Apple Watch and sending text message to android devices

Read this entire support document, including the footnotes to see what you can and cannot do with the Apple Watch without its paired iPhone nearby. How to use your Apple Watch without your iPhone nearby - Apple Support

I would think that should not be an issue, it may be something you would need to address with your carrier, or directly with Apple Support. I only have a couple of friends that have non-iOS devices, so it could be very difficult for me to test. Do you receive an error when you try? If so, can you provide the exact text of the error. I can try after work today and see if I can send one, and I'll report back.

leroy262 wrote:

With my IPhone XS turned on and connected to WiFi or cellular I leave my iPhone at home I can’t send anything to an android phone the only thing I can do is call the android phone. If I have my iPhone with me I can send messages to android phones. Why is this happening? Is it a normal thing?

It ought to work. I just sent a text this morning to an Android user from my Watch and I didn't have my phone.

If you read note 1 from the article above, your Watch should send SMS just fine w/o your iPhone around -- the iPhone needs to be on and have Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity wherever it is. Oh, and another caveat is that you must be signed into iMessage on your iPhone.

If you've met the conditions above, maybe sign out of iMessage on your iPhone, restart the iPhone, then sign back into iMessage (don't just turn iMessage off, actually sign out completely and perform a re-start of the iPhone).

If you continue to have trouble, I would talk to your carrier and have them check your account settings for your cellular Watch and/or iPhone.

Okay, as promised, I traveled a way from my house after leaving the phone there. I texted my niece, who has an Android device, and is in Northern Michigan, and I'm in Central Illinois. I verified my watch was connected to my cellular, and I had service. I sent her a text, she received it, responded to me, I received that, and we exchanged two more times, no problems.

As stated earlier, I think you need to check with your carrier, make sure that your eSIM is programmed correctly, and start over. Who is your carrier? I'm using AT&T in the US. Do you have a watch that is made for your location and a supported carrier? Are you able to do anything else with the Watch when just connected to cellular, like a phone call or iMessage?

Is your Watch the cellular model?

Apple did not specify between android and apple.

No need to. They both use SMS/MMS messaging. Hardware is irrelevant.

When you iPhone is at home is it turned on?

You're welcome. I'm glad that you got it worked out.