I Replaced My Phone With An Apple Watch
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- čas přidán 7. 06. 2024
- LTE Smartwatches are becoming more available, and I often wondered what they could really do. Can a smartwatch replace your phone? To answer my questions, I purchased a cellular plan for my Apple Watch Series 6 and replaced my phone for 7 days.
During this week, I was not allowed to use my phone at all. There were plenty of daily tasks I did better than ever, but a few major limitations I did not expect.
In this video, I will share my experience of replacing my phone with an Apple Watch LTE for 7 days. I will talk about what worked, what didn't work, and the pros and cons of replacing your phone with a smartwatch. Some may replace their phone altogether but I assume most would just replace their phone for an afternoon or evening while wearing pants without pockets, going for a run, or doing a social media detox.
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ADDITIONAL REVIEW NOTES:
BENEFITS:
Lighter pockets was amazing
Felt very free, but did not have any FOMO
No distractions and was therefore more productive
I was able to check social media on my laptop, so I didn’t miss anything, but it was more deliberate so I only checked it once or twice a day
Often times we use our phones as a crutch. In socially difficult situations like elevators, Uber rides, etc.
Forced to talk to people in potentially awkward situations (no phone crutch)
WORKED WELL:
Authenticator apps
Messaging
Calls were easy and sounded natural. AirPods made that even better
Spotify
Audiobooks, podcasts, and more
Apple Pay
I didn’t need to carry my wallet or my phone in my pocket
Soon IDs will be in Apple Wallet too
Siri
The absolute best way to interface with the watch
Navigation kind of worked, but was not the best
ISSUES:
This isn’t cheap. Most plans cost an additional $10 per month to add an apple watch and you can’t use any of the cheap plans either. In general, you’ll need a plan from one of the expensive behemoths like ATT, Verizon, and TMobile. The cellular watch is also around $500
Got rejected by ATT because my address
Super annoying to set up - 2 hrs with TMobile
Some apps were not initially on my watch, like WhatsApp. I could read and reply to notifications but I needed to get the app to see more
Getting apps was annoying (typing in password)
Would be nice to have biometrics
Loud environments made it tricky to do any siri or voice typing
Battery life is the next challenge (we average over 3 hrs of screen time per day)
COULD NOT DO:
Social Media (good)
No camera
Restaurant menus
Photos
Scan QR codes
Online shopping (non essential though)
Not really any online banking
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 The Experiment
1:45 The Benefits
4:40 What Can LTE Watches Do?
7:00 The Limitations
11:45 Can you replace a phone with a smartwatch?
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WHAT GEAR DO I USE?
Heart rate sensor: mikeobrienmedia.com/Polar-H10
(Polar H10 is known to be one of the most accurate in the industry and therefore acts as a great standard to which I compare smartwatch heart rate sensors)
My camera: amzn.to/2rxDZ09
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Please comment below with any questions you might have. Thank you all for watching! I appreciate you!
Disclaimer: This video is purely based on my experiences, research, and opinions. You and only you are responsible for your actions. I made this channel to advise viewers and I truly hope to help you all out. I love making these videos and connecting with my viewers!
This channel is monetized via CZcams ads as well as some affiliate links. If a purchase is made after clicking the link, I will receive a small commission at no extra charge to the buyer. Thank you all for watching! - Věda a technologie
Sorry I've been gone for the past few weeks. I was working on improving my production quality and doing some big picture thinking while traveling to Europe. Anyway, what do you think about this video? Can you actually replace a phone with a smartwatch? Should I make more videos like this?
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Would it be similar in the Galaxy Watch 3?
@@alethiaT wondering the same thing. I really like the idea of not being dependent on my phone all the time
I think the main limitation of smart watches is the fact that you need a phone to connect the watch to for full watch capabilities. Would be great to see cellular watches become more independent to phones! Also, interested to see your thoughts on whether a tablet could replace a phone?!
Yes try the lem14 you can use that one swimming
Good vid mate, keep it up!
Dude. I am way too addicted to my phone and I NEEDED this video, am literally looking for this information. You're a life saver. There is nothing as in depth as this for this purpose
.......
Get a bar phone instead.
10 years ago, I imagined if my phone could completely replace my laptop. By then, online payment was not supported by cell phones. So, looking forward, it won't be long when a smart watch will replace a cellphone.
I also remember the Google Glass... it was supposed to be the future, and yet....
@@aleterra well google Glass didn’t sell as well as the apple watch so…
It’ll only replace my phone if I can use it to take pictures
I don't think they ever will tbh watches are to small to completely replace phones
Imagine not needing phones, watches and laptops and having a chip in the brain. 💪🏻
Considering an LTE smart watch will be useful when you’re exercising and it is inconvenient to bring your phone along while going for a run, or times where you actually lost your phone accidentally, it will be a life saver.
I am hoping these become more and more capable overtime. Perhaps the smart glasses/watch combo will eventually make phones obsolete?
@@MikeOBrienMedia When will smart glasses make a comeback?
@@c.o.1887 not soon
@@Alex-hv3ir when do you think they'll be on point and why?
First, without watching the video: I asked to do a video like this around 6 months ago when Apple watch 6 was just launched & I was debating to ditch my phone altogether for this. But my research that time told me that it’s not possible, mainly due to poor battery life on cell service + connected to AirPods while taking calls, max battery life was 2 hrs on call, which I have to attend a lot. So I decided to wait till a smartwatch comes with atleast 12 hr of battery life on call to complete a whole day w/o worrying about running out of battery.
Now back to watching the video. Cheers Brien, keep up the good work!
True that, battery on lte watches suck big time, can’t think about replacing them, even just for calling service if u r into that, forget GPS, etc!
Very cool. I hope they get there soon enough. Being able to ditch the phone altogether would be fun and interesting
I really appreciated this video. For about three years I have been waiting for someone to make a smart watch that you could use solo as your cellular device. Mostly I want to do some digital detox but also I am not excited about any new phones. I’m still rocking an iPhone 8 plus with no intention to upgrade phones any time soon.
I like seeing other people’s attempts at running with smart watch only. This gave me some new information that makes me think I could go this route in the future. The fact that watches are only seen as add-ons makes me think a watch only eco system isn’t on the minds of major developers in the industry.
Thank you for your kind comment!
I have been thinking about the qr code and camera limitations a watch has, but what alot of watches and phones do have is Nfc. It came to mind when I was doing a workout on a Stairmaster step machine and you could link your smartwatch to it using nfc by tapping it. I think an nfc tag is even more intuitive for most people, just tap your phone and it pops open, instead of having a hassle with the camera and some qr codes not being recognised etc...
I have been wanting to do this for several years but had the same worries of the limitations that you described, I use my iPad for anything more than accepting a call or receiving a message, so my phone is becoming less and less important! An Apple Watch plus IPad combo would be ideal for my workflow!🙏🏾
Right? I’m thinking about doing then when I get my iPad pros and my Apple Watch series 7 cellular models
I loved this video. I’ve always wondered about the practicality of this. Very informative and well presented.
Thanks so much! I'm really happy to hear you liked this video style!
Totally agree wit you having tried it myself. The easy - half way - option is to get a non-LTE watch and just BT that to your phone.. leave your phone in a pocket or rocksack and it cures that constant distraction/checking habbit, without the extra contract costs.
You may just have saved a lot of people money. No need for cellular Apple Watch, it drains battery faster anyway.
I’ve been waiting for a video like this for so long
Mike, well done, and thanks! Been experimenting with that in the past couple days and what I really missed so far is the camera, iPhone notes and amazon. Will keep trying and see how it goes.
Deepest thanks for exploring this topic, has been on my mind for yr+ wanting to see if was feasible to liberate one's self of the smartwatch , great quality vid good luck for future 1 million subs will be here very soon
Many take it for granted. Its absolutely amazing as to how much such a small device can do!
Great video, I had been looking for a video or article like this. Thanks for the info. This is very useful in helping me decide whether or not to get the cellular model Apple Watch.
You are the most honest tech reviewer. Thanks 😊. I think u should start sharing your thoughts on stylus 😁
Really liked the video. Keep on doing things like this in addition to reviews.
Great video! 👍 I really like this kind of creative experiments! Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
Great video, thank you. I would say though that although I kinda agree on the conclusion, the reasons are only valid for Apple. For Android, there are planty of smart watches which are actually better as solo smart phones. For example, the kospet optimus 2. My wife has completely moved to that smartwatch as the main phone and it is kinda perfect for (I would say) 80% of the use cases. The main issue with this (except for it being klanky and big with small screen) are apps that can't handle some screen ratios, like square for example (and the lack of nfc 😔)
Can i get a 1 yr update plz
Great video, I like the scenario based videos. I still aspire to the scenario you do here on the Android side.
Do you think smart glasses like a modern Google glass would be a better phone replacement tech. Floating directions and interface, camera in the frames ?
Dont know how long u will be a youtuber, but my "creative mind" says to do this video once a year until the video when we are catched up with the smartphone. Anyways rly good content! Cheers from Sweden!
I very well may do this video again in the future with whatever new technology we have!
Yes please do it again 🙂
I need a redo!
You nailed this video. It’s like asking my friend about his opinion
Thanks so much, Mark! I really appreciate your positive feedback!
Great tutorial thank you. I noticed you was wearing your watch strap loose was this to stop irritation ?
Thanks for making this video. I was thinking of replacing my iPhone with an Apple Watch Series 8 41mm. The mobility of the Apple Watch Series 8 with the Productivity of the iPad mini 6. Is an incredible combo in my opinion. The Apple Watch Series 8 definitely seems to be able to replace at minimum a dumb phone. I make 1-2 calls a day, send 1-2 messages (via iMessage), use Apple Pay, check bank balances, and may use google maps (on occasion). So it may work for me. But I totally understand why someone may still choose to have an iPhone 14 pro because of the cameras, many apps you can use, and the battery life
Think different, that's what Mike's videos are all about. Good points once again. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching! I am definitely all about thinking differently. Sometimes for better and other times for worse 😅
I’m actually considering buying the Apple Watch as a phone alternative. I bought an iPad Pro so I didn’t have leftover money to buy a new phone. Now I do and I’m thinking of using it as an alternative to a phone because I already have the iPad for other tasks that needs to be done.
My biggest complaint with so many devices of different formfactors at disposal is that it really blurs the line between themselves for the same set of use cases. If you think, you only need a smartwatch (LTE), a tablet and a wireless headset to go through everything you deal on a day to day basis. About clicking pictures though, tablets can do that but I really don't think it's that user-friendly.
Been watching you for a while ! I've always wanted to do this with my Samsung watch! Great for running !
I’m not sure how much xfinity mobile is, but I think they somehow have app,e watch on prepaid. But if apple could work with smaller carriers to bring cellular support for Apple Watch, i think that could be huge. I think for occasional separate use, not having the camera won’t be bad
Very interesting, thank you for this "out of the box" video!
Really glad you liked it. Thanks for the positive feedback!
Nice piece of journalism. It does review a product yet it reflects in our need to be connected and the trade off of been connected all the time.
Thanks Oscar, that is really what I was going for. I am glad you liked it!
This is a great review. Thank you.
So there is no sim card in the watch ? They went through with that esim thing?
Hi! Im planning to get AW with cellular and put my main sim and still have my iphone. Will my messages/calls get synched on an iphone without sim?
hello bro can you shoot a review of headphones bezus wm01 I'm very interested in how you rate these headphones
I’ve have an SE, & have forgotten my phone at home a couple times. The watch works great as a backup phone & for work 2 factor login
Huge Thumbs Up 😇✌️ my series 6 is Cellular but it doesn't replace my 12 pro max,
and i usually carry both at the same time which makes no sense 😅😅😅
Useful video, thank you!
This was a cool video, lot's of questions that I have asked myself. Also always taking my iPhone with me even though I have an Series 6 LTE, but now I will try and let it stay at home - at least occasionally and for shorter time periods, like a walk, going shopping and so on. May I ask which phone you use as your main device - and if iPhone, which size?
I have had the idea that some people don't use the tools meant to make our lives easier/better, but replace their life with their electronic products. That's OK if that's what you want. After reading some comments, I'm not sure that's what you want.
I have all of things myself but they have a place in my Home, not on my body.
Smartwatch are so good, like Mike said, there's some limitations but go out without your phone it's a huge advantage. Sometimes I let my phone at home and just use the Smartwatch instead!!
.......
Would love to see a new video but you trying it out with an lte galaxy watch (or any wearos3 watch but since the galaxy watch is the only as of yet, yeah you get what i mean). I like to see if there are any differences or shortcomings on the galaxy watch compared to the apple watch, especially considering the app ecosystem. Yes the wearos ecosystem is bigger than the tizen one, but it still lacks in comparison to apple's.
Great review
😒😒 so a relative was waiting patiently to die just when you happened to leave your phone at home?😂😂😂
Love your video production, it's top notch ♥️♥️♥️
Can you use it and get notifications form far away/2-5 hours form your
IPhone 11 and Apple Watch SE with cellular data?
Yes it looks really, really good! 😀👍👍
Hi Mike, could you do maybe a video about the Garmin Venu 2? I think it is the best buy for me but id like your opinion about it. Thnx! Maarten
Came from the Giveaway you have sponsor on Nepal and subscribing you sir ❣️
Hi Mike amazing videos really informative I have been thinking about buying the kz s1 could you please do a review on them
Thanks for watching! I'll consider a review of that
Thank you
Very helpful video.
How did you call for an uber if there isn't an uber app for the apple watch ?
Hey Mike, new subscriber thanks to this video. Do you think a smartwatch, not an Apple watch, it's possible to go without a phone?? The Galaxy, maybe
Hello sir…. How long battery last without phone using LTE & Wifi
Can you run apple car play wireless on a head unit with just the lte watch? That would solve the maps issue
Can you do this same video with the samsung watch??
the thing is in my country ( India ) we don't have to pay extra amount to get LTE services on apple watch. I literally pay like the equivalent of $10 per month and I get Unlimited 5G along with cellular plan for my apple watch free of cost. So in India it makes total sense to go for the cellular model as it is cheaper to maintain in the long run.
What series Apple Watch will work with lte without phone?
I relate when he said it was hard to start ur plan for me it took almost one week but that was becuse it was problems with lte at the company.
Hey Mike. I can’t seem to get email to work while away from my phone. Is email supported? For some strange reason no one at Apple can answer this question.
Review the Kospet Prime 2. Has a SIM slot and a 13MP Camera.
I’ve been seeing a lot of “workout friendly” cheap watches on Amazon. Could you do a review on a few? Might make a good video
I have been planning on a "best budget smartwatches" video for a little while. Hopefully I can get that out soon!
I need to study this video in depth to see if you answer my question. My elderly aunt 90 has no cell phone, and doesn't want to deal with one. All that complication. Is there an LTE watch that is standalone? For calling 911, close family etc. ?? Do they even exist?
So, do I understand it correctly that you *must have* some phone somewhere with your phone number and a line with a provider?
I saw a really crappy smartwatch that had a camera built into it and a regular SIM card slot so you could probably use it on normal carriers as a regular phone. It did look kind of crappy though and I was like a higher quality version of this could probably replace a phone pretty well for those that don't need certain features and that the larger screen provides.
Great video, could you do de same with an Galaxy Watch, thank you.
I have capital one and the app for it on apple watch is really limited, it's basically just a display of the available balance, that's it, no links to anything else, no menu, nothing else.
Nice content....you deserve more subs.
Thanks! Working on growing the channel as I improve my video quality
Hello I was wondering if cellular Apple Watch can last 18hr with light use and sending 6 texts along with making a 4 minute phone call
Thats a very cool test. I am a diabetic. The App that measures my blood sugar is installes on my iPhone and also on my Watch. The problem is that the app from the apple watch only works with the app from iPhone. That is why i have to have my phone with me in any situation.
Why didn’t you use other watches to compare and see if those would work as well maybe you could’ve gotten battery life or a better LTE connection with another watch most of the Apple Watch?
I used my Huawei Watch 2 Sport LTE for 4 years and realized that it's convenient to have a second phone and Google pay device just in case. But only as a secondary device. Battery, no camera, app limitations - all this doesn't allow it to become a primary device.
Does it support otg usb ? I'm guessing not.
All the limitations u listed can be done on an android smart watch like Thor 6
I turned one of those ancient digital photo keychains into a watch.
It lasted all day, even with the screen on. Granted, this was with a replacement battery, and I turned the screen brightness down by changing a resistor, but still!
Kept good time too!
Thank you so much for this video!!! I want to get the Galaxy watch for my elderly parents, my mom, who sometimes forgets her phone at home and for my dad who refuses to have a phone because he's afraid of losing it. Since it has fall detection, it is of added benefit. My only annoyance is that it requires me to pay an additional monthly fee of $10. I'm thinking of getting the LTE version just in case but stick to using wifi since many places has wifi which they can connect to if they need to call someone for a ride home, or for directions, for example. If you can do a video on the specifics of connectivity, with/without phone use, I would really appreciate it! Thanks.
Does this galaxy watch also require a cell phone? My aunt just wants to be able to call 911 or family in an emergency fall scenario. She doesn't want or need 95% of cell functionality.
Good work
I don't use my phone much (maybe I'm just old). I do need online chat application for work (sometime), but I definitely do need internet banking/payment. If smart watches can cover this then I'll happily ditch my phone. Unfortunately I am probably a fringe case so that's never going to happen.
Great video idea I’ve wondered that but my watch is not LTE so I need my phone
I am hoping that someday these get good enough to comfortably be a permanent replacement for phones (for some people who want to follow a more minimalist lifestyle or just want a smaller device)
Great vid subscribed to your channel 👍 always wanted to know if this idea would work
Thank you for watching and subscribing! I am really happy to hear you liked the video
Can you connect your cellular apple watch to your car ??? If you wanna use gps or play music ????
Standard SMS is not received and the watch face (complications) stop updating, when iPhone is off. This was a bummer for me (forgetting to put iPhone on a charger). Also the voice mail box is not functional with some carriers/countries - a big no no for me. Carriers here are also not helpful with AW.
Like the sly Goose plug in your Spotify 😄
Big Goose guy 🤘
Thank you for specifically saying 2FA works fine. I've got over 30 accounts with 2FA and it's the only reason I need my phone
I'm your 1 thousandth thumbs up! 🥰🥰🥰
Do i need to buy a separate LTE plan or no?
It is usually an add-on to your current LTE plan. Not all carriers offer this, but I paid an additional $10 per month for mine
That lack of social media is a blessing.
You look like a young Tom Brady- but I won’t hold that against you… 😄
Thanks for the video, I’ve been really wanting to do this permanently and was thinking of using the family setup to get round needing a phone. The main issue I see for me is battery- selling my phone could offset the financial cost and the issues with social media apps not being great on the phone would actually suit me, as I’d hopefully use them less/never. My aim is to really disconnect from devices and just have the watch for emergencies or minimal usage.
Banking, emails, social media and camera I can do without …but when I have tried moving to a dumb phone before, I found others were always on their phone and that ended up annoying me 😂
I really want the Apple Watch se2 my friend has it and I love it
It’s like you said,,the smart watch is good for a walk/run with EarPods and listen to music until you get back home,,thanks man.
I can't wit to get the Huawei Watch 3 Pro to try this test.
It’s actually not a bad concept going watch only! There’s available cam straps, But I think the Apple watches lack the necessary battery life as a long term solution 😀
Low power mode and turn off always on display. My Apple Watch Series 7 stainless Steel 41mm has lasted almost 2 days for me. I work from home and have 2 jobs. I can easily throw the watch on the charge it up in about 20mins.
This video was what I was looking for because I can’t seem to get a straight answer from anyone at Verizon or from Apple. 18 months ago I left my beloved droid and invested in an iPhone and series 5 watch for fall detection. I found that the watch would not make or receive text messages or phone calls 70 feet away from my phone in my small yard or even to my mailbox. I was concerned that if it didn’t allow me to make the texts or calls I couldn’t depend on it for fall detection. I don’t know if I’ll even be able to make a manual SOS call to 911 should I need it within my house. 25 feet away from my phone the series 5 didn’t let me text or call anyone. I’m 78 and I’m only interested in health features of the watch. I just bought an iPhone 11 and don’t know whether the seven watch will work any better than did the five. So much trouble to buy it and then return it especially during the pandemic.
How does this compare to wear OS or android smartwatches?
You should be able to do most of your daily tasks, but I will say Apple Watch has a lot more companion apps that come with the smartphone versions and can work without your phone, so consider what apps you will want to use. Battery life between any given LTE watches will be similar, depending on active features. In my opinion, Apple Watches are much more useful than WearOS, but both work.
I think if they get a camera and all the other things a smartphone has then you can definitely replace your phone entirely but there is a problem. Cameras take space and smartwatches dont have that so either there have to be some sacrifices or the smsrtwatches need to get bigger
I feel the smartwatch is a good choice. It has nfc to buy Mountain dew, apps you can use for your daily life and as I'm thinking of getting a iphone se, I want an apple watch also and afterwards, I understand why I want one and it's cellular connection so that when someone calls from my phone, I'll receive it on my wrist and answer it. I WANT ONE.
Honestly all the more reason for Apple to add IPad or Mac compatibility. Currently the fact it is tethered to the iPhone is a major downside, considering work as a replacement with just a little more flexibility with the rest of device.
US Cellular does auto sign-ups for Wearable plans.
It is the same debate as old 'can smartphones replace personal computers/computers'🍻😉
I really like this idea because it’s like a little smart phone
With the coming Apple Watch Ultra, this question can be re-visited :)
This is the future!