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Can LTE connectivity finally convince you to buy an Apple Watch?
It’s certainly a big step forward for Apple’s impressive wearable — one that means you no longer need to be tethered to an iPhone or Wi-Fi for full functionality.
And it’s combined with significantly improved performance, and new fitness-tracking sensors.
But it doesn’t come without its caveats. Series 3 is the best Apple Watch to date, but is it good enough to justify a $399 upgrade?
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0:00
Can LT Connectivity finally convince you to buy an Apple Watch
0:07
It's a big jump for Apple's impressive wearable, one that means you no longer need to be tethered to an iPhone or Wi-Fi for full functionality
0:13
And it's combined with significantly improved performance and your fitness tracking sensors
0:17
But it doesn't come without its caveats. Series 3 is the best Apple Watch to date, but is it good enough to justify a $39 upgrade
0:29
3 looks and feels just as good as its predecessors. That's because its design remains almost
0:34
exactly the same. Apple has somehow managed to pack powerful new hardware and an LTE chip
0:38
into a form factor that's only two sheets of paper thicker than Series 2. It's still lightweight
0:43
and comfortable to wear all day, and it's still water resistant up to 50 metres, which
0:48
means you can take it swimming or in the shower and on rainy day workouts. It packs the same
0:52
health sensors and its physical button and digital crown remain in the same place. Some Series 3
0:57
models like ours have a red dot on their digital crown. This lets everyone know you
1:01
splashed out to get LTE connectivity, but that's its only purpose. It's a nice touch however
1:06
and it looks better than a naked crown. Series 3 retains the same OLED retina display from
1:11
Series 2, and that's not a bad thing. It's super sharp, and with the brightness of up to
1:16
1,000 nits, it's easily visible outdoors and direct sunlight. It has excellent contrast and vibrant
1:21
colours to make photos and app icons pop. The only difference this time around is that the display
1:25
doubles as a cellular antenna. Apple hasn't told us exactly how this works, but it does
1:30
and it means you can still change bands easily, which you cannot do on rival watches that have
1:34
antennas integrated into the straps. Thanks to a much-improved S3 processor, Series 3 is ridiculously
1:40
fast. It's a dual-core chip like the S-2 and Series 2, but Apple says it's up to 70% faster
1:46
Gone are the painfully long wait times we suffered with the original Apple Watch. The speed was
1:50
the first thing I noticed when I picked up the watch, and it means it's more functional and usable
1:54
than ever. Apps respond faster than ever before and watchOS 4 is consistently smooth and snappy Siri responds to your commands at an instant and for the first time it has the ability to speak back This means you can use it while driving without having to look down at your wrist
2:09
That S3 processor packs in a W2 wireless chip that handles connectivity
2:13
This should mean stronger, more reliable wireless connections, but in our experience
2:16
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity remains about as good as it was in Series 2
2:20
That's to say, it's strong enough. When your iPhone is nearby, you can rely on it to remain connected to your watch over Bluetooth
2:25
and when you're in range of a known Wi-Fi network, you'll get instant notifications and perfectly responsive apps
2:31
Sadly, the same cannot be said about LT connectivity, which has teething troubles
2:36
Series 3 is the first Apple Watch that has the ability to connect to cellular networks
2:40
That should mean that you can leave the house without your iPhone, and you'll continue to receive notifications
2:45
It should mean that you can use Siri in all of your apps. It should also give you the ability to stream over 40 million songs from Apple Music once it's available
2:52
and even to make and receive calls using the same phone number you have connected to your iPhone
2:57
Of course, you'll have to pay for that privilege. But Apple has teamed up with carriers to make it affordable
3:01
In the US, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon will let you marry your watch to your iPhone plan
3:06
for just an extra $10 a month. Series 3 is designed to find and connect to a 3G or LTE network when you're away from your iPhone
3:13
and a known Wi-Fi network isn't available. But right now, cellular connectivity simply doesn't work as intended, and that's incredibly frustrating
3:20
The problem is, Series 3 prioritizes Wi-Fi connectivity, so it will desperately search for a network for a lengthy period of time, rather than just switching to LTE
3:29
In many instances, we found that our device often didn't connect to a cellular network at all
3:33
The good news is Apple has already acknowledged that there's a glitch that needs fixing, and it promises to do so in a future software update
3:40
But there's no word on when the update will be available just yet. Series 3 battery life varies significantly depending on how you use it
3:47
If your habits don't change, and you remain tether to your iPhone or connected to a Wi-Fi
3:50
network most of the time, you can expect it to last just as long as series two in between charges
3:55
Apple says that around 18 hours and in our testing I say that pretty accurate Of course I not been using cellular all that much so that might change in the next few weeks I keep you updated on that but it easily lasted me a full day on a single charge
4:09
Unsurprisingly, the more you use LTE, the more you'll need to charge your Apple watch. Cellular connectivity has a significant impact on battery life
4:16
so much so that if you place a call on your watch, that 18 hour estimate is reduced to just one
4:21
Battery life drains quickly if you go out without your iPhone, then use your watch to read the news
4:25
stay up later with your social networks, interact with Siri or track your workout
4:29
Use it sparingly to read incoming notifications and you'll get much better results
4:33
If you need your watch to last all day, it might be a good idea to disable LTE, and only activate it when you really need it
4:40
But this isn't a situation you want to be in when you've paid extra for cellular connectivity
4:44
Apple needs to do something about it with future iterations. There's no doubt about it, Apple Watch is the best fitness tracker on the market
4:52
It does a terrific job of keeping you motivated and ensuring none of your work, workouts go unnoticed. Whether you're a runner, a cyclist or a swimmer is the best training partner
5:00
Just like Series 2, Series 3 can record distance, speed and the route you travel. It can track
5:05
elevation, heart rate and calories burned, it can sync through third-party apps like the Nike
5:09
Plus Run Club, Ace Tennis and My Swim Pro. And soon it'll connect to gym equipment. When you have
5:15
a lazy spell, Apple Watch gently remind you that you need to get moving. While it's a little
5:19
move, exercise and stand rings, give you the kick you need to keep active and give you a sense
5:23
of achievement when you fill them up. Like Series 3 itself, WatchOS 4 is a refinement rather than a major overhaul
5:29
Apple, over the past year, has focused its efforts on making significant improvements
5:33
and adding useful new features to what was already a great experience. In addition to some new nice watch faces, including nice Toy Story options
5:40
the update brings a revamped app dock, the displays icons in an easier-to-see vertical format
5:45
and a whole bunch of new activities for things like hiking, surfing and spinning
5:49
Apple has also added new heart rate monitoring features. It now records things like your average resting heart rate
5:54
and your average walking cart rate and provide you with an alert if it detects a heart rate spike for no apparent reason This could help you to identify a regular heart rate that could mean an underlying medical condition Apple Watch can diagnose that of course but if it an alert you start to see often it a good idea to seek professional
6:10
advice. Apple is also teaming up with Stanford University and American Well to deliver a new study
6:15
with the help of the Apple Watch that will determine if the device can be used to detect cardiac arrhythmia. It's part of the company's big push into the health industry
6:23
Overall, WatchOS feels faster and more stable than its predecessors. This is likely important
6:27
due to improvements Apple has made of its software, combined with the powerful new hardware
6:31
under the hood of Series 3. It's worth remembering, however, that you don't need a brand new Apple Watch
6:36
to get your hands on WatchOS 4. All these features and improvements are also available on older models
6:41
though the original watch doesn't get the new heart monitoring functionality. Series 3 with LTE is a big step
6:47
in the right direction for Apple Watch. It no longer feels like an iPhone add-on
6:51
but a truly standalone device that can keep you connected when you want to travel light or enjoy a romantic meal without your phone
6:56
But there's certainly room for improvement. Apple obviously needs to iron out the connectivity issues, which you can do with software updates
7:04
But LTE really requires better battery life, which can only happen with hardware changes
7:08
As things stand, LTE is nice to have. But its impact on battery life means you can't rely on it all day every day
7:14
And with that being the case, you have to wonder whether it's worth the extra cash up front, and the $10 a month you'll need to spend on data
7:21
If you're in the market for a new smartwatch and you think you really need to sell your connectivity
7:25
then Series 3 should be at the top of your list. There's no better alternative
7:29
Price is start at $399 for a 38mm model and $429 for the 42mm model
7:36
But if this is a feature you don't need, you're better off sticking with Series 2 or picking one up at a discounted price
7:41
while they're still available. You're getting a near identical experience at a much cheaper price
7:47
Well, that's it for this video. If you enjoyed it, go ahead and hit that like button down below
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And make sure to hit subscribe to miss reviews of the iPhone 8. and the Appa TV Sport. Okay, I'll catch you next
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