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

bloomberg.com

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

#21

Post by agumonkey »

brogrammernot wrote: post #11
pseudometa wrote: post #6

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 would even think about that kind of offers.. I actually don't care about youtube, but GPS and music .. reflects

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

#22

Post by ISL »

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.

On Ting, each device is $6/mo.

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

#23

Post by jwilliams »

apocalyptic0n3 wrote: post #15
dgacmu wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Project Fi works fine with Apple iOS Devices. You need a Pixel/Nexus device to activate.

I've got several Apple devices on extra Project Fi SIM cards (including an iPhone). All work fine. I've also tested on the primary SIM succesfully.

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

#26

Post by JustSomeNobody »

gkanapathy wrote: post #8
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.

If this happens, it seems likely that Apple would work out a special plan or add-on with the carriers just for this.

Yep, a single exclusive provider. Because that tends to be the norm with tech companies who have to deal with cell companies.

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

#27

Post by rodonn »

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.

Google's project Fi is great about letting you get extra data only sim cards for free.

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

#29

Post by X-Istence »

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #26
gkanapathy wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this happens, it seems likely that Apple would work out a special plan or add-on with the carriers just for this.

Yep, a single exclusive provider. Because that tends to be the norm with tech companies who have to deal with cell companies.

On the iPad they have the ability to create virtual SIM's and you can select from a list of providers, including one-time payments to activate an account for X amount of data.

Apple could move to something like Google's Fi easily with the virtual sim capabilities...

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

#30

Post by ubernostrum »

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #26
gkanapathy wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this happens, it seems likely that Apple would work out a special plan or add-on with the carriers just for this.

Yep, a single exclusive provider. Because that tends to be the norm with tech companies who have to deal with cell companies.

I know Amazon originally used only Sprint for the Kindle cellular connectivity; has that changed?
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