How crippled is Apple Watch if you don't own an iPhone?

[smileman]

In other words, can you use an iPad, Mac, something else with the Apple Watch, or is it really a product that is only useful to purchase if you also have an iPhone?

 

[Julien]

Possibly totally if you must use the iPhone's (only) Companion App to initiate and if not you could only use as a watch.

 

[Mtmspa]

It will be like owning an Android phone..

 

[Mac'nCheese]

In other words, can you use an iPad, Mac, something else with the Apple Watch, or is it really a product that is only useful to purchase if you also have an iPhone?

Even if you could, who wants to always carry around their iPad or Mac? I think once it loses connectivity, it will lose all messaging, calls, etc.

 

[Sharkey311]

Communication aspect and 3rd party apps are kaput.

Music, photos, podcasts, health tracking, time keeping, and some apps (plus more I'm sure) will work without the phone

 

[matt9013]

Communication aspect and 3rd party apps are kaput.

Music, photos, podcasts, health tracking, time keeping, and some apps (plus more I'm sure) will work without the phone

You sure? A lot of people seem to think that you will need an iPhone just to set up the Watch, let alone use it for anything.

Personally I don't have an iPhone and just want an Watch for telling time and adding to my watch collection.

 

[kmj2318]

Tim Cook said "Apple Watch requires an iPhone," so I'm guessing pretty useless.

 

[Sharkey311]

Oh my gosh people. It won't be useless without the iPhone.

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You sure? A lot of people seem to think that you will need an iPhone just to set up the Watch, let alone use it for anything.

Personally I don't have an iPhone and just want an Watch for telling time and adding to my watch collection.

positive

 

[Flow39]

It basically becomes a $350+ paperweight.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

Without an iPhone you probably won't get past the setup screens when you first turn it on after taking it out of the box. It's a companion device; like two peas in a pod, and so on.

That, and Apple's said you need an iPhone.

Yeah, it can function in stand-alone mode, with reduced functionality, but that isn't its intended mode of operation. Apple wants you to have an iPhone (selling these is their bread and butter, cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, mayo, onion, pickles, mustard, possibly toothpick; olive as well), so expect they'll find ways to make sure you have one.

 

[Clix Pix]

I do own an iPhone (6 Plus) but there are times when I don't have it with me for particular reasons and yet if I had one, would like to still wear the watch.....seems to me that the watch would at least tell me the time even if it doesn't notify me of texts or email or messages....?

 

[Night Spring]

I do own an iPhone (6 Plus) but there are times when I don't have it with me for particular reasons and yet if I had one, would like to still wear the watch.....seems to me that the watch would at least tell me the time even if it doesn't notify me of texts or email or messages....?

You could go running or for a walk with just the watch, and it will count your steps, tell time, show any pictures you have loaded onto it, play music which you can listen to on Bluetooth headphones.

 

[Clix Pix]

Ah, thank you, that is what I was wondering! Excellent!

 

[matt9013]

So an iPhone 5 or higher is required for an Watch. Says in the information to the right.

http://store.apple.com/us/buy-watch/apple-watch-sport?product=MJ2V2LL/A&step=detail