Apple Announces Watch Series 3 with LTE Connectivity

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
Apple has unveiled its latest watch, which happens to have cellular built-in: wireless LTE connectivity is provided by a built-in chip that allows the Watch Series 3 to stay connected even when it’s not tethered to an iPhone. The non-LTE version starts at $329, but the cellular version will run you $399. (The Keynote is happening right now for those of you who want to check out the livestream, although you’ll have to use Edge.)

The Apple Watch Series 3 will support Apple Music independent of the iPhone, allowing users to “stream 40 million songs from their wrist.” The cellular Apple Watch also has the same cellular number as your iPhone and third-party In addition to cellular, there’s a new dual-are processor with up to 70 percent faster performance. Siri, thanks to the processor, Siri can also talk – a notable upgrade. There’s also a new W2 Apple chip that is 50 percent more power efficient for Bluetooth and WiFi. As for the SIM technology, the cellular Apple Watch Series 3 uses an electronic SIM to preserve space.
 
The Series 3 does seem neat. Nowhere near enough for me to buy though. I'd be afraid of breaking the thing while working.
 
The Series 3 does seem neat. Nowhere near enough for me to buy though. I'd be afraid of breaking the thing while working.

I wear $8K watches while I do physical labor, just get insurance and there are no worries. There's always a risk, as with anything, exercising caution is the key.
 
I'm still not convinced I need a smartwatch. I don't need something that does basically what my phone does with a smaller screen.
 
So far with the live stream, absolutely nothing is impressing me.
 
Does this require it's own cellular plan or is this tied into an existing iphone plan from your carrier?
This is my question to. If it requires an additional plan. Then I'll get the non cellular version. If I can share it with my current plan with no additional costs. Cellular version it is.
 
I like being able to stream music while running.


No mention on any type of cell plan that will be offered with it. If it's 30 bucks/month, i'll just stick with my offline music via Tomtom spark.
 
I really hope tmobile sticks it to them and allows you to add it for free. Just got netflix for free today
 
I would not be cool with two cellular plans. Curious what they are going to charge for a phone + watch (cell vendors, not Apple).
I'm actually more interested in the medical studies they are doing with the watch related to afib. I bought an EKG device for me a while back so I could record my heart beat. When you go to the doctor and report it feels weird, they can't do much about it except order you a device you have to wear for 48 hours without showering. The EKB device - they can glance at at and know common issues quickly and pretty accurately.
The watch would possibly be a first good alert - I don't think people realize they are in afib.
 
Add Facetime and it will be a must have, but the fact that its only $10 more on existing plans is pretty cool.
 
Not interesting in smart watches until battery life can go at least 3 days
 
Not interesting in smart watches until battery life can go at least 3 days

The old watch could go 2 days 3 could be doable on this version with the efficiency improvements...
 
Around here at least, It's common for me to see Apple Watches daily. Heck, even seen a mechanic working on a car with one which surprised me. It's really much more convenient to just take a glance at your wrist than your phone. When you're at work or at class you don't need to drop everything to look at your wrist. I was working with cables, knee deep in dirty *shudders* cables. I didn't get my phone covered in god-knows-what to see text messages.

If you're worried about breaking the watch, you can buy an aftermarket case.
 
People scream for Apple to untether the Watch from the Iphone.

Apple delivers untethered watch that can make calls.

People then come up with more excuses not to buy it.
 
People scream for Apple to untether the Watch from the Iphone.

Apple delivers untethered watch that can make calls.

People then come up with more excuses not to buy it.

What were you expecting, honestly? Praise and rationality? Are you insane?!
 
If anyone thinks they can get 2-3 days with cellular out of something this small... LOL. All Apple promised was "all day" battery life - For a watch this is just impractical. Last time I actually wore a watch of any sort, it would go days between winding (yes I am old). Heck the alarm clock on my nightstand is going on 5 YEARS on the same AA battery (purely battery, it doesn't plug in and use the battery as a backup). A watch that needs to be recharged every night is just silly. Especially as it means carting the charging equipment every time you go away for business or on vacation.
Now they add a cellular radio. Unless you live next to a cell tower, the talk time has to be minutes. There are minimum power levels the RF amps work at, and there is only so much room for battery inside there. And if they managed to come up with some new battery tech that's many times the energy density of LiPo, we would have heard about it - such a thing is worth far more than any anticipated sales of a smart watch.
 
If anyone thinks they can get 2-3 days with cellular out of something this small... LOL. All Apple promised was "all day" battery life - For a watch this is just impractical. Last time I actually wore a watch of any sort, it would go days between winding (yes I am old). Heck the alarm clock on my nightstand is going on 5 YEARS on the same AA battery (purely battery, it doesn't plug in and use the battery as a backup). A watch that needs to be recharged every night is just silly. Especially as it means carting the charging equipment every time you go away for business or on vacation.
Now they add a cellular radio. Unless you live next to a cell tower, the talk time has to be minutes. There are minimum power levels the RF amps work at, and there is only so much room for battery inside there. And if they managed to come up with some new battery tech that's many times the energy density of LiPo, we would have heard about it - such a thing is worth far more than any anticipated sales of a smart watch.

I'm sure the new watch will last fine during the working day, I have no doubt about that. Wouldn't be a a great trading day for them if they flat out lied and the thing only got MINUTES of use. Most people these days, since the smart watch platform has taken off, have been accustomed to charging once or twice a day, it's just what goes with the territory. No one I know (I'm surrounded by people that wear Apple and Samsung watches) has any issue with this. But a lot of people I know, myself included, are/have been consistently buying automatic watches. The bigger Swiss companies are marketing towards a younger segment, in hopes of bringing traditional watch wearing back. There will always be a market for both a digital tool on your wrist (for example, working out), and for appreciating fine craftsmanship.
 
People wanted untethered and longer battery life.

I'll mess with one when they improve the battery life. Especially because the AirPods combined with the watch almost makes the phone needless while running. Now if only I could figure out a way to not bring all my keys with me.
 
People wanted untethered and longer battery life.

I'll mess with one when they improve the battery life. Especially because the AirPods combined with the watch almost makes the phone needless while running. Now if only I could figure out a way to not bring all my keys with me.

There are bluetooth enabled door locks and wifi enabled garage doors. I used to run with my iphone and bluetooth headset only and then use my phone to open the garage. Now I think I can do that with the apple watch so Ill probably upgrade my first gen.
 
Back
Top