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Should I get Cellular or GPS?
- Thread starter BomexM3
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I use it for notifications but my phone is always on me. For me it’s not worth it
I am never without my phone so I got the GPS and saved £100.
I think it depends on your lifestyle. I don't always like carrying my phone with me, but want my wife or young kids to be able to get ahold of me in case they need me. The Cellular option was something I really looked forward to coming out and has served me very well. Most people I know get the non-cellular though as like many have said they always have their phone with them.
I hardly ever take my iPhone out of the house. The Watch 4 is my first Apple Watch and I wanted Cellular from the word go. It does every thing I want. Lovely to have the heart monitor on a bike ride and the ride route at the end with speed and all details. Same with walking. Don't use the phone much so the odd calls are easily done on the Watch as is all my shopping with shopping list and paying afterwards. Notifications and messages all come through too so it's all there to hand. I was never tempted by a Watch before but, with the Cellular, it does everything I want and more. Just look forward to the day when an iPhone is no longer needed at all.
Cellular is great for emergencies in case you lose, someone steals, iPhone runs out of battery or in my case, iPhone bricks/malfunctions out of nowhere requiring a trip to the Genius Bar.
Sure, you may always take your phone with you but sometimes unforeseen circumstances occur and you find yourself without a phone. This to me is worth more than gold.
Sure, you may always take your phone with you but sometimes unforeseen circumstances occur and you find yourself without a phone. This to me is worth more than gold.
I got cellular because I had credit from BB, otherwise I'd have gotten GPS. I usually have my phone with me so cellular isn't really a necessity for me. If you like not needing to have your phone with you, and you're in a good cell service location, maybe it's for you. Keep in mind the monthly cost of cellular service may/may not be a factor in your decision too.
Been said before, it's not $10.00/mo. It's $15.00 +/- with taxes. And, you may need a new cell plan. In my case, that would basically double my monthly plan to use a watch's cell service.
On the other hand, it does 911 without a plan, and I do stupid things at my age, so I have a LTE watch, just no cell plan.
On the other hand, it does 911 without a plan, and I do stupid things at my age, so I have a LTE watch, just no cell plan.
I had the SS cellular version with my Series 3. I went with LTE for my Series 4. I found that I really wasn't getting the additional benefits of paying extra for cellular on the Watch. However, everyone's usage case is different. If you don't want to always carry your phone with you, it can be worth it.
It comes down to one thing, can you justify the extra cost for the LTE service where you want the independency away from your iPhone? If you answered ‘Yes’ to this question, then I would opt for the LTE. If you said ‘I’m not sure/no’, then it’s not for you. Also, find out if your carrier will allow a free trial with the LTE, as sometimes they did offer this in the past.
I like my cellular version. But frankly it has been unreliable in accepting phone calls when my phone isn’t nearby. The watch shows an incoming call and I touch the screen over and over, and the call doesn’t connect. My main purpose of going cellular was not to have to have my phone nearby all of the time.
When it works sound both ways is excellent!
Can relate - no call issues but sometimes notifications don’t arrive and on occasion texts don’t go through...
I would give it a month and see if there will be an AW5. I had the Cellular Series 3 and now have the GPS Series 4. I don't notice a difference in how I use my watch.
Not to mention there's a monthly charge to be able to use your watch with cellular. I can definitely see scenarios where it would be very helpful but it's not for me.
I wanted both SBSS and the sapphire display, so cellular came along for the ride. Even if you don't have service activated on your Apple Watch, you can still use it to call 911 in an emergency. That's a comfort, at least.
As others have said it depends on your circumstances. I do things that if it goes wrong I might not be able to reach my phone. As far as paying for service, the other perks make it worth it, to me. With any purchase saving money upfront isn’t the best metric, divide the savings over how long you will own the product, and think about if the missing features might become important later on.
It’s always better to have and not need than need and not have. Technology fails. I learned that when my iPhone bricked out of nowhere while driving. The chances of two devices failing simultaneously are in your favor. My wife was able to call me to pick up the kids when she was stuck in traffic. Had I not had a cellular Apple Watch, that call would’ve been missed and this is not a situation where a 911 call is warranted. The 15 bux or so a month (~.50/day) is irrelevant if it increases my chances of staying connected.
Personally, I'm getting a GPS only model, I just don't need the cellular connectivity since I always have my phone with me, but if you're trying to travel as light as possible and only want to take your watch with you then cellular is for you. 
My wife and I use cellular. I have GSS, she has SB AL. I'm debating turning cellular off, but there have been times it saved me. My phone popped out of it's mount when I hit a pothole on my motorcycle. The watch kept me intouch for the rest of the day until my Genius appointment that evening.
FYI, A friend of mine who rides a sportbike was out riding and apparently the fall detection decided that he fell while he was riding. He couldn't feel or hear the notification as he was riding. All his emergency contacts got his location messaged to them, and 911 got a call. His family knew he was out riding, and thought he was in an accident... He has since turned off fall detection...
FYI, A friend of mine who rides a sportbike was out riding and apparently the fall detection decided that he fell while he was riding. He couldn't feel or hear the notification as he was riding. All his emergency contacts got his location messaged to them, and 911 got a call. His family knew he was out riding, and thought he was in an accident... He has since turned off fall detection...
I have two Series 4 Apple Watches, and have cellular plans on both. It’s $20 a month, but it’s great peace of mind. My iPhone is almost always with me, but at the office I leave it on my desk and there are parts of our suite that are beyond Bluetooth range. Unless you’re frequently separated from your iPhone, it’s a nice-to-have and not a need-to-have.