LTE Smartwatch

Gazwould

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Hi Guy's ,

really interested in having my first smart watch since the Samsung Galaxy watch is imminent for release here in the UK .

Just having the facility of making and receiving calls in range of a smart phone left in an office draw is appealing , this is both Bluetooth and the office WiFi range ?

However beyond that you need a Bluetooth and LTE version .

As I understand things so far...


An LTE smartwatch has an eSIM ( embedded sim ) which is alreaded built into the smartwatch , everything mobile communication will be eSIM in the near future as it aids with network change transfers etc.

The process of this eSim piggybacking the phones sim is called 'twinning' , with the help of an app and the network must support it so the same phone number is kept .

So far the Apple watch Series 3 has this and is supported by EE last year but it hasn't been without it's set up issues..

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Apple/Got-new-Apple-Watch-LTE-doesn-t-work/td-p/608402

I'm also EE ( ASDA / Walmart ) mobile on a non contract recurring monthly bundle and I'm in the process of finding out it's support with difficulty as there's no LTE version UK release date .


LTE and e-sim are the norm in the US .

And the usefulness of not having a bulky phone around , loosing a phone or putting down and forgetting is easier than losing something strapped to one's wrist !
Night out down a pub , running , swimming etc . Newcomming Samsung Galaxy watch is 5ATM ( 50 meters ) is appealing .

Also it's also iOS so might steal some Apple customers .

Down sides ?

I'm going for the smaller 42mm version with less battery life , I guess LTE version will kill it even quicker ?

Possible extra fee's ? And LTE version will be dearer .

Your thoughts ?
 
I'm a little confused on what exactly you're asking entirely but I'll drop some knowledge.

There are dozens of android wearOS watches out there these days, not sure which have LTE compatibility though, if any.
The Samsung Galaxy watch is running Samsung firmware called Tizen 4.0 - I've never been a fan of early Google wear OS, and Samsung UI's have typically been just them shoving their eco-system down your throat (instead of using Google's).

The EE link you posted re: AW3 LTE issues, all sound like people trying to activate the watch without a sim being activated for it.
Once you get an LTE watch, you'll have to contact your cellular carrier and get a monthly plan for it. Typically you can share your data from the same plan as your primary device for less than $25/m (that's high, but I don't know what your local carrier charges)

At the end of the day, an LTE watch won't replace your device.
It's a simple extension. Though I could get through most of my day with my Apple Watch connected to some BT headphones, I can't imagine my phone being too far away.

No Apple user with sense would buy a Samsung watch (or wearOS/google watch), aside from the eternal fanboy war... you just lose a lot of compatibilities.


Here, @kamkar1
A new $1200+ TAG watch for you :p
 
Too Fancy, but i like watches with big fat hands on them, make it more easy for my old eyes to read them.
With a lotto win i would use several thousand dollars on a single watch no problem, its the only "jewelry" for a manly man, and daddy need some bling.
 
LOL, as I started reading, I thought eSIM is something that benefits the manufacturer at the expense of the buyer. The kind of thing that Apple does. And sure enough...

I only have one of those super cheap bluetooth smart watches. It didn't do anything I needed, and I couldn't find any way to need any of the things it does. It lies unused.
I though it would be a way to dip my toes in the water before buying one of the proper ones. Instead it has just put me off the idea. I'm glad I wasted a tiny amount of money instead of a tidy sum.
I still lust after one, of course, but first they have to be more useful than just an inferior bluetooth headset-cum-fitness tracker on my wrist.
 
Well, what features are you looking for?

There are tons and tons of cheap smart watches that you can get from aliexpress or wherever that are nothing more than glorified pedometers.
 
Being able to see email headers might have made it of some use to me, but mine could only show SMS messages. And to do that you had to install a tacky app on the phone. It just didn't have a seamless, integrated feel. That may sound trivial but it's a big turn off. It was just hard work for little reward (if any.)
Reminds me of when Bluetooth first came out and it was just rubbish. Many things wouldn't work together and nothing worked really well. The technology has a lot of maturing to do.
 
Yeah, that doesn't sound like a good experience - but doesn't reflect a real smartwatch.

I had a Pebble smartwatch (well 2 models actually) which were amazing, overall.

Ultimately, I switched to the Apple watch since the Pebble couldn't do voice to text with iPhone - only Android.
Now Pebble is gone because of Fitbit :rolleyes:
 
I'm going to have to wait on this one because the LTE version will be released later this year , pricing , 'twinning' etc all in the dark and the only initial carrier will be EE ( T- mobile ).

The incentive was if I pre ordered I'd get a free dual wireless charging dock worth £80, lol . But on reflection wireless charging is a gimmick , it's fixed position and you can't hold and use the phone .
The amount of times I've used the phone whilst charging !
 
my wife has the apple watch series 3 w/ LTE and I'm quite "blah" about it. she insisted on getting it even though I told her she could just get the much cheaper series 1 w/o LTE and it she likely wouldn't know the difference. she does travel from building to building at work and that would take her out of Bluetooth range from her phone which she leaves at her desk. but she leaves the watch at home nearly half the time anyway. I bite my tongue even though I want to say: "you spent that much on a watch that you're just going to leave at home?" I have the series 1 apple watch myself which I find not so useful. if I didn't get it used and at a hefty discount, I don't think I'd put it on everyday.
 
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