New to Apple Watch: Advice, please.

[The Cockney Rebel]

Ah OK I see….

So far it worked quite reliable for me, on the S5 and S6 at least, didn’t test it with the S4. I have BT and WiFi enabled on all my devices.

Cheers, BT.

Bluetooth & Wi-Fi are also both active on both of my devices.

My watch is currently charging.

Going to factory reset when it’s fully charged. The fact that there are 2 instances of hand washing in the location setting tells me there’s a bug somewhere.

Digressing, I’m now thinking I should have gone with cellular, as I can see that as being the way to get the most out of this device.

 

[Apple_Robert]

If you leave your phone behind and leave the house with the watch, you will get notified you left your phone behind provided the watch is cellular and aren't connected to Wifi. Since you don't have cellular, you can download the "PhoneBuddy" app and that will do the same thing for your WiFi Series 7 when you leave your phone behind.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

If you leave your phone behind and leave the house with the watch, you will get notified you left your phone behind provided the watch is cellular and aren't connected to Wifi. Since you don't have cellular, you can download the "PhoneBuddy" app and that will do the same thing for your WiFi Series 7 when you leave your phone behind.

Cheers, Rob.

However, I don’t believe this to be the case.

I have read many articles (been up all night) and they stipulate that you don’t need a cellular AW to use this feature.

It should simply alert you when they disconnect from each other, thus no cellular should be required.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Cheers, Rob.

However, I don’t believe this to be the case.

I have read many articles (been up all night) and they stipulate that you don’t need a cellular AW to use this feature.

It should simply alert you when they disconnect from each other, thus no cellular should be required.

What I said is correct. When I leave my phone behind, I get an alert on my watch. Granted, I have the cellular model. If I didn't have cellular and the watch connected to a different Wifi, I would then get notification of separation. The watch cannot provide notification if it can't connect to the internet. The notification is tied to your Apple ID which is accessed either from Wifi or cellular.

Phonebuddy app

‎Phone Buddy Phone Lost Alert

‎Macworld’s 2020 “Must-Have apps for your new Apple Watch” Phone Buddy Notifier is an Apple Watch app that alerts you when you lose bluetooth connection with your iPhone. “All we want is the ability to get alerts on our Apple Watch when we leave our iPhone behind.” -Macworld Step away from...

apps.apple.com

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

What I said is correct. When I leave my phone behind, I get an alert on my watch. Granted, I have the cellular model. If I didn't have cellular and the watch connected to a different Wifi, I would then get notification of separation. The watch cannot provide notification if it can't connect to the internet. The notification is tied to your Apple ID which is accessed either from Wifi or cellular.

Phonebuddy app

‎Phone Buddy Phone Lost Alert

‎Macworld’s 2020 “Must-Have apps for your new Apple Watch” Phone Buddy Notifier is an Apple Watch app that alerts you when you lose bluetooth connection with your iPhone. “All we want is the ability to get alerts on our Apple Watch when we leave our iPhone behind.” -Macworld Step away from...

apps.apple.com

Thanks for your assistance.

If you are correct (and I respect you, so don’t think I’m being impertinent) but I don’t think you are, then this watch will have to be returned.

It was the main feature for me buying the watch.

Always appreciate your input, Rob.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thanks for your assistance.

If you are correct (and I respect you, so don’t think I’m being impertinent) but I don’t think you are, then this watch will have to be returned.

It was the main feature for me buying the watch.

Always appreciate your input, Rob.

If you don't want to pay monthly for cellular, keep the watch and download the app. You will get notified with an audible alarm when your watch and phone are separated. It works well and has more options than the stock version offers.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

If you don't want to pay monthly for cellular, keep the watch and download the app. You will get notified with an audible alarm when your watch and phone are separated. It works well and has more options than the stock version offers.

I don’t mind paying 5 quid a month.

I just didn’t think I’d need it.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

So I’ve just factory reset the watch, and set it up again as new.

Why is hanwashing showing up twice, under location services, with two different settings?

Separation is still not working.

 

[bricktop_at]

If you don't want to pay monthly for cellular, keep the watch and download the app. You will get notified with an audible alarm when your watch and phone are separated. It works well and has more options than the stock version offers.

You definitely don’t need cellular for the left behind notifications. Given, my models are all Cellular but none has an active contract so it‘s not used. The notifications work fine nevertheless

 

[bricktop_at]

Separation is still not working.

Do you give it enough time? Takes a couple of minutes usually… at least for me it was that way this summer at the beach, when I went swimming in the sea and left the phone back in the hotel.

 

[Apple_Robert]

You definitely don’t need cellular for the left behind notifications. Given, my models are all Cellular but none has an active contract so it‘s not used. The notifications work fine nevertheless

How can your watch alert you if you leave your phone behind when your watch isn’t connected to Wiif or cellular?

 

[bricktop_at]

How can your watch alert you if you leave your phone behind when your watch isn’t connected to Wiif or cellular?

The watch just loses connection to the phone and after some time - if the phones last location was not marked as safe, you‘ll get a notification
Like I said, works fine for me

 

[matrix07]

Thanks for the response.

I have a 12 Pro Max & a S7 AW, so both are supported.

I have removed the location I am at from the exception list.

The watch should alert me when it disconnects from the iPhone, which from my testing, is when I leave this house. You get the small red box icon at the top of the watch’s screen. Then, it should alert you that you’ve left your iPhone behind.

I’ve read countless articles/discussions, and this appears to be a bug.

View attachment 1867171View attachment 1867172View attachment 1867173

Yeah if you left iPhone behind the watch should notify you, like this on mine (My watch is also cellular. I’m not sure if that makes a difference)

but I want to make it clear that if you left “the watch” behind the phone wouldn’t notify you. That’s normal.

 

[ukms]

Not correct, buddy.

It is absolutely logical to have a separation notification on a device which is strapped to your wrist.

View attachment 1867209View attachment 1867213

I stand corrected …… where did these screenshots come from ? …… I’d love to know how to set this up myself ….. are those from ‘find my’ or a third party app ?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

You definitely don’t need cellular for the left behind notifications. Given, my models are all Cellular but none has an active contract so it‘s not used. The notifications work fine nevertheless

I agree.

I am able to set it up for my iPad Pro, and that does not have cellular capability.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

The watch just loses connection to the phone and after some time - if the phones last location was not marked as safe, you‘ll get a notification
Like I said, works fine for me

This makes perfect logical sense.

The clue is in the name: Separation.

I don’t need a cellular connection to know if someone leaves me.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I stand corrected …… where did these screenshots come from ? …… I’d love to know how to set this up myself ….. are those from ‘find my’ or a third party app ?

From Google, buddy.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

The watch just loses connection to the phone and after some time - if the phones last location was not marked as safe, you‘ll get a notification
Like I said, works fine for me

It should alert you as soon as you lose connection, as long as it’s not in a safe location.

That way you’ll have a far greater chance of locating it.

 

[ukms]

From Google, buddy.

I get that …. But are they screen shots from apple ‘find my’ or a third party app ?

 

[mzanker]

I get that …. But are they screen shots from apple ‘find my’ or a third party app ?

Find Devices is Apple's own app that comes with the watch.

Just to say that it's working for me with my S7 cellular on EE, but it's not immediate. If I got in the car and drove off I could be a mile away by the time it alerts.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Pile of junk.

I’m returning it.

 

[Tdude96]

I have the Series 4 GPS paired to iPhone 13 PM, and the warning works as-expected. (WatchOS 8.0.1 & iOS 15.0.2)

I have the warning turned off if I leave my phone at home, but I've gotten the message on my watch several times. For example if I leave my phone in my car and walk into a store and they lose contact with one another, my watch will show the alert that I left my phone behind.

 

[ukms]

Pile of junk.

I’m returning it.

Did you call apple ?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I have the Series 4 GPS paired to iPhone 13 PM, and the warning works as-expected. (WatchOS 8.0.1 & iOS 15.0.2)

I have the warning turned off if I leave my phone at home, but I've gotten the message on my watch several times. For example if I leave my phone in my car and walk into a store and they lose contact with one another, my watch will show the alert that I left my phone behind.

I’m pleased for you, but this is so annoying.

So your AW doesn’t have cellular?

Are you in the UK?

Thanks for your response.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Did you call apple ?

Believe me, buddy, I’ve done and tried everything.

It just doesn’t work.

I knew the AW wasn’t for me, but I really wanted it to “just work” and prove me wrong.