Many variations and combinations are available for the Apple Watch range, including various case materials, colors, sizes, and more. Yet, one of the most crucial decisions to make is whether or not to get an Apple Watch with cellular connectivity.
You can leave your iPhone at home and yet stay connected if you have an Apple Watch with LTE. It’s a helpful function, but it has a price.
Which Apple Watch models offer cellular?
Apparently from Apple:
With an active service subscription, you can make calls, send messages, and do much more on an Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, or Apple Watch SE without using your iPhone. While you’re traveling overseas, all it takes to make an emergency call is to press and hold the side button. Also, family members who don’t own iPhones may now use Apple Watch thanks to Family Setup.
The Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra are the latest models offered by Apple. Price points for the Apple Watch SE range from $249 for GPS connectivity to $299 for GPS plus cellular. The Apple Watch Series 8 begins at $399 for GPS and $499 for GPS with cellular.
But keep in mind that only GPS and cellular connectivity are offered with the Apple Watch Series 8 in stainless steel, the Apple Watch Series 8 Hermès, and the Apple Watch Ultra. You will have to decide whether to pay the monthly fee even if your Apple Watch will contain the appropriate hardware for cellular access.
Associated costs with cellular
The majority of plans will run you $10 or less a month, which is still much less than many iPhone plans. If you buy a watch straight from a carrier like Verizon or AT&T, you might be able to find a good bargain on a cellular plan.
It’s also crucial to bear in mind that you cannot subsequently add a cellular plan if you purchase a regular Apple Watch with GPS. To obtain a plan now or in the future, you must acquire an Apple Watch GPS + Cellular.
Family Setup
Parents who wish to be able to reach their kids without them possessing an iPhone are fond of Family Setup. With this capability, the parent may configure a cellular Apple Watch on their iPhone for their child. The youngster may then make calls, send texts, or utilize any other feature on their Apple Watch using their phone number and Apple ID. The parent’s iPhone does not have to be nearby to use Family Setup.
This approach is preferred for several reasons, including the fact that it is more economical. In addition to being less expensive than other iPhones, the handset is also less expensive to add a data plan and insure with Apple Care+. Also, because Apple Watches are worn on the wrist, they are a little bit more difficult to lose.
Finally, choosing an Apple Watch over an iPhone can help you achieve a goal that many parents have: keeping your youngster away from screens. To make the Apple Watch work for you, there are parental controls. For instance, the School time feature disables alerts and app access when the child is in class.
Is Apple Watch Cellular Worth It?
To be honest, there isn’t a clear solution to this problem. It will come down to personal choice in the end. To make a selection, you must, nevertheless, consider a few issues. They consist of:
- Does your carrier provide cellular Apple Watch support?
- Do you frequently leave your phone at home? Do you still favor being online, sending texts, and taking calls when this occurs?
- Do you listen to Apple Music and podcasts on your phone while it’s not with you?
- Do you find the family setup feature appealing?
- Do you prefer a titanium or stainless steel casing for your watch?
You would likely benefit from having an Apple Watch with one of these features if you responded positively to two or more of these questions.
Overall thoughts
The Apple Watch with cellular is probably the best option for the majority of folks. Even though it’s more expensive, it unlocks some of the Apple Watch’s finest functions and makes it more separate from your iPhone.
Furthermore, remember that you don’t have to activate the Apple Watch cellular when you purchase it. If you want to keep the Apple Watch for a while, this can be a wise choice because you never know when you might decide you need or desire cellular.
I dream that one day, all Apple Watch models will come equipped with cellular as standard, allowing users to choose whether or not to activate it. Then, we won’t even need to have this discussion. Yet, for the time being, it’s a choice you’ll have to make when purchasing an Apple Watch.