This year's Apple Watch looks just like last year's Apple Watch. The Series 3, which comes in two sizes and starts at $399, has few new features other than Siri's newfound ability to chime in at really awkward times. Almost nobody will ever know you're wearing the new one, unless they spot the little red button on the side. And yet, this is a completely different device. It now has LTE built in, and connects to the internet without needing your phone or even a Wi-Fi connection. For two years, the Watch was an iPod Touch. Now it's an iPhone.
When Apple launched the Watch in 2015, it pitched the device as a respite from the increasingly invasive technology in your life. "We’re so connected, kind of ever-presently, with technology now,” Kevin Lynch, the head of the Watch project, told me at the time. “People are carrying their phones with them and looking at the screen so much."
But the product didn't deliver. It only worked with your phone nearby, and acted mostly as a megaphone for your notifications. Over time, Apple shifted its focus, selling the Watch to fitness enthusiasts and the generally health-conscious. And yet, Apple always saw the Watch as something more than just a Fitbit plus notifications.
In talking to some of Apple's execs after the Series 3 announcement, it's clear that it marks a milestone for the Apple Watch. And after spending a week with it on my wrist, I have a theory: The Apple Watch is the next iPhone. Apple obviously sees the iPhone X and beyond evolving into something else, a more powerful computer designed for augmented reality and the next phase of work and play. In that future, the Apple Watch would replace much of what we do on our phones now—the calls and texts, the smart-home and music controls, the constant back-and-forth with our virtual assistants. On a Watch, you could do all those things without the nasty, attention-sucking side effects. It separates all the iPhone's tools from its toys.
It's a nice idea, one that’s not quite finished yet. But for the first time ever, I love the Apple Watch. And I'm going to keep wearing it.
Getting your Watch connected only takes a few minutes after pairing it to your phone. Carrier plans vary slightly, but it costs something like $10 a month to put your Watch on your plan. Most carriers also charge an activation fee, but many will waive that at the beginning and some even offer a few free months of service. I didn't get to try the setup process, since Apple set my Watch up on AT&T for me, but it should be straightforward.
If your phone's nearby, your Watch connects to it through Bluetooth and uses the phone as a modem. If you're away from your phone, it looks for Wi-Fi, and as a last resort, jumps on LTE. I never noticed a difference between LTE and Wi-Fi, and in a week of testing didn't experience any issues switching around. Others had a much harder time1, though, and Apple has fessed up to problems switching to unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks without connectivity." So proceed with caution.
You know what definitely won't like LTE? Your battery. I can get a day of battery from the Series 3 with normal use—about the same as the Series 2—but if I'm on LTE a lot, it's more like four or five hours. Apple rates the phone-call-on-LTE battery life at one hour, which matches my testing. (Phone calls work remarkably well, by the way. The mic on this Watch works miracles.) You won't replace your iPhone with a Watch because it just doesn't last long enough. It's more for the times when you're on a run and need to make a call.