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Going phoneless some of the time - Keyboard, Airpods, things to consider?

J

jakja83

Cancelled
Original poster
Aug 4, 2010
261
167
Soooo, I have the iPhone 11 and I am a bit tired of lugging it around - I consider swapping it for the SE2, but I also have the Apple Watch 6 Cellular 44 mm en-route. I own Airpods Pro.

Is it possible to leave the phone in my jacket and just put a single airpod in my pocket and then receive calls on my watch?

I often text a bit at work, can you pair the watch with a bluetooth keyboard and type text into the Watch?

Are there other potential issues I could run into?
 
jakja83 said:
Ok, but going out with a single charged airpod in my pocket and the watch will allow me to put the airpod in my ear when I receive a call on the watch and answer it?
Click to expand...
If the watch is a cellular model and is already connected to the AirPods, yes, you can answer the call from your watch on the airpod. Or with any other BT headphone already paired to the watch. You don't need the phone.

If you already have your phone with you, why don't you pair the airpod to the phone? why would you need to answer FROM your watch? In neither situation you'd need to get your phone out of the pocket.
 
cdcastillo said:
If the watch is a cellular model and is already connected to the AirPods, yes, you can answer the call from your watch on the airpod. Or with any other BT headphone already paired to the watch. You don't need the phone.

If you already have your phone with you, why don't you pair the airpod to the phone? why would you need to answer FROM your watch? In neither situation you'd need to get your phone out of the pocket.
Click to expand...
I want to go without the phone. Watch only and just use the phone when absolutely needed.

You can do most of the stuff I need from the watch;

- Texting
- Email
- Phone calls
- Paying in my store
- To do-list
- Calendar
 
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jakja83 said:
I want to go without the phone. Watch only and just use the phone when absolutely needed.

You can do most of the stuff I need from the watch;

- Texting
- Email
- Phone calls
- Paying in my store
- To do-list
- Calendar
Click to expand...
Then, assuming you have the cellular version of the watch, yes, you can answer the call from the watch and use the AirPods.

I've not heard of anyone succesfully connecting a BT keyboard to the watch, however.
 
cdcastillo said:
Then, assuming you have the cellular version of the watch, yes, you can answer the call from the watch and use the AirPods.

I've not heard of anyone succesfully connecting a BT keyboard to the watch, however.
Click to expand...
Ok, thank you. AW6 Cellular coming today so it will be interesting to check out.

Text input is just about the only limitation for my everyday usage since you don't always want to say messages out loud. (Dictation) :)
 
jakja83 said:
Ok, thank you. AW6 Cellular coming today so it will be interesting to check out.

Text input is just about the only limitation for my everyday usage since you don't always want to say messages out loud. (Dictation) :)
Click to expand...
You can scribble
 
Keep us up to date. I’m also interested in not carrying a cell all the time. In fact, I’d rather not have one at all.
 
harriska2 said:
Keep us up to date. I’m also interested in not carrying a cell all the time. In fact, I’d rather not have one at all.
Click to expand...
A couple of days in. Works a charm with an airpod in one pocket. Missing some stuff, but messaging and phone calls are working out all right. I have turned off other notificiations, just phone calls and messages. You also avoid checking unneccessary stuff during the day and can be more present during the day.

Paying with the watch is great on shops, Spotify works pretty well also - some playlists don't play thought and I don't know why. I use the watch a lot and currently I have 68% battery left after a full day at work and a total of 9,5 hours off the charger. I think that is more than good enough for me.

I am considering getting a fabric band though to make my skin a bit more comfortable.
 
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jakja83 said:
A couple of days in. Works a charm with an airpod in one pocket. Missing some stuff, but messaging and phone calls are working out all right. I have turned off other notificiations, just phone calls and messages. You also avoid checking unneccessary stuff during the day and can be more present during the day.

Paying with the watch is great on shops, Spotify works pretty well also - some playlists don't play thought and I don't know why. I use the watch a lot and currently I have 68% battery left after a full day at work and a total of 9,5 hours off the charger. I think that is more than good enough for me.

I am considering getting a fabric band though to make my skin a bit more comfortable.
Click to expand...
I love the nylon sports loops. I get them for $12 or so on amazon. My son has the Nike version and it is very nice. I got one for my husband, who doesn't like watches, and he really likes it. Go figure. The silicone bands would leave me itchy.
 
Ok, one week with AW 6 Cellular:

- Amazing tech, AO-display is a must.
- Works great for everything, though dictation sometimes stutter a lot.
- Ended up returning it even though I liked it. Much more pleasent to just use my 12 mini-phone since there are a lot of stuff the watch won't help you get done during the day.

I like keeping things simple and the Watch didn't help me enough to make it worth carrying and charging it everyday.
 
jakja83 said:
Ok, one week with AW 6 Cellular:

- Amazing tech, AO-display is a must.
- Works great for everything, though dictation sometimes stutter a lot.
- Ended up returning it even though I liked it. Much more pleasent to just use my 12 mini-phone since there are a lot of stuff the watch won't help you get done during the day.

I like keeping things simple and the Watch didn't help me enough to make it worth carrying and charging it everyday.
Click to expand...
3 months later - missing the watch.

Questions:

- Can the watch unlock my phone? E.g. if I had an iPhone SE2020 and the watch on my wrist - could I just press the home button and avoid the random touchID not working?

- Really love my 12 mini, but contemplating going iPhone SE2020+Watch instead. I can get the Watch SE Cellular for 40% less than a series 6, but I do think the always-on-display will be missed.
 
jakja83 said:
3 months later - missing the watch.

Questions:

- Can the watch unlock my phone? E.g. if I had an iPhone SE2020 and the watch on my wrist - could I just press the home button and avoid the random touchID not working?

- Really love my 12 mini, but contemplating going iPhone SE2020+Watch instead. I can get the Watch SE Cellular for 40% less than a series 6, but I do think the always-on-display will be missed.
Click to expand...
1. The watch can unlock Face ID phones (so not the 2020 SE), but only when the phone detects a mask being worn first. There's no option to only use the watch, or to try unlocking with the watch first.

2. Have you considered a used/refurb Series 5? As cheap, or cheaper, than a new SE, but with AOD.
 
I have a 20% discount so I can get a new cheaper. I see a AW6 Cellular only cost 100 dollar more than SE with discount here so a 6 is probably best choice - and will probably retain it's value the best.

Thank you for your reply.
 
For those who wish to type on the watch, rather than use scribble (which I find dreadful), or are too subconscious to use Siri (or are trying to text something private in public), use the fantastic FlickType
apps.apple.com

‎FlickType - Watch Keyboard

‎The fastest Apple Watch keyboard, now better than ever. With powerful Auto-Correct, Swipe Typing, customization features and more, FlickType Keyboard will change the way you use your Apple Watch! Also includes a fully accessible iPhone keyboard for low-vision users. Follow @FlickType on Twitter…
apps.apple.com

As well as being compatible with messages, it’s integrated into a number of watch apps, and if the developer of your favorite watch app wants to integrate it into his/her/other app, there is no charge.
 
jakja83 said:
A couple of days in. Works a charm with an airpod in one pocket. Missing some stuff, but messaging and phone calls are working out all right. I have turned off other notificiations, just phone calls and messages. You also avoid checking unneccessary stuff during the day and can be more present during the day.

Paying with the watch is great on shops, Spotify works pretty well also - some playlists don't play thought and I don't know why. I use the watch a lot and currently I have 68% battery left after a full day at work and a total of 9,5 hours off the charger. I think that is more than good enough for me.

I am considering getting a fabric band though to make my skin a bit more comfortable.
Click to expand...
Update: My watch-experience cooled off, but I still want to be able to walk around phoneless, my main issue is to be able to answer calls in a discrete manner. I want a smallish earpiece that can be carried in my pocket and when I receive a call I can instantly put it in my ear and answer it.

A single Airpod Pro works ok, but tends to drain battery. Any recommendations?
 
jakja83 said:
Update: My watch-experience cooled off, but I still want to be able to walk around phoneless, my main issue is to be able to answer calls in a discrete manner. I want a smallish earpiece that can be carried in my pocket and when I receive a call I can instantly put it in my ear and answer it.

A single Airpod Pro works ok, but tends to drain battery. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...
the best I've found is just a set of AirPods in a case. Not much larger and works more reliably. Aside from the drain, I've also had issues with a naked AirPods in my pocket connecting to the watch, so it''s connected or playing through the speaker, but I'm unaware of it
 
mk313 said:
the best I've found is just a set of AirPods in a case. Not much larger and works more reliably. Aside from the drain, I've also had issues with a naked AirPods in my pocket connecting to the watch, so it''s connected or playing through the speaker, but I'm unaware of it
Click to expand...
I know, but the case is big enough to be at bit too big for my desires.

I could use a regular bluetooth earpiece, but it might not connect quickly enough…
 
Last edited:
Funny, I got the Watch 6 and iPhone mini and find them to be a great combo. I’m hoping that in 3-4 years my next upgrade will be a stand alone watch and no phone at all. There is an AirPod silicone holder you can put on the watch band …
 
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