The New Apple Watch Could Work Without An iPhone

Apple has its sights set on your Fitbit

Apple is reportedly going to release a brand-new Apple Watch that can connect to the internet using 4G and won’t require an iPhone to work.

Currently the Apple Watch uses both Bluetooth and WiFi to pull in new information which means that you either have to be in range of your iPhone or within range of a known WiFi network.

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Drew Angerer via Getty Images

According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the matter claim the Apple Watch 3 would remove this dependence, allowing users to take their Apple Watch out without their iPhone and still be able to send messages, receive calls and even download new music.

While the Apple Watch started life as a premium gadget the success of the cheaper Apple Watch Sport led the company to massively expand the range of colours and straps.

Since then Apple and its CEO Tim Cook have regularly claimed the gadget as the best-selling smartwatch available and it looks as though Apple is only looking to cement this further.

At this point it should be noted that this is still complete speculation, neither Apple nor Intel (the company making the 4G chip) have commented nor are they likely to.

From Apple’s point of view it makes a lot of sense to help detach the Apple Watch from the iPhone.

The Apple Watch’s fitness credentials mean that it’s already used by many as their main fitness tracking device and so there’s definite appeal in being able to leave your iPhone behind while you go for a run and yet still be able to answer calls and receive messages.

The current Apple Watch Series 2 added to the original in a number of very fitness-focused ways.

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Beck Diefenbach / Reuters

It added GPS allowing you to track your runs, full water-resistance along with intelligent swim tracking for pool swims and finally a display that’s twice as bright as the original making it even easier to read in full sunlight.

With the iPhone 8 due to be announced at the beginning of September it’s very possible that Apple could unveil the Watch alongside it.

There has also been talk that Apple could be set to unveil a brand-new Apple TV that supports 4K and HDR after code was spotted inside the Apple HomePod’s firmware that hinted as such.

Either way it’s looking like Apple’s iPhone 8 launch event is going to have more than a few surprises.

The Best Gadgets Of 2017

Xbox One S
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If you own a 4K TV and also own an original Xbox One then the Xbox One S is the console for you. It is quite simply Microsoft’s best Xbox ever, it’s also the cheapest 4K Blu-ray player you’ll be able to buy this side of Christmas. Your games collection will look stunning and if you trade in your old console the relatively small cost shouldn’t sting while you wait for Microsoft’s uber-console Project Scorpio to arrive next year.
Apple iPhone 7
Apple
This is Apple’s best iPhone ever, and if we’re honest it’s one of their most innovative devices yet. Its exceptional camera, combined with with a slim, water-resistant body mean that while it's not a leap in design it is a leap in just about everything else. No it doesn't have a headphone jack, but wireless audio is finally ready.
Sky Q
Sky
Sky Q as a complete package is the future, not just one single feature.It’s knowing that everything you’ve ever recorded is available in every room. It’s knowing that you can download any recorded show onto your iPad. It’s also knowing that every Sky Q box also doubles as a WiFi hotspot.This is where Sky Q makes sense. This is an all-in-one system, it does literally everything. There’s no switching, no painful tinkering, it all neatly fits together and if there’s one thing us humans like it’s everything working just as it should.
Google Pixel
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Hive
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Amazon Echo
Amazon
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Roli
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BeoPlay A2 Active By B&O Play
Bang Olufsen
At £299 this is not a cheap option, however for that money you’ll get a product that’s just as happy being your main living room speaker as it is keeping you company on a road trip. The sound quality is truly room-filling and at the high standard you would expect for a Bang & Olufson product. The A2 Active is quite simply one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Samsung
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PlayStation VR
Sony
At the moment, if you own a PS4 and are desperately excited to get into virtual reality, PlayStation VR is the only place to start. It’s comfortable, gloriously easy to use and when the hardware and software work in harmony it’s an utterly breathtaking experience. Visceral, emotional and yet entirely accessible, it’s a technological marvel.
Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature
Bowers Wilkins
Anyone who wants an industry-leading sound but without the usually eye-watering price tag. Yes, these are £699, but when you think that the average audiophile will spend upwards of £1000 on a pair of HiFi-quality headphones these make every bit of sense. They’re B&W’s best headphones ever and they’re quite frankly one of the best pairs of headphones we’ve ever used.
PlayStation 4 Pro
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OnePlus 3T
OnePlus
The OnePlus 3T is simply a continuation of the ethos that makes OnePlus phones so good. It’s exceptionally well-built, powerful and offers you everything you could want in an affordable and meaningful package. No smartphone will give you more value for money.
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Beats by Dre
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Samsung UE49KS9000
Samsung
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Sonos Play:5 (2nd Gen)
Sonos
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Withings Activite Pop
Withings
This is the anti-fitness tracker of fitness trackers. Boasting a beautifully minimalist design the Pop is all about getting the job done without shouting about it. A simple measurement dial at the bottom shows you varying metrics for how active you're being while Withings' app reveals just how much data is actually being collected. While Fitbit has led the way in Fitness trackers, Withings has been offering even the most resistant consumer a change to start taking better care of themselves./