I honestly have no idea. It works as a standalone device for me on t-mobile. Maybe it's a European network issue?
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Cellular Apple Watch Is Misleadingly Incapable
- Thread starter Dru_555
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We are saying that if your phone is switched off then calls & texts that required cellular network, not via WiFi / FaceTime / iMessage, will not work!
E.g - your phone is switched off and left at home and you’re on cellular connection on your watch, you’ll not get calls from Android devices.
I just turned off my phone and I was able to:
- Make a phone call
- Stream Apple Music
- Stream Beats 1
Err, no. At least not all the things you listed.What network / country?
EE in the UK.
My LTE watch working as it should even if my phone dies or if I'm out of range from it. It doesn't need to be connected to my phone for calls or iMessage. For SMS relay, yes it does need to be on. The watch technically has a different phone number so if the phone number that an SMS is intended for isn't on, it can't be received and thus, can't be relayed. You can't really blame Apple for old protocols that have been around since before the invention of the iPhone.
The LTE radio isn't as strong for obvious reasons (it's small) so if the cellular signal is weak, they may be why you're having issues? But I've gone out plenty of times w/o my phone and still get messages and calls.
My iPhone was off. I test this all the time. Zero issues to functionality of the watch or cellular features
Err, no. At least not all the things you listed.
This is very interesting. Everything that requires data, should work but I thought the phone works as a proxy for cellular functions. That’s why the watch can’t receive phone calls and texts because you don’t have a separate number for it, exactly the way the iPad works.
When I look at my AT&T plan details, I actually do have a separate number for my watch.
I think what you are describing is the GPS-only model.
The cellular model does everything on it's own (when phone is off) except SMS. That's why it costs more and requires a cellular plan.
You DO have a separate number for the watch, just EE in the background makes it appear that you have one number, look in the MyEE app, you can select both numbers.
I’m on EE and my watch can make and receive calls with my phone in Airplane mode, it would be silly to have a cellular watch that couldn’t.
Yeah I have a separate number as well under my plan but you can’t use that number to receive a call. I think the call gets forwarded from the SIM card within the phone to that number and when you don’t have the phone switched on, that call forwarding feature can’t work.
If you watch the video I posted earlier in the thread I created a couple of days ago, the guy is saying the same thing. I haven’t tried it myself though.
So glad to see I wasn't just having isolated issues. Everytime my phone turns off, I get a bunch of random calls on my watch that must be tied to the phone number on that Apple Watch. It's incredibly annoying. But i've also realized that I will probably not be able to use the LTE Apple Watch the way I thought I could.
I had a situation last week where I went somewhere where phones weren't allowed into a studio but my Apple Watch was fine. I parked at Universal Studios and used my phone to order an Uber. Turned my phone off, left it in the car and then headed to the studio. The entire time I kept getting calls on my watch for the number that is assigned to that eSIM on my AW. When I left I used the watch to make 2 phone calls, both of which came up as an unrecognized phone number to the recipients. When the time came for me to order my Uber, I used my AW to try to order it and once I confirmed my ride, it immediately said "Cancelling ride" and was stuck there. I restarted my watch since theres no way to kill an app on AW (which is VERY time consuming since it takes so long to restart) and tried to use the Uber app again except now it wouldn't connect to my cellular plan. When it finally did connect, the message immediately said "Cancelling Ride" again. I just ended up calling someone to order me an Uber from their phone. By the time I was almost back to my car, the app was still stuck on "Cancelling Ride" and then said "Continue on the Uber app on your iPhone" or something similar, which absolutely defeats the purpose of the $430 LTE connected Apple Watch I was relying on. I know the problem with the app is most likely an Uber issue, but this has just shown me that an LTE AW is useless as a standalone device. It doesn't use the same phone number as implied unless the phone is turned on and the apps are still a joke. I'm closing the extra line that the AW is on as soon as this billing cycle is up. Money is WASTED on an LTE connection.
I will say, the only great thing about LTE is that I can use Apple Music on my watch with my AirPods while my phone isn't near. Still, not worth the $10 a month for service...plus AT&T made me change my rate plan to a Family plan since the AW has to be active on it's own individual line which is even more money. TOTALLY NOT WORTH THE MONEY.
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Yeah I’ve noticed I do have a separate number. I was going by what the guy was mentioning in the video I posted earlier. I didn’t try it out personally. I’ll give it a go tomorrow. Cheers.
Maybe the guy in the video doesn't have a cellular Watch, because what you described is exactly how the non-cellular version works.
It's possible that a carrier may need to support wifi calling (like ATT and T-Mobile) for the watch to receive calls over wifi, but that's just a guess.
Sorry, but this is wrong.
I am on EE in the UK. The below is not carrier dependent or country dependent. If i turn off my phone and pullout the SIM for good measure
I can do the below:Make and receive calls to/from ANYONE on any device - all they need is a phone number.
Receive/send Mail on the watch
Receive iMessages (not SMS)
Stream music
Stream Podcasts
The eSIM will relay all calls to your watch regardless of what make of device is calling.
There is a lot of confusion on this thread and scaremongering - I have had and use a cellular AW for a year now and I have no issues when my iPhone is off/flat.
Sorry, but this is wrong.
I am on EE in the UK. The below is not carrier dependent or country dependent. If i turn off my phone and pullout the SIM for good measure
Make and receive calls to/from ANYONE on any device - all they need is a phone number.
Receive/send Mail on the watch
Receive iMessages (not SMS)
Stream music
Stream Podcasts
The eSIM will relay all calls to your watch regardless of what make of device is calling.
There is a lot of confusion on this thread and scaremongering - I have had and use a cellular AW for a year now and I have no issues when my iPhone is off/flat.
Nice one. Thanks for confirming that. I got the cellular watch this time around. This is my first watch as well, so not too sure about how things work properly.
I made a similar post on the other thread about cellular watch functionality, but let's say the LTE watch is essentially a glorified doorstop with the iPhone off. I can't see myself ever being in a situation where this would happen unless my iPhone is lost.
If you choose to turn off your iPhone when away from it, I'm genuinely curious why. It shouldn't use that much battery to leave it on, especially when it's not being used. If an iPhone is fully charge and sitting there, I would guess that it could easily last a full 24 hours until it dies.
EDIT: My "doorstop" comment was not to say I feel the AW is useless with the iPhone off, I actually feel the contrary. My post was actually wondering why some are arguing for what the AW does with the iPhone off, when that shouldn't be a normal scenario.
If you choose to turn off your iPhone when away from it, I'm genuinely curious why. It shouldn't use that much battery to leave it on, especially when it's not being used. If an iPhone is fully charge and sitting there, I would guess that it could easily last a full 24 hours until it dies.
EDIT: My "doorstop" comment was not to say I feel the AW is useless with the iPhone off, I actually feel the contrary. My post was actually wondering why some are arguing for what the AW does with the iPhone off, when that shouldn't be a normal scenario.
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here in Italy it works as it is described on the apple site.
with iphone turned off/offline i can make or receive phone calls and imessages (not sms). whatsapp, telegram, facebook or other 3rd parties app that require a connection in general don’t work (may be some exceptions... don’t know...).
i found a 3d on google where the situation is explained very well but i can’t find it again...
with iphone turned off/offline i can make or receive phone calls and imessages (not sms). whatsapp, telegram, facebook or other 3rd parties app that require a connection in general don’t work (may be some exceptions... don’t know...).
i found a 3d on google where the situation is explained very well but i can’t find it again...
Without the phone on, the LTE watch can do everything it can do with the phone on, except:
1. Handle SMS
2. Receive notifications from apps that don’t have a watch app
Is that incorrect? If it’s correct, how is that a glorified doorstop?
I turned my iPhone off and made sure my watch is connected to cellular. I was able to call my house phone and send an sms without being connected to my home WiFi. I also have Digits with T-Mobile, so if push came to shove, Digits will push the message to my watch.
Actually, the point of my post is actually wondering why, for those arguing that the watch is useless with the iPhone off, why their iPhone would be off in the first place.
I agree the watch is viable, at least for the important stuff, with the iPhone off, but I just can't see that ever happening for me.
To be honest, mine will only be off if it die or I turn it off before going in somewhere important.
I'd like to see a doorstop that does everything except SMS/MMS and third party push notifications.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205547
- To receive SMS from third-party apps, MMS from third-party apps, or push notifications from third-party apps on your cellular model of Apple Watch, your paired iPhone must be powered on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, but it doesn't need to be nearby. You also need to be signed in to iMessage on your iPhone.
- If you're on Wi-Fi and want to call a phone number, make sure that Wi-Fi calling is turned on for your Apple Watch. Otherwise, try making a FaceTime audio call.