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My Ultra will unchain me from my iPhone
- Thread starter coolbreeze2
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I meant the regular plan that you have the add the watch to. Prices are insane unless you go to prepaid which don't offer Apple Watch access.
I pay $70/mo for two lines unlimited call/text/data 5G, plus $5/mo for the watch plan. That's total cost inclusive of all taxes and fees. T-Mobile 55+ Magenta.
As for prepaid - Visible Wireless supports Apple Watch in the US - basic plan is $30/mo plus $5/mo for Apple Watch.
The primary reason in most circumstances I seldom want to leave my phone behind is because of the camera. the ability to take a picture or video at anytime is very, very powerful. That said I am going to pay for the cellular service with the Ultra for a year and I think my runs and workouts will switch to Apple Watch only, while up until now I have carried my phone (while using my older apple watches bluetooth connected to it). we will see how often I leave the phone behind besides that.
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I hold these hopes as well. During vacation over this summer, I practiced ditching my phone in my room all day. While I found the lack of a constant pull to check feeds, scores, news, alerts, etc. to be freeing, I found the absence of my favorite contacts, access to music, and general inaccessibility to not only be a nuisance, but actually detracted from my quality of life. I still see technology as a net positive and want to embrace those aspect while avoiding pitfalls of being always on.
I think back to my first iPod (3rd gen) and first iPhone (2g). The relationship I had with those devices were predominantly around consuming art (vis-a-vis music) and keeping connected with those in my circle. It was extraordinarily positive, and I still think fondly of them. Today the relationship with my phone revolved around news feeds, alerts, connection to strangers, scores...and a general instinct to fill every quiet moment with whatever content my phone can product in a moment's notice. There are plusses, and I see these technologies as net positives despite their drawbacks.
Still, I want to eliminate the instinct to reach for my phone in every lull. I love my iPhone (and ordered a 14 pro max), but I want to use with intention and purpose. Not just something to occupy my attention.
I am hoping the Apple Watch Ultra can assist me getting to this place. With it's battery life, screen size, and connectivity, I can listen to music/podcasts, be connected/accessible to my family and friends...while not having the temptation of everything that else that comes with a smart phone. I see the Apple Watch Ultra as striking the right balance that I'm looking for and be a device that offers technology that only enhances my life.
I think back to my first iPod (3rd gen) and first iPhone (2g). The relationship I had with those devices were predominantly around consuming art (vis-a-vis music) and keeping connected with those in my circle. It was extraordinarily positive, and I still think fondly of them. Today the relationship with my phone revolved around news feeds, alerts, connection to strangers, scores...and a general instinct to fill every quiet moment with whatever content my phone can product in a moment's notice. There are plusses, and I see these technologies as net positives despite their drawbacks.
Still, I want to eliminate the instinct to reach for my phone in every lull. I love my iPhone (and ordered a 14 pro max), but I want to use with intention and purpose. Not just something to occupy my attention.
I am hoping the Apple Watch Ultra can assist me getting to this place. With it's battery life, screen size, and connectivity, I can listen to music/podcasts, be connected/accessible to my family and friends...while not having the temptation of everything that else that comes with a smart phone. I see the Apple Watch Ultra as striking the right balance that I'm looking for and be a device that offers technology that only enhances my life.
This guy used the Ultra to replace his iPhone for a day. See the results:
I do this often as Im a light phone user - Id leave my phone in the car for hours on end and just take my watch. I Can't leave my phone at home as I usually need it to pay for parking every time I'm out through an app. Once I'm able to use my watch to pay for parking I'll definitely be leaving my phone at home 80% of the time. Also, apple should add CarPlay functionality through the watch
No can do here. Too many customer emails and texts to handle to ever leave my phone behind, but for those who can, great!
When running or sometimes walking the dog I leave the iPhone behind.
Yep, having a LTE connected watch that allows me to listen to streaming music is a game changer 
I have done this for years with my S5. The problem is that the Series watches wont last very long on LTE if you take a few calls, listen to some music etc. If I'm going out in the afternoon/evening I always have to check the remaining battery on my watch, often having to either top it up or if I don't have time, just bring my phone.
I believe that will change when I get my Ultra tomorrow! Stated double battery life will indeed mean double the standalone battery life too, hopefully meaning I can leave my phone at home even more often, and for longer.
The cellular feature of the Apple Watch is one of the greatest things with the Watch IMO, becoming even more useful for longer now!
I believe that will change when I get my Ultra tomorrow! Stated double battery life will indeed mean double the standalone battery life too, hopefully meaning I can leave my phone at home even more often, and for longer.
The cellular feature of the Apple Watch is one of the greatest things with the Watch IMO, becoming even more useful for longer now!
Have the data transfer speeds been improved in the Ultra?
Being able to get content downloaded to my Series 4 has always been the hold up for going phone-free.
Whether it’s music or podcasts downloaded from Apple Music or synced from phone, they never seemed to be on my watch when I wanted to listen.
Oh: and the $15/month on Verizon wasn’t very appealing either.
Being able to get content downloaded to my Series 4 has always been the hold up for going phone-free.
Whether it’s music or podcasts downloaded from Apple Music or synced from phone, they never seemed to be on my watch when I wanted to listen.
Oh: and the $15/month on Verizon wasn’t very appealing either.
I like the way you are thinking. You might consider streamlining what you want/need to do in a mobile setting from your phone first.
Next, migrate that critical core functionality to your Watch as best as possible. This will make the deprivations of a watch-only approach much less noticeable. It’s totally do-able for most events — shopping, eating out, etc.
I also find the best use is to leave the phone in the car and not at home. Then, I can walk the mall or take a hike or something and leave the phone in the vehicle, but not as far away as home in the event that I need it. I turn on cellular when I need it and turn off when I’m done to conserve battery.
Well I got my Ultra on September 23, and have been wearing it all week. I don't see it replacing my iPhone anytime soon. You can still only see portions of text messages and emails. Replying to them is still a pain in the ass. The Ultra is great at tell me I have a new text or email, and letting me parse the first few lines so I can get a general idea what they are about, but I can't read a long text or email, and replying to them on my watch is excruciating.
The Ultra doesn’t really provide any additional functionality benefit vs the Series watches that would allow me to disconnect from my phone any further than I’ve done in the past with leaving my phone at home. However, the battery provides a much needed piece of mind that I can be gone all day without my phone and still have juice.
When I got my first LTE watch (Apple Watch 6) - I did this. I stopped bringing my phone everywhere (I brought a small wallet so I wasn't 100% reliant on just Apple Pay) - but it was so liberating to just have my watch when I went out and about.
Now, though, my car requires my phone so ... I end up bringing that now days. I miss the days of just being with my watch.
Would recommend against leaving phone in car as at least here in CA, things get hot REALLY fast, even on cold days.
Now, though, my car requires my phone so ... I end up bringing that now days. I miss the days of just being with my watch.
Would recommend against leaving phone in car as at least here in CA, things get hot REALLY fast, even on cold days.
Bing phone-less also means camera-less, unless you have some other camera. For me this is a pretty big deal.
Nah. Even if I had an Ultra (I actually did but returned it), I'd still carry my iphone around with me all the time.