I finally got LTE out of my smartwatch, and I’m feeling very comfortable even though I’m tied down
A few years ago, I bought a Galaxy Watch 5 and got it free from T-Mobile, the kicker was that I had to get it on a two year contract. That said, I was stuck with an LTE-enabled smartwatch, because I didn’t want to drop $279 right away for a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model. Now, although many years have passed since then, and with the contract running out, I have finally canceled that line, actually returning my smartwatch to a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model.
It’s been a few days since I made the switch, but it doesn’t feel anything, except that now, I’m saving money while still being able to take advantage of many of the features of my smartwatch. In fact, it made me realize that I don’t need a smartwatch with data, and I feel like most people probably don’t.
IT-Mobile tried and failed to get me to keep the line
When I called to cancel the line, the T-Mobile representative understandably tried her best to convince me to keep it. He told me that I would be able to use my watch without needing my smartphone nearby, still be able to make calls and texts, stream music while running, or navigate with Google Maps.
That sounds all well and good, but the thing is, me always have my phone with me. Pretty much all these features still work without LTE, making it a non-issue. I can make calls or send texts while watching, play offline music that I’ve already downloaded from YouTube Music and Spotify (or transferred to my phone), and use offline maps from Google Maps, if, for some reason, I don’t have my phone. And I need to do these things only on my watch if I don’t want to take my phone out of my pocket, which is always there.
Granted, I actually tried to take advantage of the LTE connection when I first got the Galaxy Watch, which went on in my area while I left my phone at home. But, to be honest, I hate running outside, and I still felt uncomfortable without my phone for even 30 minutes (which probably says a lot about me). And to be honest, going without my phone was the only case I could come up with to save the smartwatch data line.
And I usually use my smart watches to track my performance. In addition to the Pixel Watch 3 LTE, I also use Garmin watches such as the Venu 4, which do not come with LTE connectivity and are sufficient for what I need.
I told the T-Mobile rep as much, and he’s still trying to convince me to keep the line, but in the end, I couldn’t think of a single reason to keep spending money on it.
LTE supports smartwatches, if you’re willing to pay for it
I’m not saying LTE on a smartwatch isn’t useful; I’m just saying it doesn’t work well enough for what I need. For example, the Pixel Watch 4 has satellite SOS, which is only available on the LTE model. This allows you to send urgent messages when you are in an area where you cannot access a mobile network.
Satellite emergency messages may be available on Pixel phones, but they are not available on all Android phones and even carriers. This could make the LTE Pixel Watch a potentially life-saving device if you find yourself in a sticky situation.
However, a smartwatch line from the major US carriers usually costs about $10 a month, which means I’ve been paying about $120 a year for years for a feature I don’t use. It’s not a standard smartphone line, which makes the cost manageable for most people, but I can’t justify the price anymore.
Anyway, my Pixel Watch 3 works just as well as it did before I removed the LTE connection, and I don’t miss it at all.
That said, not everyone feels the same way. Do you find LTE on a smartwatch useful, or do you prefer to use Bluetooth/Wi-Fi? Let us know in the comments below!
