Cellular versus 4G

Looking at an Apple Watch - can anyone explain the difference between Wi-fi/4G and Wi-fi/cellular?


is 32gb memory enough


mainly with me used for day to day use but some walking / running tracking

Posted on Feb 15, 2021 12:08 PM

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3 replies

Feb 15, 2021 12:36 PM in response to Dottiecottie

32GB is typically enough, but as with all things storage related it depends on the user. In this case you would need to transfer a lot of pictures and music to the Apple Watch for 32GB not to be sufficient.


As to Wi-Fi/4G vs Wi-Fi/Cellular


a lot would depend on where you are seeing this.


Every Apple Watch has WiFi (2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n). There are different flavors of WiFi that used to have names such as 802.11b, or 802.11g, or 802.11n or 802.11ac or 802.11ax. Now they have been renamed WiFi 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Some might append a G for generation. So an Apple Watch would support WiFi 2, WiFi 3 and WiFi 4 on the 2.4GHz frequencies.


But there is also the cellular industry that use 3G, 4G, 5G notation for Cellular. The most popular today are 4G (also know as LTE) and 5G (the new kid on the block).


The Apple Watch uses 4G (LTE) cellular.


WiFi and Cellular are not the same technology and do not use the same radio frequencies.


And we have not mentioned that the Apple Watch also has a Bluetooth radio, and a GPS radio receiver. Lots of radios in the Apple Watch.


As best as I can figure, the Wi-Fi/4G vs Wi-Fi/Cellular really mean the same thing, assuming the Apple Watch in question is a Cellular Apple Watch. That is it has WiFi and it has a Cellular radio that happens to use the 4G (LTE) radio frequencies and protocols.


A GPS only Apple Watch would not have a Cellular radio. It would just have Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS radios.


And just to keep things interesting, there are 2 Apple Watch Cellular radios

  • The Canada, U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico radio.
  • The Rest of the World radio.

When buying an Apple Watch with Cellular in another country to take back home, make sure the country uses the same radio as your home country. And be aware the warranty applies to the country where purchased, and that there are some Apple Watch features that are blocks in models purchased in some countries, no matter where you take the Apple Watch to.

Feb 15, 2021 1:13 PM in response to Dottiecottie

All Apple Watch Series 6 use the same radio chips. As this is a UK web site, those would be "The Rest of the World" cellular radios.


The WiFi radio will also be identical in both items.


The only difference will be the physical size of the Apple Watch case, and the larger Apple Watch can have a larger battery in the extra space. And of course the screen will be larger.


Otherwise they are identical with respect to radios.

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Cellular versus 4G

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