Buying Apple Watch in the Philippines, but want Gold Stainless Steele model and LTE

Question

Level 1

9 points

Buying Apple Watch in the Philippines, but want Gold Stainless Steele model and LTE

Hey guys,

So I might want to buy myself a Gold Stainless Steele Apple Watch later this Feb, but I am in the Philippines and they only offer Aluminum here on the online Apple Store, and there's still no LTE support on any carrier yet here. So yes they don't offer any LTE model here of course.

It's all good even if I'll get an LTE version but I am in a place where there's still no Apple Watch LTE support from any carriers yet.

Because I really really want a Gold Stainless Steel finish and an LTE feature because my intentions is I might stay in the US in later this year on June. So an LTE model that'll work on US carriers would be nice to have so I can make use of the Cellular feature there in the future. But I don't want to wait for awhile and buy there in the US and use it now for awhile instead, I want to own an Apple Watch now.

What are my purchasing options right now, there's no Apple Store here in PH, retailers only sell Aluminum non LTE models anyways, and online Apple Store does to. Changing your Apple Store to US doesn't let you add a Philippines address of course.

What are my options?

(If this is not the right category, please change or move it to a more appropriate category regarding Apple purchases. I can't find myself a right category)

Posted on Jan 30, 2020 3:43 AM

Reply

Answer 1

BobHarris

Level 9

56,819 points

Jan 30, 2020 5:48 AM in response to Mancerrss

There are basically 2 cellular radios that Apple uses in the Apple Watch

The North American radio (Canada, U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico)
The rest of the world

The reason for carrier support is that the iPhone shares its phone number with the Apple Watch and the carriers need to be willing, and capable of doing that.

If you get an Apple Watch that works in the U.S., then even if the Philippines gets carriers support, the U.S. Apple Watch will not work, and you will have to use it as if it were a GPS only model.

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).

Reply