“Even though the wearable uses your existing wireless plan, LTE connectivity on Apple Watch Series 3 doesn’t come free,” Michael Simon reports for Macworld. “No matter your carrier, you’ll be paying a little extra in your monthly bill.”
“Apple Watch Series 3 pre-order will begin Friday, September 15 at midnight PST/3 a.m. EST through Apple.com or the individual carrier sites,” Simon reports. “The regular, Hermes, and Edition versions will ship the following Friday, September 22. The Nike Plus models will ship Friday, October 5.”
• Verizon customers will pay an extra $10 a month for the privilege of using an Apple Watch Series 3 on their plan using the NumberShare service.
• Apple Watch Series 3 data will cost $10 monthly on AT&T’s network under NumberSync.
• You’ll pay $10 a month on T-Mobile’s network for Apple Watch Series 3 with Digits.
• Sprint’s data plan for Apple Watch Series 3 costs $15 a month, but customers who sign up for auto-pay will get a $5 discount, bringing it down to the same $10 as the other three carriers.
More details, links, and introductory offer information in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Not too bad!
Why, oh, why do we always have to wait longer for our Apple Watch Nike+ units to ship?!
Too expensive! It’s not like you’re adding another line. You’re using the same number. I would only get it if it was a few dollars. $5 at the absolute most!
Ie – you can only use one of them at a time
The cell provider has to separately track every device on its network or it could not receive calls, messages, notifications, and so forth. The watch is only on the network when it is out of Bluetooth range of your phone, but the phone is always on and downloading data for you to see on your return. So you ARE using both at once unless you always turn your phone off before going for a run.
Fair enough, but does the marginal cost of an additional device truly justify $10 per month? I am highly skeptical.
Do they share your existing pool of data then? Or does the $10 offer you unlimited LTE data on your watch?
Shared data pool. No extra data for the fee.
With the cellular iWatch, people can play Knight Rider Michael knight, now apple have to build a car that can work the same way as the Trans AM in the TV series
Based on the presentation at the recent event I assumed there would be NO charge. But of course if you’re streaming music that would be quite an uptick in data usage but if your phone is set up for that and you only can use one at a time I don’t see the problem. All this lovely tech ability – but at a toll cost to the gatekeeper.
Here’s what’ I’m thinking – is it worth $120/yr PLUS an additional $70 in hardware costs to not have my iPhone in my back pocket so my WATCH will receive data, stream apple MUSIC and make calls?
I don’t think it is!
And further to the point – if an LTE WATCH means I’m using my iPhone less … then why do I need a better / $1200 iPhone 10???
It is probably worth it to those who prefer biking or running, etc. without needing to carry their iPhone along in the event there is a problem or emergency. I am diabetic and when doing yard work for example, if I experience a medical problem that required assistance but the watch was not connected to my wifi network and/or via Bluetooth with my iPhone at the time, it could be be beneficial to me to be able to make an emergency call when not having my iPhone at my side, which isn’t when I do yard work. I would also prefer to go biking or for a walk without having to always be carrying my iPhone. I would like no charge or no more than a $5/mo charge as well but for me, it will be better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.
I walk / hike / run 10 miles per day to keep my diabetes in check without having to use medications. My iPhone is in my back pocket most of the time I am out of the house – and I doubt having an LTE radio in my WATCH would make me not carry my iPhone in my back pocket if I was doing anything less than going for a run. I’m not going to be talking while running, so just listening to one of my library playlists off of my WATCH without taking my iPhone with me would be fine for the 30 – 45 minute runs.
This carrier charge has caused me to decide upon the Series 3 with NO cellular. My use case does not justify an extra $120 a year. Can’t think very many instances that I won’t still have my phone.
Not too bad? Seriously? Wow… It’s horrible. I must pay $120 a year, to basically get texting, which is free and unlimited with every carrier and even every Apple device regardless of carrier… Okay, voice also is included. And voice costs how much?… $10 is an absolute rip-off. $5 I could live with for the few times each month my Apple Watch is out of range of my iPhone, but $10? Please. It’ll be used about 10-15 times a month. I will live with Series 2 and be just fine.
Apple needs to buy a carrier and take over this kind of crap.
They are charging you more just because they can.
Never miss an opportunity to gouge your customers.™
Greedy cell providers. My bill is insane already. More than a decent car payment almost!
If you’re paying $450 or more per month for cellphone service, then something IS wrong.
Or you’re simply exaggerating.
No thank you.
An alternative reason to buy a cell model (and never turn on the cell feature) is that they all have 16GB of storage ram instead of 8GB. So you can load a lot more music to your WATCH.
Just off phone with WATCH sales. You get 10GB of music storage space with the 16GB cell models.
Get the Watch and don’t activate cellular for watch. NOW, the question is—Will Apple Watch cell version allow you to dial 911 for emergencies?? Right now all US phones are able to dial 911 whether they have a cell provider connected to the phone or not.
Might just get the series 3 non LTE. I always have my phone, so will save $120 a year, plus taxes. (Yup, there will be taxes too, people)
$10 is a deal breaker… Not doing it.
Slightly off topic I know, missed the presentation, busy at work. Anyway I’m quite interested in the cellular Watch 3 and for me kicking into touch lugging around a phone would be awesome for my job. One question though that I can’t seem to find an answer, can the cellular version provide a wifi hotspot. This for me would be massive as I can then use an iPad and or laptop to far more effect.
Wouldn’t help battery life I admit but….
Anyone know?
I was curious about this, now I know, and my anser is hell NO. Here’s a pro tip for people who run, buy an armband for your phone, or buy running shorts with appropriately thick and properly knit pockets that keep your phone from flopping around when you run, $120 saved. The LTE Watch is a solution in search of a problem. Most of this money will be made off of people who think they need this, but forget or are too lazy to remove the recurring charge from their monthly bill.
It always costs more.
Seprate cost of cell is what kill series 3 watch, I see the benefit of Apple Watch for medical reasons but other than that I miss wearing my other watches, with multiple watches in house hold it is up to $50
Extra of $350 phone bill already.
The original Apple Watch comes out and the complaint du jour is that there is no cell modem and it will only work with the phone nearby. This of course is not very accurate but who cares. Now with Apple Watch 3 the complaint du jour is that there is a subscription cost for a cell modem. They don’t want to pay because they will barely use it. Which does beg the question as to why you want it if you’ll barely use it but that’s never stopped a whiner before. And lastly are my least favorite of all, the halvsies. No matter the cost they are only will to pay half, at most. They are the same ones who complain that an app costs $1.99. The MOST they’d pay is $.99. If anyone cares, and I don’t know why you would, I have the first model, Apple Watch 0, and it needs replacing. I will get the cell version because I think it’s cool. If it’s only cool and not particularly useful than I will get rid of the cell service. If that somehow makes you angry you should probably rethink where you devote your energy.
This is a perfect response.
Here in France there will be no extra fees, says Orange, if you have one of the two more expensive plans (20 or 25 euros/month with Orange’s low-cost brand Sosh).
Shared data pool, though. (20GB or 40GB per month, for the plans mentioned above).
I hope sfr follow orange.
And to the question is: It worth it, yes for some, no for others!