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Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

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Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#11

There are plenty of instances where I might want directions while I'm on a run, but there is no way I'm paying $10 a month to add the device to my plan. Hopefully it is just shared data with my phone plan. We'll see what the carriers do, but I think it will make or break it for a lot of people.

$10/month to no longer need my phone for map my run and Spotify? That's worth $120/yr to me

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#12
post #2

I love my S2, but I have a hard time seeing why I should pay the cell phone company $120/yr to connect my watch. I don't go without my phone and I don't think this would change that. For people who want to run and listen to Spotify this may be great. But that stupid cell company fee will keep me away. Just like it keeps me off cellular iPads.

What if it could pair with air pods and function as a proper phone?

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#13
post #7
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No one will be paying that for cellular connectivity. It's all about the shared data pools now. I pay $10/mo. for my iPad Pro cellular. I'm on T-Mobile, but when I was on Verizon, it was only $15/mo. I have a friend with a cellular Samsung watch. He pays an additional $5/mo.

$10/mo is $120/yr to get access to the shared pool. That's the exact plan available for my iPad. And for extra cheapskate-ness you don't event get one extra GB when you do that. Pay more for less. I didn't know watches were less. I can't find anything on Verizon's site (from a quick glance) that mentions them, only that "tablets and hotspots" are $10/mo. Even at $60 I don't think I'd do it. I might for my iPad, but n…

And what's the initial plan cost to get that shared data pool?

I pay $30/5GB (then throttled unlimited), so if I have to switch to a $50/month plan for a shared pool and add another $10 for a second device, then we're up to $360/year.

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#14
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some cellular companies allow you to get multiple SIMs, specifically for this purpose. Maybe it isn't an option in your area, but a lot of people do have the option.

I've never heard of that, but I'm in the US with Verizon and fully trust they'll either want $10/mo (because it's a device) or $20/mo (if it can make phone calls). Because they're nice like that.

Well Verizon is a special kind of "evil" from what i can tell.

In most places that's not as balkanized as the US carrier market, you basically get multiple SIMs for your plan and that's it. Nobody gets to question what kind of device you put those SIMs into.

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#15
post #10

There are plenty of instances where I might want directions while I'm on a run, but there is no way I'm paying $10 a month to add the device to my plan. Hopefully it is just shared data with my phone plan. We'll see what the carriers do, but I think it will make or break it for a lot of people.

If it ends up compatible with project fi, their extra data-only device comes free (at $10/GB like the rest of the plan). Might make this the first smart watch I've found appealing.

The problem with that is that it would have to be completely decoupled from your phone since Project Fi only supports the Pixel and Apple Watch only supports iOS.

If you don't want the watch to interact with your phone at all, then you would be fine. But you'd presumably be losing quite a bit of functionality by doing so.

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#16
post #10

There are plenty of instances where I might want directions while I'm on a run, but there is no way I'm paying $10 a month to add the device to my plan. Hopefully it is just shared data with my phone plan. We'll see what the carriers do, but I think it will make or break it for a lot of people.

If it ends up compatible with project fi, their extra data-only device comes free (at $10/GB like the rest of the plan). Might make this the first smart watch I've found appealing.

Irony is that while Fi is the only plan where this makes sense, it's also the only plan you can't use with an iPhone.

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#17

There are plenty of instances where I might want directions while I'm on a run, but there is no way I'm paying $10 a month to add the device to my plan. Hopefully it is just shared data with my phone plan. We'll see what the carriers do, but I think it will make or break it for a lot of people.

Oh how quickly we forget in the tech community. An internet-focused phone was laughable with the data plans of 2006.

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#18
If you could make calls, respond to messages (any platform), play music from a major music service, and stay up-to-date with the most important notifications, you could basically untether yourself from your phone completely. This would be a real game-changer from a personal health standpoint. People are losing their minds with the current smartphone pandemic. I, personally, would welcome this change. It seems like an easier path toward device freedom. Since you wear it, it would feel like you've freed yourself from a screen (for the most part).

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#19

There are plenty of instances where I might want directions while I'm on a run, but there is no way I'm paying $10 a month to add the device to my plan. Hopefully it is just shared data with my phone plan. We'll see what the carriers do, but I think it will make or break it for a lot of people.

$10/month to no longer need my phone for map my run and Spotify? That's worth $120/yr to me

I'm embarrassed to admit how much I'd actually pay for this, but suffice it to say I'd consider $120/year a bargain.

Re: Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties

#20
post #9

Maybe if Apple wins their fight with Qualcomm we'll start seeing cellular connectivity in more of their products. I personally have no interest in a cellular-capable Apple Watch, but I would be very interested in a cellular-capable MacBook.

They had a 3G macbook prototype years ago, never went with it.

The integrated 3G & GPS in my ThinkPad is very convenient.

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