Apple Watch Series 3
The smartest smartwatch just got smarter!
From $329 (GPS-only models), $399 (GPS + Cellular) From Apple, apple.com Features Dual-core S3 chip, W2 wireless chip, water resistant, Apple Music streaming (coming soon), 8GB (GPS) or 16GB (GPS + Cellular) storage, Siri speaks
Apple Watch Series 3 follows last year’s Series 2 by adding cellular connectivity to an already successful recipe. Apple Watch is the best smartwatch by a country mile, and it was going to require some effort to improve on the Series 2.
There was no visual difference between the first and second versions of Apple Watch, but Apple has decided there needs to be a visual cue to mark out the cellular version of the Series 3, and so it has painted a red dot on the digital crown. Non-cellular versions look exactly like their predecessors.
You pay a perfectly reasonable $70 premium for cellular connectivity; starting at $399 versus $329, though stainless steel and Milanese loop options take the price up to $599 and $699 respectively, and beyond that for other style choices.
Phone-free calls
So, does the cellular connectivity work well? Yes, but there are a couple of caveats. Siri, messages, and calls from the Watch work really well – audio quality seems improved – and the calling experience isn’t much different than if you used the Watch to call with your iPhone; while you can use the Watch itself to call, things are far better when it’s paired with AirPods (which sync automatically if you connect everything to one Apple ID) or another Bluetooth headset you’re using for music.
The cellular connectivity kicks in when the Watch is no longer connected to your iPhone – in other words, when it’s out of range. Signal strength is shown on Apple Watch’s Control Center, which also shows if you’re connected to your iPhone or a Wi-Fi network. There’s also a new watch face, Explorer, which shows signal strength in the middle of the dial.
The four major carriers (AT&T, Sprint Wireless, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless) all support Watch. Your iPhone and Watch share the same number, and the Watch doesn’t need a SIM card of its own. Instead, it has an “eSIM,” which is automatically activated as part of the setup process in the iPhone’s Apple Watch app.
We’d only recommend the cellular option if you regularly go out without your iPhone, which is primarily going to be people exercising with the Watch as a fitness buddy.
After all, you’re paying a $70 premium for the Watch, plus a nominal yet ongoing monthly fee to get cellular connectivity on your wrist. Apple Music streaming, which is coming soon, will also be a boon for the cellular model. Regular exercisers will also benefit from the addition of “smart coaching” (basically, prompts), the Heart Rate app and an improved Workout app, but those are watchOS 4 features rather than being specific to the Series 3.
We found battery life was similar to the Series 2; from a charge in the morning it will last all day and evening, if you’re not using the GPS feature for exercise. If you are using GPS that way, though, expect around five hours of battery life, although more likely is you’ll use it for an hour that way, and need to charge it within a few hours.
Like its predecessor, Apple Watch Series 3 is also available in Nike+ and Hermès versions, while for the Apple Watch Edition a new grey ceramic finish joins the existing white version. Apple has kept the non-waterproof Series 1 around as a budget option.
If you have an Apple Watch Series 2, we wouldn’t recommend the upgrade. But if you have an original or Series 1 model, or no Watch at all, then we’d recommend the Series 3. Just think seriously about whether you need cellular connectivity.
the bottom line. Now with cellular, it’s still the smartwatch to beat – and by an even greater margin.
While you can use the watch to call, things are far better when it’ s paired with air pods