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Cellular Watch owners, how much do you use it?
- Thread starter kaisoj
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I think it’s worth 5 dollars a month.
I don’t have to bring my phone with me.
Getting texts, streaming music, receiving the occasional call is enough for me to justify the convenience fee. Nowadays that’s a cup of coffee.
I bought the cellular specifically for when I go on runs. Being able to listen to AppleMusic, Podcasts, receive texts and phone calls, etc., without having to take my phone with me is so nice.
It's not how often I use it. It's the fact that it's available all the time for when I need it.
I use it a ton - and battery life for cellular is getting very usable with Series 7 - I did a stress test spending 6 to 7 hours listening to podcasts and using the watch as a stand alone device on cellular - during this time I downloaded 1.2GB of podcasts with the Outcasts app - I ended this session at 17% (started around 93 percent).
The only thing to really tank the battery on cellular is streaming live audio with the Broadcasts app and I presume Apple Music live radio stations; for this it can eat up as much as 30 percent in an hour; I also believe extended phone calls will do a similar thing, but don’t talk on the phone enough to have this experience.
But my Series 5 would not of survived this kind of usage - and even better with the Series 7 fast charging is so good you can have a very dead watch come back to almost a full charge in a 30 minute lunch break. So battery anxiety is pretty much gone for me.
The keyboard in the Series 7 also makes it so I can easily text myself URLs in iMessage and have a pretty decent way to access websites and browse the web if I need to on the watch (a better experience than you might think)
I love the freedom of the watch and being able to go without the iPhone and there are more and more apps that will run independent; including an awesome Twitter client (Chirp).
The only thing to really tank the battery on cellular is streaming live audio with the Broadcasts app and I presume Apple Music live radio stations; for this it can eat up as much as 30 percent in an hour; I also believe extended phone calls will do a similar thing, but don’t talk on the phone enough to have this experience.
But my Series 5 would not of survived this kind of usage - and even better with the Series 7 fast charging is so good you can have a very dead watch come back to almost a full charge in a 30 minute lunch break. So battery anxiety is pretty much gone for me.
The keyboard in the Series 7 also makes it so I can easily text myself URLs in iMessage and have a pretty decent way to access websites and browse the web if I need to on the watch (a better experience than you might think)
I love the freedom of the watch and being able to go without the iPhone and there are more and more apps that will run independent; including an awesome Twitter client (Chirp).
So using Apple Music streaming (not live radio stations) won't eat up the battery on cellular? I used walking directions 3 years ago on AW (not on cellular) for maybe 30 minutes and it ate up a hunk of battery. That experience gave me battery anxiety.
It will use a good bit of cellular data depending on how long you stream and your signal strength during the streaming. The best thing to do is download songs to the watch ahead of time if you are worried about data usage or watch battery.
Streaming pre-recorded stuff like music and podcasts isn’t terrible; what really kills it is when it needs to live stream something like a podcast broadcasting live or a live radio station; yes your battery will certainly get a hit streaming audio, but it in my experience is much better than it used to be especially if you are in a good cell coverage area
I use it when walking my dog and like to have it for the times I go out and forget to bring my phone.
Use mine when jogging. No cell flopping around and no more carrying a pouch haha.
For one year i paid 5 euros a month for cellular service on my AW5 I simply used when running and nothing more. Sometimes I tried going to the gym on bike without cell, training and listening to podcasts with airpods. In two hours (from home on bike, training, back home) the battery was completely drained. At the end I realized it was quite useless. Quite the majority of apps don’t work on cell connection, I even left Things to use Reminders because of cellular sync on AW (now in the latest versions even things and fantastical work on cellular AWs), but my next AW will be gps only. Cellular is expensive and quite useless.
What carrier plan is only $5 extra per month? That’s really cheap. My Verizon plan charges $10 month.
I've bought cell + wifi watches since S3. Didn't hook one up until S6, but actually never used it. I was inspired by one of my daughters-in-law, who uses her watch on cell all the time. FWIW...
One benefit of cellular models (at least in the U.S), is that you don't have to have an active cellular plan to make 911 calls. The call will go through. So that piece of mind is why I'll always have the cell + wifi.
I agree with many of the above, I find it hard to see the benefit of an AW that needs to be tethered to a phone 24/7 to maximize its functionality.
If I have a phone with me, I don't need a watch, if I have an LTE watch, I don't need a phone.
For me, AirPods combined with an LTE AW has been an absolute game-changer for any activity or situation I find myself in. Most weekends the phone stays at home and the AW + APs keep me connected and active.
But, unlike my wife, my phone isn't glued to my hand 24/7 so your mileage may vary.
If I have a phone with me, I don't need a watch, if I have an LTE watch, I don't need a phone.
For me, AirPods combined with an LTE AW has been an absolute game-changer for any activity or situation I find myself in. Most weekends the phone stays at home and the AW + APs keep me connected and active.
But, unlike my wife, my phone isn't glued to my hand 24/7 so your mileage may vary.
Several times a week. I have an iPhone 13 Pro and I don’t like the weight and the size but I bought it because the screen and the cameras. I hate when it bounces inside my pocket so many times I leave my home without it and only with my Apple Watch and my AirPods. And then I feel free.
Please also note that those who do not have a cellular data plan on their watch can still make wifi calling on their watch... for instance here in Florida where you have a Target, Wallmart, Publix, Winn Dixie, Bestbuy all with open Wifi...you can basically make and receive calls on your watch via their open Wifi. I am quit sure there are many many more place like that. I once forgot my phone at home and saw across the street a Publix supermarket and went inside and I was able to make a call to my wife at home.
I mean I don't have much use of the cellular function and I can only think of some narrow use cases. However since I chose the stainless steel model, it comes with LTE.. and my carrier only charges ~USD2.5 extra for the Watch connection so I have it anyway.
Can you add a WiFi network with just a AW, or the WiFi already had to be added previously using an iPhone?