New Apple Watch Series 6

[audreyh1]

My 5 yo Garmin watch is having issues. Thinking about buying an Apple Watch. Might as well, I have everything else apple.

I have a couple of stupid questions. If I always have my iPhone with me, would I need a cellular plan also for the watch?

Does the watch need cellular to communicate with the phone? I hope not.

No. Communication is generally via Bluetooth.

For us the cases in which we would use the cellular capability were so limited that we never enabled a cellular data plan. When DH upgraded, twice now, he dropped the cellular capability.

The only time I don’t carry a phone is walking around the neighborhood. The watch GPS supports the exercise tracking, so I don’t need the phone for outside exercise.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

My 5 yo Garmin watch is having issues. Thinking about buying an Apple Watch. Might as well, I have everything else apple.

I have a couple of stupid questions. If I always have my iPhone with me, would I need a cellular plan also for the watch?

Does the watch need cellular to communicate with the phone? I hope not.

I also have been totally happy with only having the GPS model. No cellular. If the phone is down the hall in another room and the phone rings, I can even answer the phone via my watch. That's good enough for me.

 

[braumeister]

The watch can communicate with both Bluetooth and Wifi.

I frequently answer a phone call on my watch while the iPhone is in another part of the house. Always puts a grin on my face when I stand there looking like Dick Tracy.

 

[audreyh1]

I also have been totally happy with only having the GPS model. No cellular. If the phone is down the hall in another room and the phone rings, I can even answer the phone via my watch. That's good enough for me.

At home my phone is either next to my bed or in my purse which is usually in the bedroom. The great thing about the watch is being able to leave the phone in another room in the house yet still get texts and reply, answer phone calls, and get notifications.

 

[Ronstar]

Thanks to all for the comments! Just ordered one.

I like to see texts on my watch, so this will be great when I'm in the house and the phone is in another room. And the answering phone on the watch will be great also.

 

[Chuckanut]

The watch can communicate with both Bluetooth and Wifi.
Always puts a grin on my face when I stand there looking like Dick Tracy.

Does the watch come with a Moon Maiden?

 

[explanade]

Only if you plan to leave the home with just the Watch and leave your iPhone behind, like going for a hike or a run and want to carry minimal stuff.

 

[Katsmeow]

Only if you plan to leave the home with just the Watch and leave your iPhone behind, like going for a hike or a run and want to carry minimal stuff.

Back when I still went to the gym, I liked to leave my phone in the car and then I would wear in the watch and wear Air pods and listen to podcasts while exercising.

It was also useful when I left my phone at a friends and could use my watch to call her and tell her to look for my phone and i was coming back to get it.

 

[Ronstar]

Got my watch and just started getting used to it. I'd like to add a hiking/biking app with maps, showing times, elevation changes, heart rate, etc.

So far I've found one called view ranger

Does anyone here use an app for hiking/ biking on iPhone/ Apple Watch?

 

[Philliefan33]

Got my watch and just started getting used to it. I'd like to add a hiking/biking app with maps, showing times, elevation changes, heart rate, etc.

So far I've found one called view ranger

Does anyone here use an app for hiking/ biking on iPhone/ Apple Watch?

I use Strava to log my rides. There is a watch app for Strava, but I can’t offer a review since I use the built-in Apple Watch tracking then upload the data to Strava (that part is seamless).

Strava offers a free version, with a subscription to upgrade to more features. When I enrolled in the free version I was inundated with offers for a free month of the upgraded version. Maybe give it a try and see if it has the features you want?

 

[Ronstar]

^ Thanks - I'll give it a look.

 

[tb001]

I was going to suggest strava as well. I don’t use it, but know many people who do and seem to love it. I also use an app called map my run.

 

[fosterscik]

I'll have to look at strava, but after going through a few apps I settled on all trails. Free unless you want to download off line trail maps (which I do all the time; I turn off wifi and cellular to conserve battery on off grid hikes). Has a record feature so you can log your own route (including altitude changes, split times...).

 

[audreyh1]

Got my watch and just started getting used to it. I'd like to add a hiking/biking app with maps, showing times, elevation changes, heart rate, etc.

So far I've found one called view ranger

Does anyone here use an app for hiking/ biking on iPhone/ Apple Watch?

The built in activity/workout app has both hiking and biking options that show time, distance, track, elevation changes, heart rate. That's what I use.

 

[tulak]

I use the free version of Strava biking/hiking, mostly because that’s what I’ve used for years. Works fine on the watch.

I should look at better solutions for hiking. It would be nice to have offline maps. I was on a hike where Strava recorded over 14 miles, but the hike was under 9 miles round trip. When I looked at the map, it looks like a drunk person hiking. I was all over the place. Poor GPS tracking and no cell coverage. It could be a limitation of the device, but it would nice if the app could compensate for this.

I also use Ski Tracks for skiing. Lots of apps and each of them add something extra that I don’t get with the generic Apple app. The important part for me is that all apps I use support uploading data to Apple Health.

 

[explanade]

Got my watch and just started getting used to it. I'd like to add a hiking/biking app with maps, showing times, elevation changes, heart rate, etc.

So far I've found one called view ranger

Does anyone here use an app for hiking/ biking on iPhone/ Apple Watch?

Besides Strava, Runkeeper is popular.

I got Map My Hike and Map My Run apps. I think they only have a Watch app for Map My Run. Looks like they are discontinuing the MapMyHike app so if you install MapMyRun, you can install the Watch app as well.

But it's the same account you have to create and then after you logged your hikes or runs, it uploads and on the iPhone app. you can add a picture from whichever track or trail you hiked.

Then go to the MapMyRun.com site and you can look at the previous hikes or runs you've done. It will show a map (if you allow the app. to use your location) and elevation change.

If you uploaded a picture of that session, it appears on the site.

The cool thing is on a site, you can search other locations and other members who've hiked or run in that area will show up and you can see their path, elevation change.

I believe Runkeeper has similar features.

 

[mpeirce]

I was surprised that Apple Maps knows about trails. I was hiking in a local Metropark and on a whim I told Apple Maps to take me back to the car (it always knows where the car is parked). It routed me on the trails and tapped me on the wrist at the trail crossing telling me to keep right (or whatever). Pretty cool.

 

[audreyh1]

OK - I got my new series 6 Apple Watch yesterday. Got 3 months Apple Fitness+ free promo with it. This works on iPad, iPhone or Apple TV and connects to your watch, starts the workout on your watch and shows the workout stats on the display while you work out. Very cool!!!!!

Lots of workouts. I can tell I'm going to have a lot of fun with this.

 

[iloveyoga]

It is one of my favorite gadgets!!

 

[Katsmeow]

OK - I got my new series 6 Apple Watch yesterday. Got 3 months Apple Fitness+ free promo with it. This works on iPad, iPhone or Apple TV and connects to your watch, starts the workout on your watch and shows the workout stats on the display while you work out. Very cool!!!!!

Lots of workouts. I can tell I'm going to have a lot of fun with this.

I have a series 6 and have been nagged to do the trial but was wondering if it was useful. I take you actually watch the workout on the your iPad or phone or Apple TV.... Is that correct? Might be worth trying. My Apple TV is in the bedroom so that wouldn't be useful but I could set up the iPad anywhere.