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kat.hayes

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 10, 2011
1,448
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1. Does the watch use bluetooth or WiFi to pair with the phone?
2. How far away can the watch be from the iPhone to receive messages, emails, calls?
3. Can it receive messages or email when not paired with the phone and just using WiFi?

Thanks
 
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1. Uses Bluetooth to sync. Wifi is more of a backup connection method if your phone and watch are on the same network but out of Bluetooth range
2. As long as you have a bluetooth connection. I believe it is about 25-30ft, but walls and other structures might change that ]
3. Some services work, such as iMessage when only on Wifi. Bear in mind the watch is not designed to be a stand alone device. It doesn't work if it isn't pared with a iPhone. You cannot join a wifi network from the watch, it uses the same networks as the iPhone does. The Watch will talk to the device over wifi if they are both on the same wifi network. It won't link up if you are on different networks or you leave the phone at home and connected to wifi and are connected to work wifi on the watch (for example).

In short, bluetooth should be used. There is very little control over wifi, its more of a seamless process.
 
For clarification, If the watch has already joined a WiFi network previously, and the watch is out of range of the phone, perhaps the phone is in one room and you are on the other side of the house beyond 30ft, can you still receive messages and use Siri/voice through WiFi to respond to those messages?

Thanks.
 
Yes, but the phone and the Watch have to be on the same network.

Following page from Apple might help:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204562
I'm not sure that's correct. I'm pretty sure you can use the watch on any network that the phone has connected to previously (unless the network takes you to a log on screen, you can't use those). If your cell provider supports it, you can even use it to receive calls.
 
From the support page:
Compatible Wi-Fi for Apple Watch

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, Green cloud icon appears in the Control Center.

And follow another link on that page to get to this one, which says what you can do in Apple's apps when it's connected to the internet without your phone anywhere around:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205547

Third-party apps are hit-and-miss depending on whether they're loaded natively onto the AW and what the developers designed them to do. For example, I can play a couple games, check weather via Dark Sky and RadarScope, get news stories in News360, and use KakaoTalk, but Twitter and Slack need to connect to their phone apps.
 
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I'm not sure that's correct. I'm pretty sure you can use the watch on any network that the phone has connected to previously (unless the network takes you to a log on screen, you can't use those). If your cell provider supports it, you can even use it to receive calls.

I can confirm what you're referring to above. I have had my iPhone connect to previous Wi-Fi networks prior used with permission and the Watch will automatically connect Accordingly due to the previous wifi signal.
 
I am little confused, I always turn off wifi on my iPhone when there is no wifi around so I assumed it uses Bluetooth with iPhone right? Do I have to leave wifi ON even if there is no wifi around??
 
I am little confused, I always turn off wifi on my iPhone when there is no wifi around so I assumed it uses Bluetooth with iPhone right? Do I have to leave wifi ON even if there is no wifi around??

Wifi is a back up method. The Apple Watch primarily relies on Bluetooth for a connection. You don't have to have wifi enabled to use the Watch, with the exception of software updates. But with wifi enabled and if the Watch has connected to it before, it will use wifi where available.
 
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Yes, but the phone and the Watch have to be on the same network.

Following page from Apple might help:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204562
As others have said, this is not correct. I've received messages on my Watch when I've stopped in at a McDonald's on a run with my phone left at home. I've joined McD's wifi networks before on my phone so the Watch will rejoin them. (It will even do so when the wifi requires accepting the terms and conditions every time, like McDonald's, and even when I've never been in that particular McDonald's.)

I even received a phone call one time on my Watch when I was in a Subway and had left my phone at home. It was my wife, so I answered it and talked to her on my wrist.
 
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