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It would be great if you would just accept that your usage of an iPad is decidedly the exception and not the rule.

The VAST. MAJORITY. OF. PEOPLE.

Let that sink in...not a few. Not some. Not most.

Just because YOU use something one way doesn't mean that Apple is obligated to accommodate you.

It's like the person who is miffed you can't reply to email from the watch. Just because he used email as a short response IM platform doesn't mean anyone else does, and it doesn't mean Apple should accommodate him.

Apple is obligated to make sure that the experience of the watch is great for how most people will use it.

Get off your high horse pal, the guy is a customer who wants to use the watch his way, not the apple fanboy way. A lot of people rarely make phone calls, so I see his point rather than ridicule him in a typical condescending Apple fanboy manner.
 
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No, not a flick of a switch. It's precisely that it a non-trivial, software development and maintenance task that will cause this to be an added overhead for Apple. The organizations' apps you mentioned are already available on the iPhone, and would not have as big as a quandary as you would like to believe - they go towards the user base, of which the iPhone is immensely more popular than the iPad's.

You may be correct that Apple will provide iPad support sooner or later. But obviously, the impetus does not yet exist (or is strong enough), otherwise we would not be having this discussion. :)

I think that if you read the piece that I linked to from the Director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism you'll find that this is a bigger issue, both for journalism and readers, than you think. There's also a recent Agence France Presse piece, available in both French and English, that deals with the practical challenges that smartwatches present both to news organisations and readers: https://nz.news.yahoo.com/technology/a/27176218/apple-watch-to-boost-glance-journalism/

I don't believe that it is hard for Apple to make it possible to pair the Watch with upper-end iPads and I think it's highly likely that it will do so, due to demand from major news organizations and customers who can afford Apple's higher end iOS devices, and due to the fact that other platforms will do it and Apple won't have a choice.

Pairing the Watch with certain iPad models may also be very interesting in the context of the IBM/Apple partnership.

Thanks for making an effort to address the question seriously.

With respect to those who didn't understand the question, and especially the guy who wanted to know whether my problem is that I don't own an iPhone, maybe consider the possibility that I am a long-term shareholder who who might know exactly why he's asking the question, and who might just be able to afford an iPhone, and the whole of the rest of Apple's line, from dividends.
 
Based on sales figures the iPad is going the way of the iPod so why are we having this discussion?

Yes, I know, go ahead and yell at me for being a hater, but seriously. I went through 3 iPads thinking they were great but since getting the 11" Air, I will never own an iPad again.
 
Based on sales figures the iPad is going the way of the iPod so why are we having this discussion?

Yes, I know, go ahead and yell at me for being a hater, but seriously. I went through 3 iPads thinking they were great but since getting the 11" Air, I will never own an iPad again.

I own both. The 11" Air is a great little computer. Unless, of course, you want the iPad's cellular capability and its significantly better battery life and screen, or the significantly smaller footprint, along with cellular capability and significantly better battery life and screen, of the iPad Mini.

When I'm traveling, I take the Mini and, if needed, the current 15" MacBook. The 11" stays at home.

Enjoy your 11" Air.
 
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I own both. The 11" Air is a great little computer. Unless, of course, you want the iPad's cellular capability and its significantly better battery life and screen, or the significantly smaller footprint, along with cellular capability and significantly better battery life and screen, of the iPad Mini.

When I'm traveling, I take the Mini and, if needed, the current 15" MacBook. The 11" stays at home.

Enjoy your 11" Air.

Don't need cellular. I don't get that. You have a hotspot on your phone.

iPad is great if you never type. Simply ordering a plane ticket on an iPad is a PITA. I don't get it.
 
Get off your high horse pal, the guy is a customer who wants to use the watch his way, not the apple fanboy way. A lot of people rarely make phone calls, so I see his point rather than ridicule him in a typical condescending Apple fanboy manner.

No high horse here. I just don't understand why people ask a question, get and answer, don't like the answer, so they just keep asking the same question until someone placates them.

Most people don't use an iPad in a way that makes it an ideal symbiotic host for an Apple Watch. The iPad isn't that type of device.
 
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Don't need cellular. I don't get that. You have a hotspot on your phone.

iPad is great if you never type. Simply ordering a plane ticket on an iPad is a PITA. I don't get it.

I can tell you, having an LTE iPad changes the whole game. It turns the device from a novelty into a necessity. It's a device more powerful than the iPhone 6, with a better screen and battery life, and it can do everything the iPhone can and more (except for phone calls, which can be mitigated by Facetime audio or VOIP apps). I have an iPad Air 2 with LTE and I take it all over the place. It's infinitely useful.

That being said, I don't have it on me every waking hour. The iPhone, on the other hand, I do have with me. And Apple knows this is by far the most common setup for people. It's entirely possible that the Apple Watch will one day be able to pair with the iPad, but it makes total sense why it doesn't right now.
 
Does anyone know why the Apple Watch can't be paired with an iPad? It would seem to be a deliberate decision rather than a technical issue. Thoughts on whether it might be possible down the road?

The reason I Googled this question is because my iPhone died. Before before I noticed this, I was trying to use "hey Siri" on my watch, which yielded the respons " there is no device paired with this watch via Bluetooth". That's when I noticed that my iPhone had died. Had my watch been paired with my iPad, the "hey Siri" attempt would have been seamless.

In defense of the "use case" defense, the frequency with which the above occurs, is very low. Therefore, it's implementation with the iPad would not be worth the time and resources Apple would have to invest, albeit small one.

** NOTE I just tried using hey Siri again to text someone in order to get the error Bluetooth message, and it actually worked. Any ideas as to why? My phone is still dead so what is the watch paired with? I also noticed that the not connected symbol on the watch is not there anymore. The error came up with my iPad was locked. I am now messaging from my iPad and it's working. Note I am not home and using Wi-Fi. Perhaps the watch is somehow paired as a default when the phone dies and you are in Wi-Fi? After I perform further testing a report my findings, if any.
 
The Apple Watch will always be an iPhone companion. The main points of the Apple Watch is receiving phone calls, texts and fitness goals. "Keep the iPhone in your pocket and all in the wrist." The iPad is a tablet mostly kept at a desk. Yes, even though the iPad has an LTE option it's still not on you 100% of the time.
 
It would be great if someone would address the question instead of going on about how they personally use iOS devices and think everyone else does, or should.

The whole point is Apple does not support the watch on anything except it's iPhone. I do not see getting around this. Maybe write Apple a letter . . . . .
 
The reason I Googled this question is because my iPhone died. Before before I noticed this, I was trying to use "hey Siri" on my watch, which yielded the respons " there is no device paired with this watch via Bluetooth". That's when I noticed that my iPhone had died. Had my watch been paired with my iPad, the "hey Siri" attempt would have been seamless.

In defense of the "use case" defense, the frequency with which the above occurs, is very low. Therefore, it's implementation with the iPad would not be worth the time and resources Apple would have to invest, albeit small one.

** NOTE I just tried using hey Siri again to text someone in order to get the error Bluetooth message, and it actually worked. Any ideas as to why? My phone is still dead so what is the watch paired with? I also noticed that the not connected symbol on the watch is not there anymore. The error came up with my iPad was locked. I am now messaging from my iPad and it's working. Note I am not home and using Wi-Fi. Perhaps the watch is somehow paired as a default when the phone dies and you are in Wi-Fi? After I perform further testing a report my findings, if any.

It is just using WiFi that you have been logged onto in the past. There is no magic here.
 
People take iPhones with them everywhere. Most people leave their iPads at home. Only the LTE iPad has GPS and even then, most people don't take their iPads with them when they run. Can you imagine the armband?

Seeing as the Watch is meant to be a companion for notifications and a tracker for fitness, the iPad doesn't really make sense.

Actually, coming from a student's point of view, I use my iPad at least 75% of the day. Having Apple Watch support would be a great thing to have, and I'm positive Apple will implement it in the future. In regards to why you would use Apple Watch with iPad, there are reasons. For me personally, I'd like to use the watch as a remote control for the iPad. But I know that's unlikely what it will do. So, I'm just saying there are ways you could use the watch with the iPad, but it's all up to whether or not Apple will include it.
 
I'd love to have it for my Special Needs daughter to sync with her iPod Touch. The timing apps with feedback alone would be amazing for her Executive Function issues. She just used her Christmas money to upgrade her Touch and doesn't need a phone at the moment. It will be something I will put on the list to deal with in the fall.... but it is a bummer because there are some things she really could use on it.
 
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Unless your iPhone is broke or lost, when is last time you have AW AND iPad nearby, but iPhone is NOT in BT or Wifi range?

My guess is next thing we want AW to connect with Mac and Apple TV, when it is design as extension of iPhone?
 
I'd love to have it for my Special Needs daughter to sync with her iPod Touch. The timing apps with feedback alone would be amazing for her Executive Function issues. She just used her Christmas money to upgrade her Touch and doesn't need a phone at the moment. It will be something I will put on the list to deal with in the fall.... but it is a bummer because there are some things she really could use on it.

You might want to see about getting a used iPhone, they can be paired with the watch without activating cell service on the iPhone. And the iPhone can be used as an iPod.

My 90 year old father is deaf, partially blind, doesn't need an iPhone but wanted an Apple Watch. The tap and vibration works better for him that the audible alerts for timers and txt. from the iPhone. I paired an Apple Watch with my old iPhone, (no cell service, so just like an iPod but you can pair a watch with it). The watch does everything he needs it for and he can see it better than a mechanical watch.
 
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You might want to see about getting a used iPhone, they can be paired with the watch without activating cell service on the iPhone. And the iPhone can be used as an iPod.

My 90 year old father is deaf, partially blind, doesn't need an iPhone but wanted an Apple Watch. The tap and vibration works better for him that the audible alerts for timers and txt. from the iPhone. I paired an Apple Watch with my old iPhone, (no cell service, so just like an iPod but you can pair a watch with it). The watch does everything he needs it for and he can see it better than a mechanical watch.
I am considering that - and they have an iPhone 4 now, and my oldest is about to hand down an iP5s to her sisters too.

I wish I had been able to talk her out of buying it "that day". Her money was burning a hole in her pocket though - and you cannot often get her to see the big picture. My parents have an extra 5c that was my grandma's - they were going to give it to them too. So I have options, but now she has this brand new iPod Touch she HAD to have..... (she had a version 3 prior)
 
The Apple Watch is likely to have its own cellular connection before it is paired wth the iPad. Not Apple's vision.
 
The Apple Watch is likely to have its own cellular connection before it is paired wth the iPad. Not Apple's vision.

I say neither, as long as iPhone remain #1 most profitable (not most qty sell but most revenue, $$$) high end smartphone, why does Apple does not want to force anyone to get a iPhone also, if anyone want a AW?

Even with AW cellular connection in the future, it is likely AW will only able to activate with iPhone, just for app/music/photo/data management point of view. You can't do everything on that 2"+ screen without use something bigger than this below, plus also carrying a BT keyboard all the time (unless you have finger as thin as toothpick so they could have full keyboard on 2"+ screen, and no one want old phone touch pad style keyboard)
emoticon-with-magnifying-eyeglasses.png

No reason to cut off revenue stream by Apple.
 
Apple has never been about versatility. Any experience they deem unsatisfactory is avoided until it's done right. Combine that with wanting to sell more iPhones, and I think that pretty much covers the reasons it isn't an option (that, and I doubt there are that many iPad owners who don't also use iPhones.)
 
My 90 year old father is deaf, partially blind, doesn't need an iPhone but wanted an Apple Watch.

I'm in a similar situation. I am hard of hearing, and have not so good eyesight. Not quite so old yet. ;)

I do currently have an iPhone, but I never use it to make phone calls. The iPad mini 4 is just light enough that I can see it replacing the iPhone for me. I have a purse that the mini will just fit in, so taking it every time I go out isn't a problem. If only the watch would pair with the mini, I'd be all set.

That said, I do realize use cases like mine are the minority, and I understand why Apple hasn't implemented this.
 
Does anyone know why the Apple Watch can't be paired with an iPad? It would seem to be a deliberate decision rather than a technical issue. Thoughts on whether it might be possible down the road?

Allow me to try to answer the question as I have had this since the beginning. While we're at it, there's no reason I can see that the watch can't be paired with the iPod Touch, iPad, or even Mac. On the face of it, this opens up the watch to being used by people who don't own iPhones, but do own other Apple products. And considering how slow initial sales have been for the watch, compared to other Apple products, I would expect Apple to open it up to as many options as possible.

However, Apple isn't going to offer that option up until the watch operates essentially autonomously from the iPhone, on which it still significantly depends. And I do believe that is Apple's eventual goal. I think Apple thought that the watch would help drive customers to the iPhone if they made it exclusive to that platform, but I think the slow adotption may change their minds. And I think they thought Pay would drive purchases of the watch as well for iPhone 5 series users, but it likely hasn't. So now all phones are about to have Pay natively, because adoption of that hasn't been as great as Apple hoped either.

I personally never carry my phone and watch together, using the later essentially autonomously. And it's worked pretty well. As soon as ATT offers wifi calling via the watch, which T-Mobile already does, then there won't be a need for the phone wherever I have wifi. And really that phone number is the only limiting factor.

If I have an iPad with a Google Voice number, and an LTE connection, I really don't need a phone do I? And I can't imagine the carriers are too happy about that, even if I'm buying my iPad LTE plan from them. Either way, wifi calling should allow me to own an Android phone, and use that number over wifi calling on an iPad, or an Watch.

So, I definitely see Apple enabling someone to pair the watch with any Apple device eventually, but it's definitely not a priority now because it would limit the user experience. But, when the watch gets native GPS, and a way to join any wifi network without the paired device, it's going to be a lot less dependent on the phone. The pairing device will merely be a way to maintenece the watch, with notifications and calls being transmitted over wifi. Much like iTunes became redundant to the iPhone and iPad for almost everything.
 
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