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Do I need to call my cell phone provider and activate my Apple Watch before I can use it? Do I need to get a data plan with them first because I’m having major problems pairing it with my phone. Is my phone too old?
NatalieAnne81 wrote:
So what do I need to do in order for my watch to start working? It won't pair with the iphone. I have a 6 Plus phone. The watch is a Series 3. Do I need to call Apple?
No, you need to buy a newer phone. Any new Apple Watch is going to come with watchOS 6 which requires a phone that has iOS 13 on it. The iPhone 6+ can't be updated to iOS 13.
NatalieAnne81 wrote:
So what do I need to do in order for my watch to start working? It won't pair with the iphone. I have a 6 Plus phone. The watch is a Series 3. Do I need to call Apple?
No, you need to buy a newer phone. Any new Apple Watch is going to come with watchOS 6 which requires a phone that has iOS 13 on it. The iPhone 6+ can't be updated to iOS 13.
If you have a cellular Apple Watch (it will have a Red Dot or Red Ring on the Digital Crown), then you can pair it to your iPhone 6s, SE, 7 or newer iPhone and use it as if it were the GPS only model.
When you are ready, you can contact your iPhone carrier, assuming they support the Apple Watch, and have them add your Apple Watch to your iPhone plan. When that happens, the Apple Watch will share your iPhone's phone number, and your iPhone carrier will charge you a monthly fee for the service. In the U.S. the carriers charge $10 per month.
iPhone Cellular Carriers that support the Apple Watch, which models, the radio frequencies each model uses, and the country where they offer service:
No Red Dot or Ring on the Apple Watch Digital Crown, means you have a GPS only model and went you have a newer iPhone, it will pair with the iPhone and use the iPhone's radios.
The Apple Watch GPS only can do Everything the cellular model can do as long as your iPhone is nearby, where nearby is somewhere in the same 3-4 bedroom home (assuming typical wood frame construction).
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205547
If you really want the cellular so that you can leave your iPhone at home when you go for a walk, run, bike ride, etc..., so that you have phone, messaging, weather, etc... then you would need a different Apple Watch. If you want the cellular and are within the retailer's return period (Apple is 14 days), then you could return the Apple Watch and get the cellular model. You could even return it now, and then wait until you have the new iPhone to buy the cellular model.
If no Red Dot or Red Ring on the Digital Crown, then you have a GPS only Apple Watch and it does not include a cellular radio.
A GPS only Apple Watch does not care about the cellular networks, it does all its communications via your iPhone.
Which model of phone/watch is it and what version of software do they have?.
But I don't have a red dot on my phone so what should I do??
The red ring or dot is on the watch's digital crown NOT on the phone.
I meant on the watch, not phone.
So what do I need to do in order for my watch to start working? It won't pair with the iphone. I have a 6 Plus phone. The watch is a Series 3. Do I need to call Apple?
Ok, thank you. I kind of thought I would need a new phone for some reason.
Sorry it wasn't better news.
It's ok, I was thinking of getting a new phone anyway. I like the 3D photos but now that I have the watch, I will definitely need to upgrade. I'm thinking of the iphone XR.
If you got the Apple Watch from Apple, they have a 14 day return period.
Other retailers may have a similar policy, but you would have to check with them.
Do I need to call my cell phone provider and activate my Apple Watch before I can use it? Do I need to get a plan with them first?
