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According to recent reports, Apple is apparently planning to release an LTE edition of its one and only smartwatch offering, the Apple Watch. If this turns out to be true, the tech giant will have basically liberated the wearable device from being dependent on the iPhone for connectivity. Furthermore, this move will serve as a fresh means for mobile operators, especially the Big Four in the United States (Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint), to make some money.
Right now, the Apple Watch officially still functions as sort of an extension to iPhone devices, essentially only able to retrieve new information when tethered to an Apple smartphone, and only when an iPhone is in range. The wearable device does this by connecting to the handset by way of Bluetooth technology, and then proceeds to fetch data from maps and iTunes, relays text messages and mobile app alerts, and even provides calendar related notifications, among many other tasks. While some Apple Watch editions are equipped with GPS (especially for users who like to go on a run without having to carry their iPhone devices), the smartwatch is still pretty reliant on the iPhone.
But that could all change if Apple goes ahead and launches an Apple Watch with LTE connectivity (which is speculated to hit store shelves before the start of 2018). With this Apple Watch edition, iOS mobile users can basically leave their iPhone devices at home while completing errands, going out on a run, or when getting coffee from the nearest Starbucks. And they still get to enjoy access to their alerts and even to their favorite music playlists.
It is worth mentioning that Apple has already officially unveiled WatchOS 4, and this latest version is expected to offer more Siri voice activated features, as well as the ability to connect to various gym equipment, send cash transfers in iMessage, and even show the latest trending news items. It is likely that as the adoption for WatchOS 4 increases, developers will be looking to create more new apps with extended capabilities, and for sure, some of those apps will be tailor made for an Apple Watch with LTE connectivity.
With regards to carrier support, Apple is reportedly already starting discussions with major wireless service providers, not only in the US mobile market, but also with those based in European mobile markets. Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint are said to be all aboard already. It goes without saying that wearable devices, particularly smartwatches, are not that mainstream yet, even when taking into account how the Apple Watch has done so much in making people more aware of wearables in recent years. But an LTE edition of the Apple Watch would truly be a game changer, because it would start a trend of wearables not always tethered to smartphones. And the timing is just right -- we are about to enter into the 5G era, wherein the concept of Internet of Things will be likely to be in full swing. Apple would be the perfect tech giant to lead by example, and of course, Android will not be far behind in catching up.
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