Apple Watch Series 3 Might Not Support Cellular Calls After All But Will Sport a Very Useful Feature

Omar Sohail
Apple Watch Series 3

Yes, the Apple Watch Series 3 has been rumored numerous times to sport an LTE chip that will sever the bonds with which you were forced to carry an iPhone for pairing purposes to receive notifications seamlessly. There is even a rumor stating that the wearable is going to be announced next month alongside the hyped iPhone 8. However, just because the upcoming Apple Watch will have an LTE chip under its miniature metal body, it does not mean you will be able to take advantage of making calls.

Renowned Apple Analyst Claims That Users Will Not Be Able to Make Cellular Calls Using Apple Watch Series 3 at Launch - Will Still Be Able to Use Wearable for Data-Related Purposes

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a note to investors (info via Apple Insider), predicting that the Apple Watch Series 3 will feature LTE connectivity but to take advantage of exclusive features, users are going to have to be more patient.

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He states that the LTE-enabled Apple Watch will not support traditional cellular voice calls at launch. Since it has been predicted that the wearable is going to be announced with the new iPhone family in September, he claims that cellular calls are not going to be part of the feature set for the wearable this year.

However, this feature will be added in the form of a future software update. So what are users supposed to do if not make calls with Apple’s next-gen smartwatch? They can always use apps and services that require data such as FaceTime, Skype, and others. Kuo believes that the initial lack of call support will make negotiations with phone carriers much simpler.

This move will also allow Apple to remove 3G connectivity from the list entirely, leading to a simple antenna design if relying on just LTE connectivity. No Apple Watch has ever featured a slot which allows users to insert a physical SIM card so Kuo believes that the wearable will rely on eSIM technology to facilitate cellular calls.

Not all carriers support eSIM technology, meaning the Apple Watch Series 3 connectivity could be limited to certain countries and markets.

Come September, we will find out how true the analyst’s words hold against Apple’s true intentions.

News Source: Apple Insider

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