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Editor’s Note: Some early reviews of the Apple Watch Series 3 have cited issues with its LTE capabilities. Lauren Goode of The Verge noted that, when out of her iPhone’s range, the smartwatch would attempt to connect to unknown wi-fi networks instead of cellular networks. Joanna Stern of The Wall Street Journal also noted similar problems. Apple has since told The Verge that they are investigating a fix for this with a future software release. Either way, if you’re thinking about purchasing this LTE model, you might want to wait until this issue is fixed.
The original Apple Watch made a big splash, drawing immediate skepticism but selling out instantly. When the Apple Watch Series 2 was announced last year, Apple had become the second-largest watch manufacturer in the world (by revenue). Now it’s the biggest. Apple’s success is unsurprising, and the Watch is likely only going to grow in popularity (not size) with the highly anticipated addition of cellular functionality.
Last year’s major improvements included GPS integration and very-necessary water resistance. The Series 3 ups the ante with cellular capabilities, improved fitness functions and more.
Phoneless Calls, Texts, Emails and More
The biggest news surrounding the latest Apple Watch is the inclusion of LTE network support, which finally enables users to make calls, send texts and respond to emails directly from the watch, no phone necessary. It’s an important feature, and one that turns the watch into a veritable iPhone Lite, allowing you to leave the phone behind while going out for a quick workout or running an unexpected errand.
Adding the cellular capability means adding hardware, and that runs the risk of making the watch bulky. But Apple solved that problem by integrating the antennae right into the screen and creating a minuscule SIM card. In fact, the watch casing is only bigger than that of the Series 2 by about the width of two sheets of paper.
Heart Rate Gets Deeper
According to Apple, the Watch is the most-used heart rate monitor in the world. The updated Series 3 will now display your heart rate right on the watch face, visible with the raising of a wrist. Heart rate data is also more layered, with additional information like resting and recovery rates. Apple Watch also has the ability to notify you when it detects an elevated heart rate when inactive, which will keep you more in tune with how your heart is functioning at all times, not just during activity.
