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Apple Watch 3: Apple Releases watchOS 4.0.1 Update To Fix Cellular Issue. Should You Download?

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David Phelan

The recently released Apple Watch Series 3 with GPS and Cellular connectivity has been a success. It’s selling well and has reviews that have praised the freedom cellular has brought, so you’re no longer tethered to an iPhone nearby for most functions.

But a few early adopters, including some reviewers, found that the Watch had iffy connectivity, specifically when the Watch tried to connect to certain open networks which required a sign-in or acceptance of terms and conditions – a situation where the Watch couldn’t oblige. As a result, some users found their Watch couldn’t connect to wi-fi but wouldn’t disconnect from it immediately, either.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should say that I’ve been trialling a review unit of the Watch since three days after it was announced and I haven’t had any problems.

Well, there was one when I was cycling through an area where my iPhone had previously connected to an open wi-fi network. After about a minute the Watch reconnected to 4G. But that was literally my only issue.

David Phelan

However, other users had more problems and Apple recognized it as an issue. Earlier this week, the company released an update, 4.0.1, for Apple Watch Series 3 GPS and Cellular models only.

I’ve been testing it since release and it seems reliable, solid, and - oh yes - as far as I can tell it’s fixed the problem. Hanging around that same open wi-fi network caused zero problems and my Watch has performed beautifully, latching on to 4G or wi-fi as required with solid efficiency. I have several times left the companion iPhone at home and had full, continuous connectivity.

The update, by the way, seems to save a tiny amount of space, too - it freed up around 0.1GB on my Watch.

This very specific release is a problem-solver, even if the problem only affected a small number of Watch owners. In the days since the release, while I’ve been testing it, it’s shown no side-effects.

So, if you have the latest Watch with cellular capabilities, should you download?

In a heartbeat.

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