You should give some thought to how you want to connect your devices before going out to purchase an Apple Watch.
Will you continue to sell only the model that combines GPS and WIFI? Or are you going to shell out additional cash for a model that combines GPS and cellular functionality?
If that is the case, then there are a few things you need to be aware of and take into consideration before making this purchase.
It is essential to keep in mind that you will need to subscribe to your iPhone and paired Apple Watch to the same mobile service plan for the two devices to communicate with one another.
Because of this, if you use Verizon for your iPhone, you will also need to add your Apple Watch to this plan for the cellular function to work properly on your watch.
This is an inevitable consequence of the situation.
To answer your question, yes, the Apple Watch is compatible with all service providers. The correct response to that question is “No.” Apple Watches can only be purchased from a limited number of carriers, according to Apple.
Those of us living in the United States are fortunate to have more options available to us than, for example, people living in Iceland, where the only choice available is Nova.
If you want to do the Family Setup plan on your Apple Watch, you should also keep in mind that some service providers support it while others do not. If you want to do the Family Setup plan on your Apple Watch, this is something else that you will want to keep in mind.
Before you make such an expensive commitment, you will need to give it a lot of careful thought.
If you currently use Straight Talk, you probably have high hopes of retaining your account and being able to connect your Apple Watch to it in the future.
But are you going to be able to accomplish that? Is Straight Talk a service provider that is compatible with the Apple Watch? Let’s have a conversation about being Straight Talk.
Is It Possible to Use Straight Talk with an Apple Watch?
If your mobile service provider is Straight Talk, adding an Apple Watch to a cellular plan will require you to consider switching to a different mobile service provider. This is because Straight Talk does not support the Apple Watch. Because the service plans offered by Straight Talk are not compatible with Apple Watch, you will not be able to use your Apple Watch with one of those plans.
And, unfortunately, it does need to be on the same plan as the iPhone with which it is paired. Consequently, if you want to use cellular on your Apple Watch, you will first need to make the switch.
Is it possible to use the GPS and cellular capabilities of the Apple Watch without having the cellular feature activated?
Should you even consider including the Apple Watch in your monthly cellular plan if you don’t already have one?
Which cellular service providers do you have the option to add the Apple Watch to your account with?
And can someone explain to me why Straight Talk isn’t one of those carriers? Continue reading to learn more about the different carriers that allow you to add the Apple Watch to your plan, as well as the reasons why Straight Talk is not one of those carriers.
Why doesn’t Straight Talk offer the Apple Watch on its service plan?
If you use Straight Talk as your wireless service provider, to make use of the iPhone’s Bluetooth connection, you will need to first pair it and then keep it on your person at all times.
Because Straight Talk is not a carrier, you will not be able to use cellular on it.
Straight Talk is not on the approved list of carriers that Apple works with in the United States; therefore, Apple does not partner with them.
The majority of the carriers with which they have partnered are those that are regarded as major players in the industry, such as AT&T, Verizon, and Spectrum.
Apple has not formed any partnerships with the more niche carriers and their subsidiaries (TracFone Wireless’s Straight Talk is an example of a subsidiary) to work as carriers for the Apple Watch.
It is difficult for me to say why this is the case, but I have a feeling that this would be an extremely expensive partnership.
It gives off an air of exclusivity for sure.
Which carriers are Apple’s partners in offering cellular plans for the Apple Watch, and what are those plans?
You can add the Apple Watch to your cellular plan with a select few carriers in the United States, many of which also support the Family Sharing plan. These carriers are listed below.
These carriers are the following:
- AT&T of the Appalachians
- (Supports Family Setup)Wireless service provided
- by Bluegrass
- Carolina and West
- Cellcom C Spire (Supports Family Setup)
- T-Mobile has acquired Spectrum Sprint.
- Spectrum Sprint (Supports Family Setup)
- T-Mobile USA (Supports Family Setup)
- US Cellular (Supports Family Setup)
- Verizon Wireless (Supports Family Setup)
- The Appearance of Xfinity Mobile
The Apple Watch: How to Use It Even If You Don’t Have a Cellular Plan
When you pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone, you will have the ability to connect. This is true regardless of which version of the Apple Watch you purchase: the one with GPS and WIFI only or the one with GPS and cellular.
If you have your iPhone within range, the type of connection that is used by default will be Bluetooth.
You also have the option of switching over to the WiFi network if there is an active connection.
The Connectivity of Bluetooth
As I previously mentioned, Bluetooth is the connection method that is used by default because, well, it is the simplest.
It is the one that will discharge your battery the least quickly, and all you need to do to use it is have your iPhone within range of the Bluetooth signal (which is probably going to be somewhere around 33 feet).
You can connect the Apple Watch to any of your other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as your headphones or speakers, by using the Bluetooth feature built into the Apple Watch.
To pair your Bluetooth accessory, please do the following:
- Follow the instructions that were included with your Bluetooth accessory to put it into the pairing mode.
- After that, navigate to the Apple Watch app, then select Settings > Bluetooth from there. This causes your Apple Watch to search for any Bluetooth accessories in the immediate area.
- Choose the Bluetooth accessory you want to use.
- you may be asked to enter your passcode before the pairing process can be completed.
Whenever you want to unpair, you have the following options:
- On your Apple Watch, select Settings > Bluetooth from the menu.
- Simply select the icon that is located next to your accessory.
- Tap on Forget Device.
Is that not the case? Because of this, Bluetooth is the connection mode that is selected by default.
Access to WIFI Networks
Having said that, utilizing WIFI is also pretty simple, provided that you have a reliable connection available to you at all times.
If you are at home, where the signal strength of your WiFi should be fairly strong, you won’t have any issues with this.
It is slightly more difficult to use while you are moving around, which is yet another reason why Bluetooth is the standard option.
The process of connecting your Apple Watch to a WIFI network can be completed in a timely and effective manner.
All that is required of you is to:
- To change the settings of your Apple Watch, launch the Settings app.
- Simply select Wi-Fi from the menu, and the watch will look for available networks on its own.
- Simply select the network that you want to join by tapping on its name. (Of course, it needs to be either a public network or a private network to which you have access and for which you have the password.)
- you may be asked to enter the password utilizing Scribble or the keyboard on the Apple Watch.
- Tap on Join.
Should one invest in a cellular plan for their Apple Watch?
I will not sugarcoat the truth. Stick to using Bluetooth and WIFI unless you are confident that you can easily justify spending at least 120 dollars per year just to have cellular on your Apple Watch.
Because it is the more cost-effective and convenient option, a lot of Apple Watch owners go this route.
A monthly plan for the watch is probably not going to be all that useful unless you are certain that you will be using your watch when your iPhone is not near you.
And, if you are currently using Straight Talk as your iPhone carrier and have no plans to switch to a different carrier, you should seriously consider purchasing the GPS + WIFI only version of the Apple Watch to save yourself a few hundred dollars.
A Few Parting Thoughts
Owners of Apple Watches hail from a wide variety of cellular service providers.
Regrettably, only a limited number of service providers offer cellular plans for the watch.
If you are currently subscribed to Straight Talk, you will be required to either change your carrier or continue to rely solely on Bluetooth and WIFI to connect.
It is not too difficult to do, and it is a significantly less expensive measure overall.
