You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: Nicki_Gehlen
Nicki_Gehlen Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Apple Watch – probably the biggest Christmas disappointment of 2020 (for both my daughter and me)

As a Christmas gift, for my daughter I bought the new Apple Watch SE.


Before buying the Apple Watch I had heard rumors that the watch would not work without paring with some of the newest iphones. But I found an online article that said it would be possible from ios 14.0 and forward – so I took the change.


After my daughter has open her new Christmas present she wanted to try it on and get starting using her Apple Watch. I started configuring the watch by turning on the watch and setting it up with my iphone .


I started the setup wizard from the Watch app on my iphone, scanned the display for the Apple Watch and choose configure for a family member. But after about 30 seconds I got the message (translated from danish). Setting up the Apple Watch for a family member requires Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS+Celluar) og newer with watchos 7.0 og newer.


My Iphone is running ios 14.3 and the Apple watch has ios 7.0

I also tried to install the watch manual with code from display in Apple Watch but same “error” message.

I have no idear what could be wrong – so I will be returning the Apple Watch for refund– big disappointment. Too complicated installation for something as simple as a watch…


Any idea whats wrong ??

Posted on Dec 24, 2020 2:34 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: BobHarris
BobHarris
User level: Level 9
55,055 points

Posted on Dec 24, 2020 2:51 PM

Apple Refund policy. You should use it

https://www.apple.com/shop/help/returns_refund


You can pair an Apple Watch directly to an iPhone 6s, iPhone SE (1 or 2), iPhone 7, and newer running iOS 14 or newer. The 6s is about 5 years old. You CANNOT use an iPhone 6 which is 6 years old and cannot upgrade past iOS 12.


Or you can use the Apple Watch with Family Plan

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/09/apple-extends-the-apple-watch-experience-to-the-entire-family/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211768


This is where an Apple Watch Series 4 GPS + Cellular can be associated with a Parent's iPhone, and the child does not need to have their own iPhone.


The Family Plan does not provide all the features when using a Parent's iPhone, as some of those features depend on iPhone services that are tightly coupled to the Parent, and the child should not have access to that information.


Your iPhone cellular carrier MUST support the Apple Watch, and your iPhone carrier MUST support the Apple Watch Family Plan. Here is a list of carriers that support the Apple Watch. The list will tell you if the carrier supports the Apple Watch Family Plan:

https://www.apple.com/watch/cellular/#table-family-setup


You either have to return the Apple Watch, get your money back, and then decide how you want to proceed.

  • Get a Cellular + GPS Apple Watch that supports the Apple Watch Family Plan
  • Get your daughter an iPhone that supports the Apple Watch
  • Use your money to buy your daughter a different late Christmas gift
View in context

Similar questions

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: BobHarris
BobHarris
User level: Level 9
55,055 points

Dec 24, 2020 2:51 PM in response to Nicki_Gehlen

Apple Refund policy. You should use it

https://www.apple.com/shop/help/returns_refund


You can pair an Apple Watch directly to an iPhone 6s, iPhone SE (1 or 2), iPhone 7, and newer running iOS 14 or newer. The 6s is about 5 years old. You CANNOT use an iPhone 6 which is 6 years old and cannot upgrade past iOS 12.


Or you can use the Apple Watch with Family Plan

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/09/apple-extends-the-apple-watch-experience-to-the-entire-family/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211768


This is where an Apple Watch Series 4 GPS + Cellular can be associated with a Parent's iPhone, and the child does not need to have their own iPhone.


The Family Plan does not provide all the features when using a Parent's iPhone, as some of those features depend on iPhone services that are tightly coupled to the Parent, and the child should not have access to that information.


Your iPhone cellular carrier MUST support the Apple Watch, and your iPhone carrier MUST support the Apple Watch Family Plan. Here is a list of carriers that support the Apple Watch. The list will tell you if the carrier supports the Apple Watch Family Plan:

https://www.apple.com/watch/cellular/#table-family-setup


You either have to return the Apple Watch, get your money back, and then decide how you want to proceed.

  • Get a Cellular + GPS Apple Watch that supports the Apple Watch Family Plan
  • Get your daughter an iPhone that supports the Apple Watch
  • Use your money to buy your daughter a different late Christmas gift
Reply
User profile for user: Nicki_Gehlen
Nicki_Gehlen Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Dec 25, 2020 2:42 AM in response to BobHarris

Thank you for your answer.


The turning point here is that the Apple Watch can only be setup for family members, as long as the watch is newer than Series 4 and in all cases needs to be a CELLULAR. version.


ALL NONE CELLULAR versions (from Watch 4 series and on) demand Iphone 6S or newer to pair and can NOT be setup with family plan.


It would have been great if Apple had made changes to the 7.2 software on the Watch, so when determining that the watch has no CELLULAR version, it should not give you the option to setup for family member....because it is simply no option.


Best regards

Nicki Gehlen

Reply

Apple Watch – probably the biggest Christmas disappointment of 2020 (for both my daughter and me)

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up