Using two watches

[datapolitical]

I want to use the watch as my full-time iPhone replacement.

One strategy for this I’m considering is buying two of them and just switching when I leave the office.

Does anybody else do that?

 

[WhollySchmidt]

Do you just mean not carrying your iPhone with you all the time?

You still need to pair a Watch with an iPhone. You can pair more than one watch to an iPhone and alternate if you’d like (a more common scenario for this would be having a steel and an aluminum watch, switching between them when you come back from the gym and dress up for a fancy night out or whatever), but you can’t take the iPhone completely out of the equation.

And if you’re trying to get away from carrying the iPhone around with you, I’m guessing you intend to buy the cellular watches, in which case you’d also have to pay whatever your carrier charges for the watch twice, each watch would add to your bill.

I may be misunderstanding your question (or making incorrect assumptions about your priorities!) but it doesn’t sound like a great idea.

 

[dave006]

Well you can't quite do what you want to do today. The Apple Watch LTE has a very limited battery time, 1 hr of LTE total talk time. Also each Apple watch needs to be paired to provide full Apple Watch function. For example an Apple Watch can't connect to a new Wi-Fi network, it can only use one that the paired iPhone has already been connected.

There are other issues but wanted to understand how you plan to use the 2 Watches.

Dave

 

[datapolitical]

Oh I intend to still hold an iPhone. I definitely want the iPhone 10 for fun. I just don’t intend to carry it around with me most of the time.

And ya, it’d cost $20 a month but if that means giving up my phone, that’s a steal.

Do you just mean not carrying your iPhone with you all the time?

You still need to pair a Watch with an iPhone. You can pair more than one watch to an iPhone and alternate if you’d like (a more common scenario for this would be having a steel and an aluminum watch, switching between them when you come back from the gym and dress up for a fancy night out or whatever), but you can’t take the iPhone completely out of the equation.

And if you’re trying to get away from carrying the iPhone around with you, I’m guessing you intend to buy the cellular watches, in which case you’d also have to pay whatever your carrier charges for the watch twice, each watch would add to your bill.

I may be misunderstanding your question (or making incorrect assumptions about your priorities!) but it doesn’t sound like a great idea.

 

[richard371]

I'm pretty sure you can only have one LTE watch activated with your number.

 

[datapolitical]

Nope. Up to 5.

I'm pretty sure you can only have one LTE watch activated with your number.

 

[richard371]

But you would have to pay 10x2 a month or how ever many LTE watches you have connected.

Nope. Up to 5.

 

[datapolitical]

But you would have to pay 10x2 a month or how ever many LTE watches you have connected.

Yes, I would gladly do that.

 

[dave006]

I'm pretty sure you can only have one LTE watch activated with your number.

No, you can have up to 3 Apple Watch LTEs paired to a single iPhone and they would all share the iPhone's number and they would all need to be on the same Billing Account. And yes you have to pay $10 for each LTE watch.

Nope. Up to 5.

Nope, see above. You may have been thinking about the basic NumberSync that supports up to 5 "devices" that was before we had the new LTE models.

Dave

 

[Mabus51]

Read the reviews, every one of them state it's not a phone replacement. It's more of a get me by for the moment type thing. Also the TMobile ones seem to be dropping calls to the point they've been given a don't buy recommendation. Being TMobile is on a GSM network like AT&T I'd wager the AT&T ones aren't much better.

 

[datapolitical]

No, you can have up to 3 Apple Watch LTEs paired to a single iPhone and they would all share the iPhone's number and they would all need to be on the same Billing Account. And yes you have to pay $10 for each LTE watch.


Nope, see above. You may have been thinking about the basic NumberSync that supports up to 5 "devices" that was before we had the new LTE models.

Dave

You’re right. I read a review that said 5, but it’s actually 3.

 

[dave006]

I'm pretty sure you can only have one LTE watch activated with your number.

Not according to AT&T's FAQ.

How many Apple watches can I sync to my iPhone using NumberSync for Apple Watch (Cellular)?
You can sync up to 3 Apple watches to a single iPhone. The iPhone and all synced watches must each have a cellular rate plan and be on the same billing account.

Source https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/features/numbersync.html#tab5

Dave

 

[datapolitical]

Read the reviews, every one of them state it's not a phone replacement. It's more of a get me by for the moment type thing. Also the TMobile ones seem to be dropping calls to the point they've been given a don't buy recommendation. Being TMobile is on a GSM network like AT&T I'd wager the AT&T ones aren't much better.

I mean, they all state that, sure.

But I’m not looking to be able to snapchat. I’m looking for a few key things the device does well; the only problem is lack of battery. Thus, buy 2.

 

[dave006]

Do you work in an office environment where you spend blocks of time at a desk?

If so, you should look at some of the proximity wireless charging solutions. They can charge you watch while it on your wrist. This would help with the battery challenge.

Dave

 

[Mabus51]

I mean, they all state that, sure.

But I’m not looking to be able to snapchat. I’m looking for a few key things the device does well; the only problem is lack of battery. Thus, buy 2.

Impractical sure for the price of a single phone you can carry two watches a charger and some Bluetooth earphones.

 

[richard371]

My Most used apps are Spotify, Facebook, Email, Safari an lots of texting in imessage. Not having a phone would be a real pain.

 

[fitshaced]

I think your solution might be a cheap non smartphone (along with your iPhone left at home) and non LTE Apple Watch that you could use on known networks and use for Apple Pay.

 

[dave006]

One more cool feature that I forgot to mention that you would want to use in your example. You can set your iPhone to switch watches automatically by making sure that you have your iPhone set to take advantage of "Auto Switch". Just put you second fully charged Watch on your wrist and raise your watch and the iPhone will automatically connect to this watch on your way out of work or at any time that is convenient.

The Auto Switch setting managed in the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. Select the My Watch tab and verify or set the Auto switch feature to active. It is a slide switch.

Dave