If you want to listen to music and podcasts with a GPS-only Apple Watch, you'll need to first download the audio files to the Watch's storage before you can consume it. With a cellular-enabled Apple Watch, you can stream from Apple Music at all times even when it's not paired with your iPhone via Bluetooth. This can be useful when you need some directions but don't have your iPhone around, for example when you are running outdoors without your iPhone. You can always access Maps and other location services Apps with your Apple Watch cellular. Some Apple Watch cellular plans also allow us to use the same phone number on both your Apple Watch and your iPhone. If you'd like to be available at all times, then this can be a very useful feature so you can take important calls, receive iMessages/text messages, and emails wherever you are even without your iPhone around. You can perform voice calls and listen to your voicemail even when it's not paired with an iPhone. In short, more versatility in using your Watch anyhow you see fit.
In such cases, you can even use Find My iPhone on your Apple Watch. Also, there's always the case of forgetting to bring your iPhone or even losing it somewhere. This can be handy in situations when you don't want to bring your iPhone during your workouts or outdoor activities.
Obviously, the biggest advantage of having a GPS+Cellular Apple Watch over the Wi-Fi-only model is the fact that you can get the full functionality of the Apple Watch even when it's not paired with your iPhone. GPS-Only Apple WatchĪvailable in aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium casesħ hours, less with Apple Music continuous streamingįrom $10 per month, depending on the Apple Watch cellular planīenefits of Apple Watch Cellular Plan You don't need your iPhone nearby Newer models (Series 6) also support emergency calls even if you don't have an active Apple Watch cellular plan. Meaning, you can use Apple Music streaming and other online-only Apps even without Wi-Fi. The GPS+cellular Apple Watches allow you to connect to the internet even when no iPhone is nearby. Since it doesn't continuously search for cellular connectivity, it also has longer battery life. The GPS-only Apple Watch is obviously less expensive and also lighter than the cellular counterpart, roughly around $130 to $150 cheaper than a comparable cellular Apple Watch. So, do you really need a cellular plan on your Apple Watch? Are the extra costs justified? Here, we will answer these questions.
The original Apple Watch is designed to connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth and uses the iPhone cellular and internet connectivity.īeginning with the Apple Watch Series 3, the fourth-generation Apple Watch released in 2017, however, Apple also offered another version of Apple Watches capable of cellular connectivity, so you can use most of this Apple Watch's core functionalities without pairing it with an iPhone nearby. When the original Apple Watch was released back in 2015, Apple only released one model capable of GPS connectivity but no cellular connectivity.