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What to 'Watch' out for in Apple's cellular timepiece

Dubai - Smartwatch finally hitting UAE shelves tomorrow.

Remember all those kooky wrist thingamajigs when you were younger, way before smartwatches were even conceived and which allowed users to communicate seamlessly with others?
The full monty may be here.
The Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular - we'll call it Apple Watch LTE from here - will be hitting UAE shelves tomorrow, June 15. Though it was announced alongside the iPhone X last September, it only made its way to the UAE now because carriers had to do some behind-the-scenes stuff to make its technology work here.
Khaleej Times was able to snag a sample from Apple, and we're about to detail what exactly it can do and what we've discovered about it.
 
What does it do?
In layman's terms, the Apple Watch LTE acts like an iPhone itself. While indeed in the regular Series 3 and earlier versions you are able to make/answer calls, send messages, listen to music and use any other app installed on them (playing Pokemon GO included), they had to be connected to an iPhone. With the cellular version there's no need for an iPhone; even if it's switched off, the Watch will work independently.
 
Why?
The Apple Watch LTE has an eSIM - electronic SIM - embedded in it. It's a non-physical SIM card that's programmed into it, so it has its own number that's connected to the telecom provider, much like a regular mobile. The most notable examples of smartphones using eSIMs are the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
 
How can you differentiate it from other Apple Watches?
They are identical, and the only indication that a Watch is the cellular version is that there's a red colour on top of its digital crown and 'LTE' printed behind. (Plus, on its box, 'Series 3' is printed in red too.)
 
Who's offering it in the UAE?
As we write, only etisalat is offering the Apple Watch LTE service; du has yet to make any announcements.
 
How does it work?
Of course, you'll need the Apple Watch LTE and an iPhone to use it; pair those two as you normally would. After that, you have to go to the My Watch tab in the iPhone's Watch app and tap on Cellular, which will allow you to connect to the network you're subscribing to. You're ready to go and use it like a smartphone on your wrist.
Also, if you're connected to a Bluetooth speaker, you can play music from the Watch to it - streaming tracks included.
 
I guess there's an extra charge.
Yep. However, there's a little promotion: etisalat is offering the service at no extra cost for the first three months - as long as you sign up before December 15, 2018.
After the three-month freebie, you'll be charged an extra Dh25 per month. It's actually cheaper than costs in the United States, where carriers are charging $10 (around Dh37). The service will work only on both etisalat's Wasel postpaid and prepaid accounts.
As such, it makes the UAE the 21st country to enjoy the Apple Watch LTE.
 
Will it work when you're roaming?
Unfortunately, no. Unlike iPhones - and practically all other smartphones in general - the Apple Watch LTE doesn't have the ability to adapt to networks outside a home country. So if you're travelling outside the UAE, make sure you have both of them within range. However, if you'll be staying for quite some time in another country that has the service, you could check a local carrier and subscribe to it.
 
So you can switch carriers?
Definitely; keep in mind the iPhone and Watch must have the same carrier. On the Watch app, tap the My Watch tab, then Cellular. Your plan should automatically switch. If you need to add a new plan, tap Add a New Plan. If your previous plan still appears in the Apple Watch app, you can choose to remove it.
 
The good...
In the few days we've used the Apple Watch LTE, it does change the way you'd view the dynamic between a smartphone and smartwatch connected to it.
Apart from the obvious that you can indeed leave your iPhone behind, its biggest advantage is during situations when carrying an iPhone will be a nuisance, such as when you're running or working out.
We'd expected battery life to take a hit because of its cellular feature, but that doesn't seem to be the case: compared to the regular Series 3, the LTE version still squeezes out the same juice, enough to last you a whole day and even beyond depending on how much you use it.
 
...and the not-so-good
Of course, an Apple Watch will only work with an iPhone. The roaming thing can also be an issue - but only in the event when you badly need to, say, make calls or send messages in certain situations.
If you're connected to a Wi-Fi network, there could be some issues with calls, though as we found out they're at a minimum, so the point here is a good Wi-Fi connection will do the trick.
The Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular will definitely not replace an iPhone, or, in a more general sense, smartwatches won't take away the overall goodness and usefulness of mobiles. But the convenience it offers is enough for one to take a good, hard look at it.
The devices start at Dh1,679 and Dh1,784 for the 38mm and 42mm versions, respectively.
- alvin@khaleejtimes.com