Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Worth getting cellular for Apple Watch?

I want and need to be reachable all the time and don't like to bring my phone. For me? Totally worth the cost. If having your phone with you all the time is ok, then you may not need it. Totally personal decision. I can't imagine going without it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bruinsrme, Jessemtz25 and tgara
Another viewpoint for not needing the LTE is the fact that the Apple Watch isn’t capable of doing everything independently that the iPhone can do yet. So i want to have my phone on me when I’m out and about. For example, what if you are on vacation and you want to take a picture and you left your iPhone in the hotel room? The Apple Watch can’t take pictures. If you use Snapchat and only have your watch all day, you can’t open or send any snapchats on the watch. Again all personal preference, but not being able to do those things would drive me nuts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jamesschmidtke
the watch with a cellular connection is like a new beast entirely
having phone, time, text messages, email notification, gps, pedometer, heart rate counter, calculator and a myriad of other things all on you wrist is terrific.
you can go out in tshirt and shorts, swimming, jogging, weekend trip, anything you like without needing to carrya heavy phone. awesome ....
 
  • Like
Reactions: jamesschmidtke, bruinsrme, matrix07 and 3 others
HuskerHarley said:
Does the watch with cellular have the Personal Hotspot & Carplay feature?
Click to expand...
Not CarPlay but some claim they’ve been able to connect their watch to the car via Bluetooth. Doesn’t work with my Audi or my wife’s Land Rover. The car “see’s” it as a Bluetooth device but won’t connect to it.
 
If you are going to have your phone with you when you are wearing your watch, not worth it at all. It really depends on how many times you tell yourself: "Gee, it would be nice to just be wearing my watch and not have to carry my phone or wallet [if you have Apple Pay]." If you upgrade your watch every year, it's like a $400 additional expense (extra cost for cellular, and cellular charges). So you really want to know you need it, or really value having it there if you were to need it, to justify the cost. I used to pay extra for cellular capability on my iPad, and then the data charges, and now just tether. But I value being able to call enough even with just my watch (which I use on occasion) to justify the cellular capability. But $400 is a new Watch!
 
JulesK said:
I value being able to call enough even with just my watch (which I use on occasion) to justify the cellular capability.
Click to expand...

I much prefer to go for a run without my phone. Just my watch and headphones. So sure the cellular is a nice comfort in case I get hurt or there's an emergency where my wife or kids need me while I'm gone for a couple hours.

More for me though -- cellular means Siri still works without your phone. Lots of times I'll think of something to add to a to-do list and would forget by the time I got back. A quick "her siri remind me to..." and it's done. Cellular also means if I'm out for a run while on business travel, I can bring up a map and see where I am / where I'm going -- or if that next turn through a neighborhood goes where I want to or is a dead end. Cellular also means I'll see if that after-lunch meeting I'm rushing through a run to be able to get back for is suddenly cancelled and I don't have to rush so much.

Well worth the added cost of cellular for me. Others will have different needs/wishes/preferences.
 
RichardMZhlubb said:
I think that the upfront and monthly expense of cellular on the watch is only justifiable if there are going to be times that you absolutely need online connectivity and won’t have your phone with you. I am never in that situation because I never go anywhere without my phone, so I get along fine with my non-cellular watch.
Click to expand...

Plus, you can use wifi calling to send and receive calls on a non-cellular watch if your carrier provides it. https://www.imore.com/how-use-wi-fi-calling-apple-watch
 
I was extremely skeptical about paying the premium for the cellular version plus the extra monthly expense, but I did with my Apple Watch 4. Now I can't possibly see ever getting another one without it. As others have pointed out, going for a walk or run or working out at the gym and not carrying a phone is a huge bonus. I frequently have my iPad instead of my iPhone with me and can't afford to miss my frequent work calls. It's just such a convenience that I am now more than willing to pay for it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: deeddawg
I went to the beach today to snorkel. Left my phone behind as I didn’t want to leave it on the beach while I was in the water. Just took my Apple Watch. Recorded an open water swim - relaxed on the beach. Took a phone call on the AW from my daughter so that we could coordinate meeting up at the beach. The convenience is worth the cost to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: matrix07, richpjr, deeddawg and 1 other person
and before the "I don't want to be that connected!" folks chime in -- you can quickly set Do Not Disturb on the watch if desired.
 
I think a lot depends on your carrier too. In the UK is is just £5/month extra (all our taxes are included) - whereas you guys in the US seem to be paying $10 and more plus taxes. That wouldn't be worth it for me.

For £60 a year I get to leave my phone at home with me, go to the gym, walk or shop etc without needing my big iPhone8+ in my pocket.

That is worth it to me, but may not be to others.
 
BillGates1969 said:
I think a lot depends on your carrier too. In the UK is is just £5/month extra (all our taxes are included) - whereas you guys in the US seem to be paying $10 and more plus taxes
Click to expand...

Also a good point.

When I was still on AT&T the price was almost $20/mo due to the added fees and taxes on the $15 stated price.

Switched to T-Mobile though and the price is $10/mo including everything - much more palatable.
 
AlliFlowers said:
I turned off my cell service to my AW3 for a few months. It was such a relief to turn it back on. I dislike being tied to my phone all the time. I can run to the store and leave the phone at home; all the while receiving and replying to texts, AND paying for my groceries.
Click to expand...

Agree! AW Cellular fits an active lifestyle very well... I couldn't live without anymore. When doing grocery, or walking with my dog, or even worst if I'm doing those kind of things while raining... I can be connected without the hassle of taking out the phone. And I think AW will get better and better until we would reach the point of using an iPhone/iPad at home just to consume media. It's amazing to see how much technology is packed on a wrist.
[doublepost=1568363236][/doublepost]
HuskerHarley said:
Does the watch with cellular have the Personal Hotspot & Carplay feature?
Click to expand...

No but the day AW will get CarPlay support it would be a game changer, I could leave my iPhone at home - or not having an iPhone entirely and just use an iPad at home. Can't wait.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlliFlowers
I always find this an interesting question as the obvious benefit to me of a cellular Apple Watch is to enable one to make time away from the phone. Deliberately not by accident, but still be contactable in case of emergencies.

From a lot of the comments it seems the perception is you would get the cellular to (almost) replace your phone with as a permanent fixture?

I don’t have a watch yet but am looking at the s5 gps only as a way to further distance myself from my phone (I am fortunate to have WiFi access most places).

All just differing perspectives of course but a very interesting question nonetheless!
 
Pxlkid said:
I always find this an interesting question as the obvious benefit to me of a cellular Apple Watch is to enable one to make time away from the phone. Deliberately not by accident, but still be contactable in case of emergencies.

From a lot of the comments it seems the perception is you would get the cellular to (almost) replace your phone with as a permanent fixture?

I don’t have a watch yet but am looking at the s5 gps only as a way to further distance myself from my phone (I am fortunate to have WiFi access most places).

All just differing perspectives of course but a very interesting question nonetheless!
Click to expand...

AW is heading to that direction for sure and watchOS 6 it's the first step. Lots of features are missing, like CarPlay, a small camera (it happens that I need to take photos, I mean not pro photography, but quick photos when I am outside, for example right yesterday at the grocery store I had to take a picture of a product and send it to my partner), plus other things that are more related to software.

I think AW could become a primary cellular device for outdoor stuff, while driving, commuting or any other activity when using a phone is inconvenient, but it's not quite ready yet.

One thing that I love: it really helps to stay connected while decluttering life from distractions (e.g. social media), and maybe that was the purpose of AW in Jony Ive's mind.
 
Got locked out of house on a 90+ degree with my senior dog, and didn't have phone with me. Worth the monthly payment to call a relative to come let me back in? Absolutely.

Returned a rental car at 10pm at night and forgot phone so I wasn't able to get an Uber. Called daughter on Watch to come pick me up.

Just a couple of the reasons why cellular is definitely worth it to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cics, BillGates1969 and deeddawg
I know this is going to come across when you first read it as "This is one of those tin foil hat dudes... (skip to next message). First, I want to say I am not "one of those dudes;" I just know what is out there regarding remote execution vulnerabilities and the prices paid for them.

I have been considering the Apple Watch 5 with Cellular to replace my Apple Watch Series 0. I am going to have to replace my iPhone X due to cracked front and rear screen, and it is not much more to get a replacement as Apple states they cannot replace the front screen if the black glass is damaged due to the damage on the back of the phone will only get much worse when they perform the process of removing the front screen to replace it (apparently it puts a certain amount of stress on the phone and could cause a crack in the glass on the rear panel to break in two). So right now, I have no viable option, and am considering the iPhone 11. I wouldn't be doing that if I had not damaged the X as I keep a phone as long as it will work, however unfortunately for the X and it sliding off things often that wasn't long. I like carrying the phone naked, but lesson learned and will deal with a protective case 🙂

Anyway, since the Watch + Cellular will be on or near you 24/7, how many think it could be compromised and turned into a hot mic like has been proven on iOS and Android in the past? I suspect it has a minimalistic OS so that would lower the attack surface, but if connected to the cellular network 24/7 and it as compromised, I could picture it easily being used as an eavesdropping device. Although I have not verified, I suspect there is a way to turn off the cellular radio with a toggle to save battery life?

I have nearly made up my mind to purchase one anyway, but was wondering what others thoughts are, if any, on this topic?

Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back