Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How does Apple Watch 3 lte really works?

dave006 said:
No it is designed to be paired to an iPhone. When ever possible it will use the lowest power option for activity on the watch. When your iPhone is nearby: it starts with Bluetooth, then Wi-Fi and finally LTE if that is the only connectivity that is available. Note that LTE is a big power consumer of the available LTE Watch battery.

It can also be used while away from your iPhone but there a restrictions. The watch can't establish new Wi-Fi connections, it can only connect to a Wi-Fi network that the paired iPhone has connected to aka a know Network.

Would you consider it a truly stand alone LTE watch??

Dave
Click to expand...

Now considering no I don’t consider it a stand alone device. I also don’t consider it in the same race as a lte Samsung device considering you can use that smart watch if your phone is off. So in theory the Apple Watch is more close to a Bluetooth tethered Watch than a lte device because your iPhone (slave) has to do all the work for it.
 
So, in fact, if IPhone has turned off because of empty battery and the charger is far at the moment, AW3 will not connect and work with the cellular network? Am I right?
 
yousha said:
So, in fact, if IPhone has turned off because of empty battery and the charger is far at the moment, AW3 will not connect and work with the cellular network? Am I right?
Click to expand...
In the UK on EE the only LTE functionality missing when the iPhone is powered off is receiving SMS. You can make/receive calls and send/receive iMessages, but only send SMS.

In fact, I thought this was mentioned in the Keynote - that you could send but not receive SMS on LTE.
 
yousha said:
So, in fact, if IPhone has turned off because of empty battery and the charger is far at the moment, AW3 will not connect and work with the cellular network? Am I right?
Click to expand...

This some sad **** for real. They should of explained in details.
 
It's amazing how a product has been launched and the public is still confused about how it really works and integrates with or without your iPhone. I think Apple talked so quickly about the LTE Apple watch that they didn't want to say what it couldn't do but rather quickly talk about what it can do. As a consumer why not just be straight up and say it will do this but it won't do this or it performs this way before LTE kicks in etc....
 
dolphin2421 said:
You can make voice calls from the watch with your phone powered off.
Click to expand...
You can also send and receive iMessages. Only SMS/MMS Txts require the iPhone to be powered on and connected to the carrier network via a cellular connection or via Wi-Fi connection the to carrier's network.

Dave
 
Can anyone with a watch make a video with all the scenarios as to what will work and what won’t work
 
  • Like
Reactions: MrGuder
Nobody has a watch and time to make this happen as in making a video on exactly what the watch can and can’t do
 
  • Like
Reactions: Applemacfan
For me what is the speaker like on cell. Can you really hear the other person well? Or does it need an almost quiet room to be worthwhile?
 
ANTAWNM26 said:
I’m thinking Apple may have rushed this Watch n iPhone x. This watch isn’t polished at all
Click to expand...
They might have, especially the iPhone
ANTAWNM26 said:
I’m thinking Apple may have rushed this Watch n iPhone x. This watch isn’t polished at all
Click to expand...
I was hoping they will tweak some design one the Watch this time, maybe make it thinner. They made it thicker instead, and battery life isn’t much better.
 
Last edited:
Wait, so the LTE version requires your iPhone to be on in order to receive SMS messages even when you’re far away from your iPhone? Why charge the $10 a month then if the watch can’t function independently? This is basically like the old non LTE Apple Watches right?
 
Orangeman13 said:
Wait, so the LTE version requires your iPhone to be on in order to receive SMS messages even when you’re far away from your iPhone? Why charge the $10 a month then if the watch can’t function independently? This is basically like the old non LTE Apple Watches right?
Click to expand...
When I first signup with the plan, I received a message said xxx-xxx-xxxx number has been added to my account, however, thats a different number than mine.
My guess is, they use the iPhone to forward to the Apple Watch instead they actually shared the same number. However, if you actually call that number it will tell you it can't receive call at this time.
 
Applemacfan said:
When I first signup with the plan, I received a message said xxx-xxx-xxxx number has been added to my account, however, thats a different number than mine.
My guess is, they use the iPhone to forward to the Apple Watch instead they actually shared the same number. However, if you actually call that number it will tell you it can't receive call at this time.
Click to expand...
Huh? I’m confused....

I’m on Verizon. If I get the LTE version of the Apple Watch can I receive SMS texts when I’m away from my iPhone and does my iPhone have to be powered on somewhere for my watch to receive messages?
 
Applemacfan said:
When I first signup with the plan, I received a message said xxx-xxx-xxxx number has been added to my account, however, thats a different number than mine.
My guess is, they use the iPhone to forward to the Apple Watch instead they actually shared the same number. However, if you actually call that number it will tell you it can't receive call at this time.
Click to expand...

So is this really a stand alone lte device? I say no. If you have to have your phone on then why leave out lte band and just tether through Bluetooth. Nobody that has a watch will clear up these questions for certain
 
  • Like
Reactions: Orangeman13
There are multiple YouTube videos of people texting, making phone calls away from their phones so I’m assuming their iPhones must be powered on somewhere.
 
TheColtr said:
2) WiFi calling doesn’t require your phone either. As long as you have activated WiFi calling you can make and receive calls over known and connected WiFi networks without needing your phone at all.

3) if the watch is in proximity of your phone it will share your phone data connection (like non- Lte watches) to save battery. When the watch is away from the phone (or the phone is dead) the watch will try to connect to known WiFi networks. If there are no known WiFi networks it will connect to LTE and run completely on its own cellular connection.

Hope this cleared things up. I tried to be as clear as I could.
Click to expand...

Does this mean wifi calling has to be turned on on the phone itself always or just that you have to register address with it on and then you can turn it off?

Also - at work/friend's house my phone automatically connects to the wifi but my watch showing lte bars at both places - shouldn't watch recognize same wifi networks that phone does?
Edit - I found the answer to this one(at least one part - I am still uncertain about my work place):
Your Apple Watch can connect to a Wi-Fi network:

  • If your iPhone, while connected to your watch with Bluetooth, has connected to the network before.
  • If the Wi-Fi network is 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz.
For example, your Apple Watch won't connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi or public networks that require logins, subscriptions, or profiles. When your Apple Watch connects to a compatible Wi-Fi network instead of your iPhone connection,
watchos4-wifi-status-bar-icon.png
appears in the Control Center.
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204562
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Orangeman13
Farrellcollie said:
Does this mean wifi calling has to be turned on on the phone itself always or just that you have to register address with it on and then you can turn it off?

Also - at work/friend's house my phone automatically connects to the wifi but my watch showing lte bars at both places - shouldn't watch recognize same wifi networks that phone does?
Click to expand...
I remember seeing a video that the Watch connects to wifi, iPhone has bluetooth off and not connect to wifi, watch can still receive call.
ANTAWNM26 said:
For it to be a REAL LTE it should be able to handle sms/mms with phone off.
Click to expand...

I think so too, especially in situation the phone is being updated, restore from back up, it can take a long time so it would be nice if Watch can still receive calls/sms.
The most upset part is the carriers still want to charge $10, I know it’s for streaming music, but why can’t that share the data plan with you phone? Since users aren’t going to steam from both at the same time (in normal useage).
 
how do you know if wifi calling is turned on for apple watch? Does that mean wifi calling has to be turned on for the phone as well?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back