Wifi Connectivity Question

[omg516]

I think the tidbit about how you can take and receive calls with the built in speaker and mic is really interesting. Does this mean that you could take and receive calls over wifi even when not in range of your iphone? In a similar fashion to how your iPad or Macbook can take calls over wifi, I'm wondering if the watch would have similar functionality.

This would be great, for example you could leave your phone to charge in your bedroom and be on a different level of your home and still not miss a call.

 

[Armen]

I think the tidbit about how you can take and receive calls with the built in speaker and mic is really interesting. Does this mean that you could take and receive calls over wifi even when not in range of your iphone? In a similar fashion to how your iPad or Macbook can take calls over wifi, I'm wondering if the watch would have similar functionality.

This would be great, for example you could leave your phone to charge in your bedroom and be on a different level of your home and still not miss a call.

I'm pretty sure that's the idea behind it. It would also come in handy as it is easier to push the answer button on your wrist than it is to reach into your pocket if you have bags of groceries in both hands.

 

[Runt888]

The watch doesn't connect to your wifi network, it connects directly to your phone (using bluetooth and wifi). As long as you are in direct wifi range then it should work.

 

[KauaiBruce]

NO, it sounded like it uses your wifi to extend the connection to your phone on the same network.

 

[Runt888]

NO, it sounded like it uses your wifi to extend the connection to your phone on the same network.

There aren't a lot of details, but as far as we know the watch cannot connect to a wifi network. It uses a direct wifi connection to your phone to increase range, but it does it transparently.

 

[Uccle]

Well I think it has to be connected to your iPhone but I seem to remember, during the presentation today, their saying that since the watch has wifi, it doesn't have to be near the iPhone to work when both iPhone and watch are on the same network.

I'll double check once the entire presentation is available online.

 

[Runt888]

Well I think it has to be connected to your iPhone but I seem to remember, during the presentation today, their saying that since the watch has wifi, it doesn't have to be near the iPhone to work when both iPhone and watch are on the same network.

I'll double check once the entire presentation is available online.

They said that the watch doesn't have to be near the phone - meaning wifi has a much longer range than bluetooth.

I don't believe they said anything about being on the same network.

 

[Uccle]

They said that the watch doesn't have to be near the phone - meaning wifi has a much longer range than bluetooth.

I don't believe they said anything about being on the same network.

Ahhh, even better! Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Exile714]

They said that the watch doesn't have to be near the phone - meaning wifi has a much longer range than bluetooth.

I don't believe they said anything about being on the same network.

I'm pretty sure the guy doing the demo portion said something about not needing to be near your iPhone as long as it's connected to the same WiFi network. I think it was just before he "called the dog groomer."

 

[Runt888]

I'm pretty sure the guy doing the demo portion said something about not needing to be near your iPhone as long as it's connected to the same WiFi network. I think it was just before he "called the dog groomer."

Just re-watched that part - he doesn't say anything about being on the same network. He says that Apple Watch communicates with your phone over wifi as well as bluetooth, so you don't have to be in bluetooth range.

The way he worded it makes me even more sure it's a direct wifi connection.

 

[Uccle]

Just checked and in today's presentation it says that the watch communicates with the iPhone over wifi and Bluetooth so you don't have to be within Bluetooth range. (Around 1:14:00 in the video) There was, indeed, no mention of their having to be on the same wifi network.

Now, I just need to get my hand on one to test it all out!

 

[Exile714]

Yeah just rewatched and he didn't mention being connected to WiFi.

But he kept saying "when you're at home." I think that's what threw me, since I wouldn't need to be within Bluetooth range at the gym either if it were a direct WiFi link anywhere.

Then again, if it's running a WiFi radio what would it matter if it's connected to a router or the phone itself? I'm changing my mind and now think there's an 80% chance it's a direct WiFi connection, making gym workouts much nicer because I could leave my phone in a locker and still get calls/texts/music.

 

[Runt888]

Yeah just rewatched and he didn't mention being connected to WiFi.

But he kept saying "when you're at home." I think that's what threw me, since I wouldn't need to be within Bluetooth range at the gym either if it were a direct WiFi link anywhere.

Then again, if it's running a WiFi radio what would it matter if it's connected to a router or the phone itself? I'm changing my mind and now think there's an 80% chance it's a direct WiFi connection, making gym workouts much nicer because I could leave my phone in a locker and still get calls/texts/music.

I'm thinking they have done a lot of work with minimizing the amount of time that the wifi is active in order to conserve battery life. The watch also doesn't support the latest in wifi standards (it only has 802.11 b/g) and I'm guessing doesn't have much in the way of security (meaning it may not support the myriad of security options that modern connected devices use today).

 

[Uccle]

OK, I am totally guessing/punting here. It might work the way my camera does. My camera connects to my iPhone via its own wifi connection. Peer-to-peer. It pairs with my iPhone the way Bluetooth does but it uses wifi instead. The watch might do the same. So the range wouldn't be huge but better than Bluetooth.

Just a thought. Fire away.

(And yes the "when you are at home" threw me too...)

 

[freediverx]

I think the tidbit about how you can take and receive calls with the built in speaker and mic is really interesting. Does this mean that you could take and receive calls over wifi even when not in range of your iphone? In a similar fashion to how your iPad or Macbook can take calls over wifi, I'm wondering if the watch would have similar functionality.

This would be great, for example you could leave your phone to charge in your bedroom and be on a different level of your home and still not miss a call.

What wasn't made clear is whether the wifi capability is based on an ad-hoc network between the watch and the iPhone, or whether it requires both the watch and the iPhone to be connected to the same wifi hotspot.

 

[Runt888]

What wasn't made clear is whether the wifi capability is based on an ad-hoc network between the watch and the iPhone, or whether it requires both the watch and the iPhone to be connected to the same wifi hotspot.

It's been explained before today that it's an ad-hoc network. The watch won't connect to a base station.

 

[daijholt]

It's been explained before today that it's an ad-hoc network. The watch won't connect to a base station.

Fairly sure this is the case as well. WiFi range is much better than bluetooth, just remember how you could put 2 walls between you and a bluetooth speaker and the signal cuts out, but put the same walls between you and a router and for the most part, there's barely any change at all.