Apple's Series Three Apple Watch to Include Cellular Connection

[Mousesuck]

iPhone will be apple's top product for the next 25 years at the minimum. AR glasses will go nowhere.

10 years ago, IPod was the top product of Apple, before that It was the all in one IMac and before that the desktop machintosh.

Although you have shown, by lowering your timeline from 50+ years to 25+, some capacity of reasoning...25 years in the times we live in are still a awfully huge amount of time technologicaly wise.

I would say between 5 to 8 years to have a polish and solid alternative to the iPhone, the Apple Glasses 4 or whatever.

Of course no one will shoot you If In 10 you still buy a smartphone like the ones from now, but you wouldn’t even impress yourself.
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iPhone will be apple's top product for the next 25 years at the minimum. AR glasses will go nowhere.

10 years ago, IPod was the top product of Apple, before that It was the all in one IMac and before that the desktop machintosh.

Although you have shown, by lowering your timeline from 50+ years to 25+, some capacity of reasoning...25 years in the times we live in are still a awfully huge amount of time technologicaly wise.

I would say between 5 to 8 years to have a polish and solid alternative to the iPhone, the Apple Glasses 4 or whatever.

Of course no one will shoot you If In 10 you still buy a smartphone like the ones from now, but you wouldn’t even impress yourself.

 

[9594864]

10 years ago, IPod was the top product of Apple, before that It was the all in one IMac and before that the desktop machintosh.

Although you have shown, by lowering your timeline from 50+ years to 25+, some capacity of reasoning...25 years in the times we live in are still a awfully huge amount of time technologicaly wise.

I would say between 5 to 8 years to have a polish and solid alternative to the iPhone, the Apple Glasses 4 or whatever.

Of course no one will shoot you If In 10 you still buy a smartphone like the ones from now, but you wouldn’t even impress yourself.
[doublepost=1501904036][/doublepost]

10 years ago, IPod was the top product of Apple, before that It was the all in one IMac and before that the desktop machintosh.

Although you have shown, by lowering your timeline from 50+ years to 25+, some capacity of reasoning...25 years in the times we live in are still a awfully huge amount of time technologicaly wise.

I would say between 5 to 8 years to have a polish and solid alternative to the iPhone, the Apple Glasses 4 or whatever.

Of course no one will shoot you If In 10 you still buy a smartphone like the ones from now, but you wouldn’t even impress yourself.

Nope misunderstood me. Smartphones will be around 50+ years. At least. I said iPhone being Apple's top product in 25 years. Their top product will probably be services rather than iPhone itself. One main service being taxiing service with autonomous vehicles.

 

[Fozziebear71]

My wife and I each got a Stainless Series 2 Apple Watch early this year. We both love the watches. Probably the biggest change they have made in my life is with the exercise aspect of the watch. I am now an avid runner and increasing the lengths of my run on a monthly basis. All because of the watch. Having said that, I don't need another cell bill each month. If the next ⌚️ requires another cell data bill I will probably move on to a dedicated running watch like a Garmin or Suunto. I'm a self-admitted Apple fan boy but I don't need another cell bill just to get text messages or other things that my iPhone gets now. I always have my phone with me.

 

[Centris 650]

This is appealing to me as someone who dislikes social media and doesn't want to be too connected.
This appeals to me as long as I have AirPods with it. You could use the AirPods for private phone calls and listening to tunes. Super simple and straight forward. Dictation and personal assistants will replace casual text input in the near future. Arguably, you'll only need a small screen at that point to glance at text and interact with a simple touch UI throughout your day. Leave the heavier composing at the desk on the larger workstations like the iMac and iPad Pro.

I agree! I'm very interested in this. Also, this should lower people's cell bill if they forgo the phone. I'll wait and see how it rolls out and see how battery life is but if it's doable I could see me ditching my iPhone.

 

[elmaco]

When you sign up for a plan, you should get at least four nano SIMs by default, to your Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone and laptop. The Internet of Things is happening, but carriers are as slow as the record labels were when it came to embracing digital and streaming music.

If they don't do it, technology or the market will find other ways, which may ultimately hurt their business, like Apple or Google becoming carriers themselves.

 

[mwd25]

If it's only LTE that is new I will go for a series 2 cheap. Would never go without my phone so can't see the use of cellular in the Watch. Not for me anyway..

Seeing a lot of people saying this. I have said all along, the watch is useless without LTE. If I have to carry around my phone just to make the watch usable, then Il just use my phone. Seems obvious to me, it shouldnt have even come out till you didnt need your phone. Being able to leave my phone at home or in locker at gym or other situations is what makes it compelling. I can get calls on the watch send and receive texts listen to music, all WITHOUT my phone........now im in. Ofcourse will my watch number be the same as phone, will I need separate data plan are all issues that or potential problems that would be a result of cell service. Its not the fault of the watch if Verizon makes you buy another data plan. First make the watch, then hash out the b.s. we will go through with carrier.

 

[TXmomto3]

So if it has cellular connectivity it will be able to make phone calls too right, so I see T-Mo charging as a new phone line. This would be useful for someone who has kids that are all involved in different things so while dropping one kid off the other kid is across town at practice. I'd feel much better. Phones get lost, stolen, etc. Not to mention having an elderly parent who lives alone, if they get hurt and can't reach a phone, the watch would be a life saver.

 

[44267547]

So if it has cellular connectivity it will be able to make phone calls too right, so I see T-Mo charging as a new phone line. This would be useful for someone who has kids that are all involved in different things so while dropping one kid off the other kid is across town at practice. I'd feel much better. Phones get lost, stolen, etc. Not to mention having an elderly parent who lives alone, if they get hurt and can't reach a phone, the watch would be a life saver.

If the Apple Watch is LTE, yes, you would be able to make phone calls and receive messages without having your iPhone tethered to you. It would not require a direct Bluetooth connection. The Apple Watch would serve independently with LTE, just like your iPhone would.

 

[brewcitywi]

If this is your only complaint against the Apple Watch, I would say it's doing pretty good for its current size. Also, I actually like the thickness of the Apple Watch with the stainless model, it gives it some nice weight to it and substantiality. Plus The battery life is exceptional with the Series 2. I will gladly take the thickness any day.

[doublepost=1501909230][/doublepost]YES, I totally agree. I like the thickness and weight of the stainless 42mm version. In fact, I think that 42mm and 38mm are way too close together. I always felt they should offer a 46mm version for guys. I'm probably in the minority though. I'm also surprised that people are criticizing the LTE version. When the first apple watch was released, all the reviews talked about was how, without LTE, the watch was tethered to your phone and you couldn't even take a walk/run without both of them.

Maybe carriers will charge something like $9.99/mo. for a watch on a plan...who knows.

 

[twinlight]

Seeing a lot of people saying this. I have said all along, the watch is useless without LTE. If I have to carry around my phone just to make the watch usable, then Il just use my phone. Seems obvious to me, it shouldnt have even come out till you didnt need your phone. Being able to leave my phone at home or in locker at gym or other situations is what makes it compelling. I can get calls on the watch send and receive texts listen to music, all WITHOUT my phone........now im in. Ofcourse will my watch number be the same as phone, will I need separate data plan are all issues that or potential problems that would be a result of cell service. Its not the fault of the watch if Verizon makes you buy another data plan. First make the watch, then hash out the b.s. we will go through with carrier.

You can already do this at the gym. Let the Watch use wifi. Going without the phone for any longer period is higly unlikely so cellular connection is going to be used maybe once or twice per month.

 

[itsmilo]

I dont see the point since you will need the phone to make a proper interaction with whatever you got unless you actually got the patience to reply to 3737 messages a minute on that tiny screen. Therefore you would carry your iPhone anyway.

The one feature i would really want is "unlock with Apple Watch" on the iPhone so unless your Apple Watch is taken off or out of reach you will not have to unlock your iPhone to use it. Like on Mac

 

[Quu]

I like the idea of the watch having a cellular modem in theory. But in reality I cannot see it working for free, meaning we'd need some subscription with our network provider for the watch. And that for me is something I don't want. Honestly I'm tired of paying monthly for every little thing in my life and I don't want to pay just for cellular connectivity to my watch.

I'm a runner, I run with it everytime I run and I always listen to music on my run. That is what the 8GB of internal storage is great for, I think I have only 3-4GB of songs on it as the entire storage amount if not accessible for storing music but it's more than enough to sync my run playlists.

And you know what I would hate on my runs? Being interrupted by app notifications, phone calls and text messages. I'm out there to enjoy a run not socialise.

The only reason I'd want this feature that I can think of is so I can interact with Siri and use the apps on the watch that need data to function like the weather apps, maps etc but honestly I can live without those on the watch if it still pairs with and uses my phones internet instead for free.

 

[ValO]

I see more use in apple releasing a 4g/lte airpods version , than a 4g apple watch.
And have just the controls on the apple watch, if you don' t carry your iphone.

I am not saying that there should be storage for music on your airpods, but that it could act like the antenna for your apple watch, and send the data to the watch by bluetooth.
Just like the iphone does send data to the watch now.

To be honest, for something else than excersing, fitness, etc, i really don' t see the point of having a 4g smartwatch, if you can' t make phonecalls on it.
If you could use it as a phone, then there would definitely be a market for it. You could choose not to buy an iphone and use a small ipad next to the apple watch. But i don' t see apple giving us that option.
They could, however, allow us to make calls with it, without your iphone in near proximity, BUT only make it work if you have an iphone in your posession with an icloud account for authenticating, or some authentication with your sim in your iphone, for tethetring accounts, etc.
In other words, you will still need an iphone to make the calling without the iphone nearby work.

 

[iZac]

Cellular watch that can tether to my Macbook or iPad please. Though I know this won't happen because the battery would last minutes and Apple surely still see the watch as a slave device rather than a hub.

Having said that, I can imagine a near future where Apple sell a set of AR glasses combined with the watch. The watch does the processing and data to minimise the bulk on the frames.

 

[Fatboy71]

and inability to use Apple Pay when you don't have your iPhone with you really suck.

You can use Apple Pay without having the iPhone with you. I done this a few weeks ago when I left my iPhone in the car and went to the shops.

 

[ValO]

Cellular watch that can tether to my Macbook or iPad please. Though I know this won't happen because the battery would last minutes and Apple surely still see the watch as a slave device rather than a hub.

Having said that, I can imagine a near future where Apple sell a set of AR glasses combined with the watch. The watch does the processing and data to minimise the bulk on the frames.

That won' t happen in the next 10 years, i am afraid.
I think the glasses will need lots of processing power and will rely on having an iphone in your pocket with a very fast wireless connection. I can see apple using the watch for controlling content on your glasses, though, by using gestures or replacing hand controll gloves/controllers (like in vr) for tracking of your hand for manipulating content that is displayed on the glasses.

 

[pankajdoharey]

Face. Palm.

Think about that more.

It wouldn't take a single iPhone sale.

The iPhone has a large display which you can actually text and browse the internet and watch movies etc etc. the list goes on so long I'd need 10 hours to type it all.
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I agree I totally forgot about my occasional use case of surfing the web on a phone. Though I use my tablet for surfing more than my phone. So I actually like this.

 

[StevieD100]

The $10 per month add on for the iPad was a problem for me. You should be able to connect multiple devices to the shared data plan and not be charge for each device. Or maybe a limit. But when you have an iPhone, multiple iPads and now iWatch(s) the $10 per extra device is crazy.

don't forget the extra $100+++ for the LTE functionality. I expect the same for the Watch, another $150 over the non LTE version.

 

[zombierunner]

Can we get MacBooks with LTE. Seriously!

 

[sirozha]

So now my Apple Watch will have a different number to that of my phone? lol

The calls on the watch will be similar to VoIP. The watch will have purely a data connection via LTE. Voice will be delivered as it's done currently, using the "Calling on other devices" feature when the iPhone number rings on multiple devices.

T-Mobile now has a similar system called "Digits" that provides this functionality for non-Apple devices.

 

[Mtmspa]

Steaming Apple Music with just my Apple Watch and AirPods? Yes please!

Imagine going biking or jogging with just a watch and having millions of songs to choose from. No more of this:

Multiple playlists will be available without watch OS 4. I work out with just my watch and AirPods. Picking songs on the go makes no sense.

 

[pika2000]

Having LTE on a device with such tiny battery makes no sense. Heck, look at how successful other companies are trying to shoehorn a cellular radio into their smartwatches.

What's the issue anyway? People wanting to just use the watch without their phone when they are running.
The GPS problem is solved with series 2. What's left is the music part. Apple just needs to work on the music app/service to make it as painless as possible to sync some playlist into the watch.

I say we will see an iPad mini 5 sooner than LTE on AW.

 

[lowercaseperson]

So what do you want? Sensors that require FDA approval? A camera?

If I had an answer for that question, you'd be buying my watch - not Apples'.

 

[iConnected]

update that focuses on under-the-hood hardware and performance improvements

You mean "update that focuses on hardware and performance improvements".

Apple Watch still does not have a hood.

 

[Mac 128]

I like the idea of the watch having a cellular modem in theory. But in reality I cannot see it working for free, meaning we'd need some subscription with our network provider for the watch. And that for me is something I don't want. Honestly I'm tired of paying monthly for every little thing in my life and I don't want to pay just for cellular connectivity to my watch.

I'm a runner, I run with it everytime I run and I always listen to music on my run. That is what the 8GB of internal storage is great for, I think I have only 3-4GB of songs on it as the entire storage amount if not accessible for storing music but it's more than enough to sync my run playlists.

And you know what I would hate on my runs? Being interrupted by app notifications, phone calls and text messages. I'm out there to enjoy a run not socialise.

The only reason I'd want this feature that I can think of is so I can interact with Siri and use the apps on the watch that need data to function like the weather apps, maps etc but honestly I can live without those on the watch if it still pairs with and uses my phones internet instead for free.

The Apple Watch only has 250 songs or 2GB max storage. You don't have 3-4GB on yours.

The only reason I'd want cellular radio on my watch is so if a car sideswiped me while I was out on a jog, and speed off, knocking me a ditch and breaking my leg, that I could call 911. While that's an extreme example, I think it makes the point. You throw a lot road blocks up as a rationale not to have it, but none that can't be overcome for you. I'd much rather have the technology available to use as I see fit than not. There's Airplane mode and do not disturb for for someone who doesn't want to be disturbed -- yet the ability for certain people to get through in an emergency. The iPad allows you to turn on the LTE connection month to month, so you use it only when you need it. eSIMs will likely bundle the watch functionality into a plan that shares the connection with your phone and likely doesn't cost more. and then there al the things you would find use for at some point. And, while you're out for a jog, and you realize you're tired of those 250 songs you forgot to update in your last sync, you can just hop on Apple Music and change it up.