The source of the delay is that current cellular chips consume too much battery life, reducing the product’s effectiveness and limiting user appeal, according to three of the people. Apple has begun studying lower-power cellular data chips for future smartwatch generations.
This is an incredibly difficult problem, but anything that negatively affects battery life will be a non-starter for a lot of users. Most days, I have plenty of battery life remaining when I go to bed, but I wouldn’t want to be in a situation where I was running out of power early in the day.
I still have no interest in cellular for the Watch as long as it would mean a separate contract from my phone.
I bet when the time comes for cellular it may be like the iPad. Choose a model with or without it. Heck, maybe that’ll happen this fall with GPS.
Totally off topic, I do wish they’d go all in on iPad being cellular. All equipped and its up the user to purchase contract/add to existing account. Also, why is the antenna plastic so massive on iPad and Reduced to small lines on a phone? Never figured that out.
Agreed, would be nice to just have it built in on all iPads. On the 9.7″ iPad Pro the antenna has changed to a line similar to the iPhone.
http://computershowcase.umich.edu/catalog-images/148121_lg.jpg
Ahh, that had completely passed me by. That looks significantly better!
I wouldn’t call lack of technology a roadblock for cellular on the Apple Watch. Having owned one for over a year now, I don’t see the need or sense in having cellular on the watch. It’s always been an adjunct to the iPhone for me—a significant and welcome one with its current design and functionality.
it will not happen this fall.
What will not happen this fall – choice of Apple Watch with or without GPS? I tend to agree. SKU wise it’ll multiply an already large amount of Watch options that they have. I’d guess that they keep the original Watch around at a somewhat reduced price and have a new Watch with GPS and other updated hardware + improved water resistance.