now we're in the mid-nighties as far as charging for every single different setup. Kind of like how we used to be charged by minute of talking long distance.

Bingo, its sort of why I don't like LTE iPad's and Watch's. The hidden cost of ownership is just too much for me.

 

[Cloudkicker]

I pay $10 a month in Canada, and I get an extra 1 GB of data thrown in to my shared pool.

The CRTC would only not allow it, but punish Bell/Telus/Rogers if they don't comply. The CRTC banned unlocking fees, yet the bandits at Bell/Rogers fought to deffer it, & last week wrapped them on the knuckles for secretly finding "excuses" to do it.

 

[WRXHokie]

That is completely false. There is a second number you get for the watch. Have you ever even read anything about the watch before screaming?

There's is literally no reason for another number other than maybe the cell carriers can't figure out how to do it.

 

[RF9]

It’s a shame this turned out so convoluted and pricey. I can’t justify $10+ a month for a tiny device that uses my phone’s number. Especially since I’d really only use this between April and September on my occasional runs.

Disappointed.

It is a shame. I have an LG GizmoGadget for my kid. I can track her with GPS if she wears it. It's only $5 a month. In fact, all of the Android Wear LTE watches are only $5 a month.
I was hoping Apple Watch would also have been $5 (I even expected it,) but carriers know the Apple market will afford more and stick it to us. I guess we really ask for it when we complain but pay anyway like suckers. Sheep with money we are.

I counted up the number of times it would have been useful to me in one year and I think it was 5-10 times. So I talked myself out of upgrading form the Series 2. I'll bring my phone on runs and almost every activity I can. The rest, well I decided I can really (probably prefer to) live without. But my wife is an ideal use case so I got her one and it's it's worth it (though I would prefer it cost less.)

I may yet upgrade to a Series 3 (or wait for a Series 4.) When I do I will get LTE just so I have the option, but will likely not activate the LTE service. The same way I did with iPad. I got the LTE Model but hardly ever used it. I'd rather pay a little more and have the hardware option and not use it rather than wish I had bought it and decide I want it (and have to buy it again.)

For what it's worth, Series 2 will make calls on it's own if you enable WiFI calling through your phone. Then you can completely shut off the the phone and watch makes calls just like it would as if had LTE.
The caveat is that it has to be on an already known wifi network.
We went to Chick Fil A, my wife forgot her phone at home. Her watch connected to CFA's wifi and she started getting messages. Then her watch rang and she took a call.
It's an edge case for sure and not nearly as useful as tethered LTE, but it's a FREE feature, you already have it on your Series 2 (or Series 3 Wifi only) and it's occasionally useful, especially if you're on wifi, your phone loses cell signal, the phone does not have wifi calling turned on (but the watch does.) Or when the iPhone was in the process of doing an upgrade, my watch was able to take calls on wifi.

 

[EsqCats]

These prices look like the result of limited competition. Comparable countries and even those which should be rationally more expensive are not just cheaper, but less than half the price.

Here's some examples:

UK: £5 - that's around $6.69 USD
France: 5€ - that's around $5.89 USD
Australia: All supported carriers $5 AUD per month, three months free on all - that's around $3.80 USD

 

[RF9]

There's is literally no reason for another number other than maybe the cell carriers can't figure out how to do it.

The watch has a SIM. It's it's own cellular phone that can be operated on it's own, and all cellular devices have their own number including iPads.
The carriers have a number bonding feature that will make all calls from the watch look like they're coming from the iPhone's number rings on both as if you only have one number, but the watch can be called separately with it's unique number.