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The biggest new feature of the Apple Watch Series 3 is it's cellular, LTE connectivity via a eSIM. But how does it work?
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0:00
Hey what's up guys, Steve from Cult of Mac here
0:05
Now the Apple Watch Series 3 is the best iteration of Apple's wearable yet. If you've not seen my full review, check out the link in the description down below
0:12
But in this video, I'm here to talk about its best new feature, its LTE connectivity
0:17
It brings a whole new level of independence from your iPhone, but how does it work
0:25
What makes the Apple Watch's LTE connectivity possible is that the new cellular and GPS
0:29
models now include an eSIM, short for Electronic SIM Card, along with the UMTS cellular radio
0:34
which I'll come back to in a minute. Everyone watching this will be familiar with SIM cards, the miniature integrated circuit
0:40
that you load into your phone to store international mobile subscriber identity and its associated
0:44
authentication key. The eSIM is a non-removable virtual version that's one hundredth of the size of a traditional
0:50
SIM card. The UMTS cellular radio, which stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunication System
0:55
automatically switches to cellular when you're out of range from your iPhone or a known WiFi connection
1:00
Although, as we've seen, this doesn't work perfectly at the moment as it searches for
1:03
WiFi as a priority. Setting it up is easy through the app, and once it's done, it'll show your iPhone's
1:10
number so there's no confusing messaging your mates to give them a secondary number to try
1:14
Apple's not the first tech company to use eSIMs for their wearable devices
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Samsung used them with its Samsung Gear S2 3G wearable back in 2016, although its adoption
1:24
by Apple is likely to be the first time a lot of people have come across them. It's an extra charge on your monthly contract, but Apple's been working with carriers to
1:31
make this affordable. In the US, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon let you marry your watch to your iPhone plan
1:37
for just an extra $10 a month. Elsewhere in the world, prices vary
1:41
For example, here in the UK where I live, it's free for the first 6 months and then
1:45
£5 a month after that. Since you share a number however, you'll have to keep the same carrier as your iPhone
1:51
While this does mean you'll be paying a bit more on top of your monthly iPhone carrier charge, the extra functionality is great
1:56
For example, just earlier today before filming this video, I popped to a local store without
2:00
my iPhone and I was still able to get a call from my friend on my Apple Watch who needed
2:04
an answer on something straight away. The call was clear, he could hear me no problem and the connection was great
2:10
The reason I really wanted the cellular version is for when I go to the gym or go swimming
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I always take my iPhone with me and then it's stored in a locker, but it's another device
2:18
for me to lose or get stolen. So now I can take my Apple Watch and my Wireless Beats X, listen to all the music I want through
2:24
cellular and still make calls and texts with no hassle. It's smart technology and it's something we'll see a whole lot more of in the future
2:31
For example, they could one day make their way into our smartphones, leaving more room
2:35
internally for bigger batteries and larger camera sensors. The data that's stored on the standard SIM cards could be rewritten for eSIMs in the future
2:43
So if you need to switch carriers, rather than getting a new SIM card, it would just be a simple phone call
2:47
Well, that is it for this video, but let me know in the comments section down below how
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much LTE connectivity plays into your decision to buy an Apple Watch Series 3
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If you enjoyed this video or found it useful, go ahead and hit that like button and make
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sure to subscribe to stay up to date with the latest videos from CallToMac. I'll catch you in the next one
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