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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

#111

Post by gaius »

MBCook wrote: 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.

But that stupid cell company fee will keep me away. Just like it keeps me off cellular iPads

This entirely depends on your carrier. I have a single account for both iPhone and iPad wth 10Gb/mo to "spend" between them however I see fit. I'm with EE.

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

#112

Post by gehwartzen »

aetherson wrote: post #31
keymone wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

It might function as a proper phone , but it can't function as a proper smartphone , because you need a real screen for that.

At that point may as well have the cellular and processing function in the AirPods themselves.

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

#113

Post by gehwartzen »

jmull wrote: post #55

This is all great. In the short term, the sticking point is the cell contract. If there is a reasonable add-on price to your existing phone rate, this is going to catch on. The more reasonable the rate, the quicker it will catch on. Longer-term, the standalone service contract (Watch-only, no phone) will become more significant. People don't have an intrinsic urge to carry a rectilinear slab in their pocket... they h…

What would be even better is if cellular plans just covered the actual data at a set rate and let you connect as many devices as you want. At the end of the day that 'should' be all they care about.

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

#114

Post by smcl »

drewmol wrote: post #86
ISL wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On Ting, each device is $6/mo.

Nice to see a Ting mention, parent company is TuCows, a Canadian ISP. Check em out if you've never heard of them, I really like their pricing model if you don't need much data or rural coverage areas

That's a weird memory from the 90s/early-00s, I remember downloading software from their FTP and I've no connection with Canada (this would be in the UK). Linux images etc, iirc?

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

#115

Post by krzyk »

MBCook wrote: post #4
Filligree wrote: post #3

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.

In Poland you can get a "sub" simcard that will use your cell/data plan from the main one, for just 10 pln/month (sometime ago it was 5 pln/month probably some of the carriers can have it even cheaper) ~ 2.8 $/month.

It is used mostly for tablets here(main simcard is in the phone) or a mifi for car.

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

#116

Post by MBCook »

gaius wrote: post #111
MBCook wrote: 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.

But that stupid cell company fee will keep me away. Just like it keeps me off cellular iPads This entirely depends on your carrier. I have a single account for both iPhone and iPad wth 10Gb/mo to "spend" between them however I see fit. I'm with EE.

I'm in the US. I have a pool of data too, but there is a monthly charge for every device I add to the pool.

If adding a device to the pool also came with a little bit of extra data that might make it work out, but that's not the way it works.

Essentially I'm penalized for trying to use their services more. Instead of a nominal fee and making their money from selling more data, I have to pay a bigger fee just for the possibility of using the small pool I already have.

Not having to deal with tethering is not worth $10 a month to me.

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

#117

Post by MBCook »

krzyk wrote: post #115
MBCook wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

In Poland you can get a "sub" simcard that will use your cell/data plan from the main one, for just 10 pln/month (sometime ago it was 5 pln/month probably some of the carriers can have it even cheaper) ~ 2.8 $/month. It is used mostly for tablets here(main simcard is in the phone) or a mifi for car.

See I'd happily pay three dollars a month to get my iPad on the network. That seems like a reasonable fee.

I don't expect to use my iPad (or anything else) away from Wi-Fi all that much, so that may be part of the issue. If I thought I'd use it more $10 may seem more reasonable. Like if I traveled a lot.

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

#118

Post by MBCook »

digi_owl wrote: post #14
MBCook wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

From what I've read I've always got the impression that cell networks are one of the things the US is furthest behind in. Even when we are more or less technologically up-to-date, the customer experience part is still terrible.

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

#119

Post by MBCook »

owenwil wrote: post #93
keymone wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

What do you mean what if? This is something you can already do for calling + streaming music direct from the watch.

Also when you can listen to music or podcasts from the watch, they have to be preloaded. If there is an episode that you didn't download and put on the watch or you want to listen to a streaming music service… you're stuck unless the phone is there.

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

#120

Post by MBCook »

Avshalom wrote: post #72
Bud wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's 2017. Nobody dials. You say the person's name. Anyway, the Apple Watch has a perfectly usable 10-key entry screen; that's what is used to unlock the Watch. Have you actually seen an Apple Watch?

it's 2017 nobody calls , voice dial is 2001. that said my 5.2" phone doesn't have a perfectly usable tenkey, forgive me if I'm skeptical of a watch screen.

I use the pin pad to unlock my watch when I don't have my phone nearby, it works fine. I'm not going to say it's a great experience, but it's OK.

I agree I'd be more likely to use Siri or the Contacts app on the watch.

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