LTE in Apple Watch Series 3 Models Only Works in Country of Purchase

[JeffyTheQuik]

The 1 hour of battery life seems like the bigger issue. Without battery power, it won't even work in the country you bought the watch.

Luckily, you can have more than one Watch paired to your iPhone, so for those 24 hour talk-a-thons, just get 24 Watches. Get the Edition ones, as you don't want to be gauche.

I'm all about solutions, not problems.

Truth be told, however, you can probably get away with having just 4, as you can charge Watch #1 as you use 2-4, and just round-robin them.

 

[Dan From Canada]

The 1 hour of battery life seems like the bigger issue. Without battery power, it won't even work in the country you bought the watch.

I still see this watch as being in the early stages of development and far from being a mature product.

The limited battery life is a no go. I will happily wait a few more years because right now it is the same as buying an original iPad which was outdated a couple of years after introduction.

 

[DeepIn2U]

The limitations are all coming out now, 1 hour battery life, no roaming. Wonder whats next?

Makes this far less desirable.

:-(

No doubt, the roaming issue will be fixed in the AppleWatch 4.

Hehe as I mentioned in the other thread in response to Relentless Power wanting to grab an AW3+LTE over to UK:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-october-5-launch-date.2066896/#post-25024611

Except Roaming is NOT supported!!

Would be a waste of money for you.
The imbedded digital SIM would be set for USA carriers only at specific participating carriers - it's in their HRL databases and not provisioned for VLR (Visitor Location Roaming) base stations. You'd have JUST a watch with GPS+WiFi at the price with cellular.

Roaming is due to the Imbedded Chip and non-supporting carriers for such Imbedded-NanoChip and Roaming setup. I actually half expected this iPhone X to have such Nano-Chip within yet was wrong.

 

[44267547]

The 1 hour of battery life seems like the bigger issue. Without battery power, it won't even work in the country you bought the watch.

The one hour of battery is if somebody is using it for one hour of talk time. I doubt anyone will be using their Apple Watch for a one hour phone call without transitioning the call to the iPhone.

https://www.apple.com/watch/battery.html

 

[Elvys]

I

Just because they are allowing you to share a number, they still have to register the IMEI into their system and allot resources for the extra devices. I agree that $10 is a bit high, but they are adding cost on their end.

I live in Spain and I can share my data plan with my iPad (and soon my Watch) with no extra cost. Not saying it should be free everywhere, but maybe 3/5 dollars seems more reasonable.

 

[roundaboutmusic]

Also, with the exception of T-Mobile, all of the US carriers charge per device (per day) for international data - are you all really willing to pay an extra $10 a day to use your watch instead of just putting your phone in your pocket?

I'm not familiar with Non-US carriers' international data plans. I do think this is a huge bummer for European customers. Though I think anyone would only realistically travel between France, Germany & Switzerland (and maybe the UK) since those are the only supported countries at the moment so it only affects people that would do that regularly.

EDIT: T-mobile doesn't even have free 4G internationally, it is limited to 3G which the watch doesn't support - you have to buy an on-demand pass to use 4G - so any US customers that are mad about this are definitely overreacting.

I agree with the above.

Via Vodafone Australia I can pay $5 per day to roam in many different countries, which is great. However it's $5 per day, per device. Is it really worth it to be able to talk into your watch while on holiday?

Furthermore, as above, in the USA and some other countries I'm limited to 3G roaming, which renders the whole thing moot.


Posters are acting as if the inability to roam with the watch renders the series 3 useless. It doesn't, it will still work perfectly well just as a series 0,1 or 2 does now. In fact it will be faster.

 

[Elvys]

My intention was to buy the LTE watch in USA, take it to my country and wait to the Spanish carrier to support this service. Now I have a reasonable doubt... maybe this won't be possible.

Looks like it won’t work. I really hope an European model will work, even if it’s not supported on day one by carriers a software update should be enough

 

[symphony]

I plan on moving to the states in early 2018, it’s not going to work with US carriers from a watch in Canada?!

 

[Elvys]

I plan on moving to the states in early 2018, it’s not going to work with US carriers from a watch in Canada?!

It looks like traveling between US and Canada you’re in luck https://www.apple.com/watch/cellular/

 

[AidenL]

Looks like it won’t work. I really hope an European model will work, even if it’s not supported on day one by carriers a software update should be enough

Im buying a UK one and taking it to Ireland - I know it wont work for phone calls on LTE, but I just want a SS anyway and the S3 benefits are a bonus.

I can sell it in the UK later on anyway and someone else will be able to get the benefit of use.

 

[neutralguy]

A perfect way to break up with your girl friend. No more texting. Just call..

"Hi babe, I am breaking up with you!"
"Ugh! What? Why?"
" Can't say much. My watch allows very little talk time. Bye!"

So damn easy!!

 

[NervousFish2]

Can you get an LTE Series 3 watch, not activate the cellular, but still get calling through WiFi or BT when the phone is nearby like the original and series 2 watch.

I'd like to upgrade my original watch, but I don't particularly want the LTE functionality, but only the LTE models come in Stainless Steel.

This is indeed the dilemma... the SS watch is a much superior model in build quality. I want it to last. But I can't buy it without GSM. So, I dunno, tempted now to try set a series 2 in SS.

 

[BlueCreek]

Only 3.5% of the US population has EVER traveled abroad. But we should probably blow this up into a HUGE problem because EVERYONE has to have their watch to talk when they're traveling.

We couldn't talk on our watches before 9/22 but it's IMPOSSIBLE to travel without that ability after that date. Cancel my trip.

Oh I'm sorry, I did not realise the ENTIRE world revolves around the US and the 96.5% of you who do not travel.

 

[dampfnudel]

I am in India and a frequent traveler to the states. Just checked apple India website and your guess was correct. No SS watch in India. I preordered the Nike cellular and now have to cancel it because it would be completely useless. I was hoping India carriers start supporting it in a few months but now even if they do the US version will not work. I don't understand this. Isn't it cost effective for Apple to just manufacture a universal watch rather than fragment it for each country. They did this for the old iPhones but the new sim free ones work everywhere. I am hoping this article is not true and that support person didn't have full information.

You could do a stopover in Europe and pick one up that should work in India.

 

[pika2000]

Wait, so Apple is not selling the SS or ceramic version in many markets because of this cellular limitation? Wow that's not cool. Eg. In Singapore, pretty much only aluminum models available. What was Apple thinking? Limiting sales just to shoehorn cellular? This is a slap to those high earning customers in the unsupported countries.

The least they could've done was continuing series 2, or making wifi version of all lineup. I mean come on, don't see the excuse of simplifying the lineup when there are 8 iPhone models now.

 

[kstotlani]

You could do a stopover in Europe and pick one up that should work in India.

I checked the bands. Need 3,5 and 40. 40 is not available but could have worked most places in India. Also I transit through Dubai. I have made my peace with GPS only now. Thanks for the advice though.

 

[sirozha]

I'm going to cancel my pre-order because of this. I was planning on traveling to Vietnam for 3 months and was hoping to get it to work over there, but now Apple comes out with this clarification. Ugh.

It will still work as a regular Apple Watch, including calling and data using Bluetooth. It will even be able to call using Wi-Fi if the carrier supports "calls on other devices" feature. It just won't function as an LTE watch while you are in Vietnam.
[doublepost=1505520709][/doublepost]It's the same watch for US and Canada. There are no physical limitations to using this watch in Canada if you were to flee the US and got a calling plan from Bell Canada. Do they consider Canada to be part the same country as the US?
[doublepost=1505520859][/doublepost]

Only 3.5% of the US population has EVER traveled abroad. But we should probably blow this up into a HUGE problem because EVERYONE has to have their watch to talk when they're traveling.

We couldn't talk on our watches before 9/22 but it's IMPOSSIBLE to travel without that ability after that date. Cancel my trip.

I've been talking on my watch for a year now.
[doublepost=1505520983][/doublepost]

I plan on moving to the states in early 2018, it’s not going to work with US carriers from a watch in Canada?!

It should. Same exact watch.

 

[mock5120]

Only 3.5% of the US population has EVER traveled abroad. But we should probably blow this up into a HUGE problem because EVERYONE has to have their watch to talk when they're traveling.

We couldn't talk on our watches before 9/22 but it's IMPOSSIBLE to travel without that ability after that date. Cancel my trip.

It's actually something like 5% each year, not 3.5% all time. But I do agree with your sentiment, it really isn't a big deal to not be able to use them outside your country of residence (unless you move, hopefully there is a solution for that). I travel overseas 10+ times per year, and I can tell you that dealing with international cell coverage can be a pain, and the benefits associated with having a cellular connection in my watch are minimal, especially compared to the additional pain it would be to get a second device working wherever I'm traveling.

 

[sirozha]

Its ligit to want to use your apple watch in other countries as you do in your home country.. i.e., to exercise and to take the odd phone call while you do so. Many people have dual passports too, or business trips etc etc and may travel between each more regularly.

Visiting other countries isn't scary*(!), and certainly don't really need to take your phone around with you everywhere!



* a few countries could be named that require more due diligence than others!

Other countries? What other countries? Are you serious? There are other countries?
[doublepost=1505521515][/doublepost]

My intention was to buy the LTE watch in USA, take it to my country and wait to the Spanish carrier to support this service. Now I have a reasonable doubt... maybe this won't be possible.

The LTE watch for Europe has different bands than the LTE watch for the US and Canada. Look it up on the Apple's web site.

 

[roland.g]

This is indeed the dilemma... the SS watch is a much superior model in build quality. I want it to last. But I can't buy it without GSM. So, I dunno, tempted now to try set a series 2 in SS.

I don't think you have to activate and it should still work as before when in communication range of phone. My issue with going for the Series 2 is that while it has the swim capacity, etc., the Series 3 has other aspects, altimeter I think, and performance gains that would be nice to have regardless of LTE.

 

[Braderunner]

Can’t wait to try LTE feature, and every other hardware improvement on on the new Watch. Will be upgrading from original. Bring on that red dot! Friday can’t come soon enough!

 

[BruiserB]

This is new technology that not all carriers support. I’m sure Apple worked with the major carriers in countries of release to support their technology, hence why the other carriers can’t support.

If I had to guess on the home country issue, that was probably due to space limitations and keeping the radio as small as possible.

As for no roaming, that’s probably due to a little of both of what I stated above.

Agreed. This is Apple "training" the carriers on eSIM and getting them on board to support it so that they can eventually do eSIM in the iPhone as well (without all of the current drawbacks).
[doublepost=1505524664][/doublepost]

Only 3.5% of the US population has EVER traveled abroad. But we should probably blow this up into a HUGE problem because EVERYONE has to have their watch to talk when they're traveling.

But I bet a much higher percentage of Apple Watch owners have traveled abroad.

 

[johnnygee]

Where are you guys coming up with "1 hour of battery life"? Sounds like more BS from Apple naysayers after a new product launch.

 

[nicho]

It would be but I suspect MacRumors is blowing the issue out of proportion a bit.

Have a look at the different models of Series 3 here and the bands they support: https://www.apple.com/watch/cellular/

There is pretty much no band overlap between the North American one and the European/Asian one. So I think what the Apple rep meant is just that a watch bought in the US will work in very few other countries because it only support US bands. But a watch bough in Japan will probably work in Germany or Australia because these countries use similar bands.

Hopefully they're blowing it up to force a response from Apple. good guy macrumors. "only work for the 4 US carriers" is very specific and disappointing; it'd help if they'd confirm it would actually work in Canada and PR in that case. i know it doesn't do roaming once you set it up with your carrier, but i think most were expecting you could take it to another country which used the same model and set it up there.

I bet people will have trouble to even use Facebook twitter google on Chinese model of Apple Watch outside China.

they aren't blocked on an OS level in Chinese models of iPhone, so why would you "bet" that?

 

[Breezygirl]

Where are you guys coming up with "1 hour of battery life"? Sounds like more BS from Apple naysayers after a new product launch.

Battery will last one hour of talk time on LTE, four hours with LTE connectivity on.
[doublepost=1505526141][/doublepost]

Where are you guys coming up with "1 hour of battery life"? Sounds like more BS from Apple naysayers after a new product launch.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.macrumors.com/2017/09/12/apple-watch-series-3-battery-life/amp/