we're shopping a cellular model apple watch for our 10 year old son. purpose of this watch is so that we can call or text him when needed, nothing more. we're using tmobile, they have promotion for free watch if we signup for 24 month watch data plan, but it requires it to pair with one of our tmobile phone numbers. if so, when the watch and the paired phone are far apart (watch in school, phone at home for example), can that same phone call the watch number?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
question on getting a cellular watch for my son
- Thread starter kevjen888
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
With very few exceptions, an Apple Watch with cellular “just works.”
For the most part, after initial pairing and setup and the like, you can power off the phone and use the Watch as a mobile device that, honestly, is a better smartphone than the original first-generation iPhone.
The biggest exception is SMS. While iMessage works whether or not the phone is on, the watch relies on the phone to relay SMS. So the phone has to be able to send and receive SMS in real time, and the watch and the phone have to be able to talk to each other in real time (via WiFi, cellular data, Bluetooth, whatever is available). They could be on opposite sides of the planet, but if the phone can’t talk to the SMS network or the Watch, no SMS messages will go through.
Then there are some third-party applications that similarly require the phone to be on — and most of those require the phone to be within Bluetooth range. The app that controls my hearing aids, for example, as well as the “Duo” two-factor authenticator. There are others.
So … with all that in mind, I’d heartily recommend a cellular Watch for your son. It’ll let him stay in touch with you when the need arises but it won’t be the distraction that an actual phone would be.
(I’d also add that ten-year-olds, and even teenagers, can “stay in touch” with parents when actually necessary by going to the school office; anything that doesn’t rise to that level of importance can wait until they get home. But that’s a rant for a different day — and the Watch is a quite reasonable compromise.)
Cheers,
b&
For the most part, after initial pairing and setup and the like, you can power off the phone and use the Watch as a mobile device that, honestly, is a better smartphone than the original first-generation iPhone.
The biggest exception is SMS. While iMessage works whether or not the phone is on, the watch relies on the phone to relay SMS. So the phone has to be able to send and receive SMS in real time, and the watch and the phone have to be able to talk to each other in real time (via WiFi, cellular data, Bluetooth, whatever is available). They could be on opposite sides of the planet, but if the phone can’t talk to the SMS network or the Watch, no SMS messages will go through.
Then there are some third-party applications that similarly require the phone to be on — and most of those require the phone to be within Bluetooth range. The app that controls my hearing aids, for example, as well as the “Duo” two-factor authenticator. There are others.
So … with all that in mind, I’d heartily recommend a cellular Watch for your son. It’ll let him stay in touch with you when the need arises but it won’t be the distraction that an actual phone would be.
(I’d also add that ten-year-olds, and even teenagers, can “stay in touch” with parents when actually necessary by going to the school office; anything that doesn’t rise to that level of importance can wait until they get home. But that’s a rant for a different day — and the Watch is a quite reasonable compromise.)
Cheers,
b&
thanks for the reply, we are getting him a cellular model for sure. question is whether to pair with one of our existing phone lines or add a new phone line just for the watch. my line is already paired with my apple watch, so logically, son's new watch will be paired with mom's phone line, but can she still call him from her phone when the watch and phone are paired?
No, she cannot, she'd get voicemail calling her own number, and even though the watch will have a physical number, you can't call it if your provider works like Verizon does on number share. (I just tried)
Both people responding, have forgotten a feature that's been out for a couple years.
you can setup a watch as a "child's device" off a parent's phone, they don't need a phone of their own, and they won't get voicemail or anything that's supposed to be going to the parent's phone. They do need to be a member of your "apple family" though.
support.apple.com
you can setup a watch as a "child's device" off a parent's phone, they don't need a phone of their own, and they won't get voicemail or anything that's supposed to be going to the parent's phone. They do need to be a member of your "apple family" though.
Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support
Family Setup lets family members who don't have their own iPhone enjoy the features and benefits of an Apple Watch.
so how does the parent call child's phone if the watch is setup as a child device. is there a specific phone number for watch? or just an action button to call the watch?Both people responding, have forgotten a feature that's been out for a couple years.
you can setup a watch as a "child's device" off a parent's phone, they don't need a phone of their own, and they won't get voicemail or anything that's supposed to be going to the parent's phone. They do need to be a member of your "apple family" though.
Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support
Family Setup lets family members who don't have their own iPhone enjoy the features and benefits of an Apple Watch.
If your provider supports family setup -- and it's a different plan if they do than the OP was talking about.Both people responding, have forgotten a feature that's been out for a couple years.
you can setup a watch as a "child's device" off a parent's phone, they don't need a phone of their own, and they won't get voicemail or anything that's supposed to be going to the parent's phone. They do need to be a member of your "apple family" though.
Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support
Family Setup lets family members who don't have their own iPhone enjoy the features and benefits of an Apple Watch.
Apple extends the Apple Watch experience to the entire family
Family Setup in watchOS 7 brings the communication, health, fitness, and safety features of Apple Watch to kids and older family members.
www.apple.com
sounded way too complicate. we just want to call or text our son on his cellular apple watch. really don't need anything else. Tmobile has a standalone wearable data plan right? maybe i look into that.
It may seem complicated, but Family Setup is the way you can use an apple watch in the manner you wish to use it.
You will need the T-Mobile Standalone Apple Watch plan for the kid's watch, not one of the DIGITS plans which tie the watch to your phone number.
thanks, can i just get the standalone plan and not do the family setup? can we call his watch if we go that route?
hi
the short answer to your last question above is, no.
but i dont think Family Setup has been explained to you in this thread.
Family Setup is designed exactly for your family's circumstances: a child who doesn't have an iPhone of her/his own, but still the parents would like to be able to be in touch at any moment.
with Family Setup, your child can have only a Watch and that Watch is paired to your iPhone and you can always stay in voice/text contact with him/her.
here is a brief explanation:
apple Watches always need some iPhone to pair with. that means that in most circumstances the Watch and the iPhone have the same mobile number. therefore you cant call your own Watch with your own iPhone.
but Family Setup allows you to pair your child's Watch with your own iPhone.
it works because, and here is what most people dont understand, all apple Watches actually have their own mobile number, but the way that apple and the world-wide carriers have decided is that the Watch is not operable currently as a stand alone device. it needs to be paired with an iPhone for it to work. and therefore, except when paired through Family Setup, that Watch mobile number is not used and most Watch users never learn the unusable Watch mobile number.
Family Setup allows the Watch's own mobile number to be used (the formal expression is provisioned by the carriers).
For Family Setup to work, the apple Watch must be a cellar model (the GPS-WiFi model will not work).
here is a net article written by a parent who is in the same situation as you (their child is 8 years old). its a balanced review.
there are some features such as Fitness tracking that dont work when a Watch is paired with your parental iPhone through Family Setup. this makes sense since there are two persons whose data would be mixed from both iPhone and Watch inputs. but the features that are unavailable are not usually game breakers for parents who want to be able to stay in touch with their child.
the only thing to be sure about, before you buy, is that your carrier does support Family Setup. if they dont, then the above won't work. there are many carriers who dont support Family Setup.
i also suggest that if there is an apple store near you, you go there for an explanation. it will allow you to see how easy it is.
hth
An Apple Watch with Family Setup is an expensive smart watch for your kids
Track your kids, for a price.
www.theverge.com
Last edited:
Hey, I have a lot of experience with this. Multiple boys in my immediate family use Apple Watches as their only device. A few things to know:
- Do not pair it directly to your account/your phone. It will let your kid see all your texts, call from your number, etc. You HAVE to use family setup.
- To call his watch, you have to use family setup with a standalone plan. If you don't, it will be connected to your number/phone and, obviously, you can't call yourself.
- To use family setup, you have to get a cellular watch. Period. But you were already planning on that so that's all good.
Short answer is No. Apple Watches must be paired to an iPhone to function. You simply can't use one otherwise.
Apple created the Family Setup mechanism to handle the usage you desire - where the watch is used by a family member that is not the owner of the iphone.
@arc of the universe gives a lot of good detail, but I wanted to also give you the basic summary.
This is how you set up family plan...
When you get your AW, you have to pair it with one of your iPhones. However, during pairing process, you have a choice to set it up for "Family Member" or "Pair with your iPhone".
This is where you select setting up for "Family Member". This allows the AW to operate independently of iPhone. It will have its own phone number. Only phone calls and texts to this AW phone number will be sent to this AW.
Of course you have to add a cellular plan for this AW AFTER/DURING you set up for "Family Member".
When you get your AW, you have to pair it with one of your iPhones. However, during pairing process, you have a choice to set it up for "Family Member" or "Pair with your iPhone".
This is where you select setting up for "Family Member". This allows the AW to operate independently of iPhone. It will have its own phone number. Only phone calls and texts to this AW phone number will be sent to this AW.
Of course you have to add a cellular plan for this AW AFTER/DURING you set up for "Family Member".
Thanks. Went to T-Mobile store just now and that’s exactly what they told me too. Now the question is do I have to setup my son’s new Apple ID as a child under our Apple ID? T-Mobile guy said that’s optional. Apple ID is needed to track the watch only. Can anyone confirm this?
That's not true. To use family setup, the child has to be a family member in iCloud.
summarize all these, correct me if i'm wrong:
1. buy a cellular equipped apple watch
2. sign up with Tmobile's standalone watch plan
3. create an apple ID for my son
4. add his apple ID as a child under ours apple ID
5. setup his new watch as for family member
did i miss anything? thanks for the help.
1. buy a cellular equipped apple watch
2. sign up with Tmobile's standalone watch plan
3. create an apple ID for my son
4. add his apple ID as a child under ours apple ID
5. setup his new watch as for family member
did i miss anything? thanks for the help.
Step 6 - get AppleCare+ or other accidental damage insurance for the watch. 😁
Why the heck does a 10yr old need a cellular watch???
I’d say pass, if he wants one tell him to start mowing lawns or something and earn the money
I’d say pass, if he wants one tell him to start mowing lawns or something and earn the money