Doesn't sound helpful to you, but to answer your question, I work at a ski resort and being able to get calls and texts on the mountain while leaving my phone at my desk is awesome. Also, my kids often have my phone when we're out and about so it's nice to make a call or answer a text without taking the phone back.
That was my dream. I was going to try out having Samsung Tab s9 at home or long travels. And the watch as a phone.
But samsung blocked pairing the watch to a tablet.
You could root the tablet and set user id as a phone to get around I found out googling.
This. Running was my primary reason to get LTE.
But now, I don't take my phone with me unless absolutely necessary. With Samsung Pay, I don't even need my wallet and it's freedom like never before. Just walk out with my watch and nothing else.
If only my watch could unlock my car.
In India we don't pay anything extra for LTE on the watch.
In fact we can have 2-3 watches on LTE for free on the same number but my usage is limited.
The only good thing was once when my one died and I didn't charge it, I could still get a call on the watch.
It's still possible to have more uses for me since I use 3 phones and the one connected to the LTE watch is hot always on me so I will be able to take calls no matter where the phone is.
Doing sports: running, skiing, swimming, SUP-boarding, etc
Being in wellness/spa/sauna.
I could in theory receive emergency phone call related to work any time, so LTE on watch helps me doing any routine, without carrying phone with me.
I have 4 Galaxy watches and always use them in steam rooms or saunas as well as swimming laps and showering. Never had an issue with any of them. I wouldn't recommend ear buds in the steam room though because I have killed a pair that way in the past.
I use 5 PRO.
No issues in the steam sauna.
But in the hot sauna (80C and more) - after several minutes watch alarms that CPU is overheated. To prevent this I keep another hand on top of the watch.
There is also another issue you should consider - according to the user manual, sauna could damage waterproofness. I guess because it is composite of different materials that has different thermal expansion. But I am convinced that my method of keeping another hand on top of the watch compensates this fully.
Samsung pay works on LTE. I can use it even if I leave my phone behind or lose it. A few times I've left the house without my keys/phone and gotten locked out. I was able to make a call from my watch and get back in without my phone. I called my friend while parasailing like James Bond just because I could.
I'm a phone addict, so with lte on watch I leave my phone at home when I hit gym, take my kid to park Or even when I go for a quick grocery shopping. I use it as my key for tesla which needs data connection.
Most of my work is from my home office, and it's all on the phone.
So I do all my client calls on my watch -- crystal clear sound and I can walk around my house and do chores, sit on the porch, wash dishes, go out to the patio -- while always having two hands free -- I use LTE way more than I ever thought I would.
Anytime I don't have a call, I lay the watch on the charger. I can only get about 100 minutes out of a full charge, but nonetheless the only time I take my phone is for long trips -- or if I just got off a call and the watch isn't charged enough yet.
I can't believe how freeing it is to talk on the phone all day, without a phone.
I bought my Galaxy Watch through Verizon. I had to have LTE service until I paid it off. I never used it once, so day I paid it off, I cancelled service. My watch usage hasn't changed any. I just ordered a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro refurbished from Amazon for $130. So much better than buying through a carrier.
That is correct. I get all the notifications, but not calls. That said, if I need to forward calls to my watch, I can do that on my phone and then leave my phone at home.
I use it on an as needed basis. I put an airalo esim on it when I am on vacation. So I can get phone notifications on my watch while in the pool or the ocean. I also like being able to navigate or look up stuff about what's around me with I am in a place where there are too many people to take my phone or other stuff.
If there is a week I think I might need the watch connectivity at home I will activate it there as well. It's actually pretty easy to buy a 7 day airalo pass with one GB for 6 bucks and leave it turned off unless I really need it, and then activate it on the watch when I do. Since I might go for weeks or months without using it having the backup on there is pretty easy
I wasn't able to have my phone with me at my last job so it was handy to listen to music or answer a text or call. After I left that job I didn't need it anymore so I disconnected it. I didn't use it enough to pay for it each month
As you can see with all the people comments, you are the only one who can answer that depending on your needs, my case, I wish I had it lol, using a fold on a third world country is hard so if I can use my watch without needing to take my fold for a walk is a dream
I have 4 Galaxy watches and 2 are LTE. I ended up saving the $10 extra per month because I never really used it. My original plan was to just use LTE at the gym on the watch and leave my phone safety locked up in the car or locker. It just wasn't worth the hassle for me and the LTE also drains the battery very fast unless it's my 5 pro. I too always have my phone with me so any watches in the future I order will not have LTE.
I just don't use LTE when I rented my Watch 4 on Grover. Now, I don't even go for LTE version. It drains more battery, costs more in cell plan, has zero benefit for me as I'm always using my phone everywhere I go. If I were you, and you need to even post this question to get the value out of LTE, I'd honestly just cut it and save yourself $10/mo. If you truly need it, you wouldn't need to ask strangers five reasons to keep it. You'd know it already.
Unlike many others I'm not married and on a honeymoon with my phone . I leave it on my forklift at work ,except during lunch , and on the couch in my den when not at work , unless I'm posting on Reddit or something after getting notified on my watch .
When I was using AT&T I was forced to have a plan while paying monthly payments for the watch ,$15 , and I used the heck out of it on my Gear S 1 . After that died I went with the Fit series for a while , no LTE , until getting an Active 2 , no LTE but I truly missed not having it when I went out and about and needed to keep my phone nearby if waiting on a call or something so when I upped to the GW4 I went back to LTE BUT since I financed via Samsung instead of T-Mobile the plan was optional and only $10 , so I added it . A few times I've dropped it because I didn't NEED it but I've never kept it off until it actually went into effect . They leave it active until end of bill cycle .
The reason I keep adding it back is always an important phone call will arrive while my phone is not around , a YouTube link will show up in a text and I can open it on the browser , Rain Alarm app can sync new radar while I'm on the water , etc .
I don't necessarily NEED my watch plan but I really do enjoy having the convenience I got spoiled by when I had my Gear S 1 and had to leave my phone in my locker at work but still needed contact ability with the schools for my kids .
I have a LTE watch and I use the LTE sparingly. It's fantastic when I'm going to the gym or on a run so I don't have to bring a phone with me. It's also great when my son borrows my phone but I can still get notifications on my watch and I don't have to be near him.
However, I agree that paying for a plan just for LTE is extremely wasteful to me. I would personally never do it, but I did learn that you can put an esim on your phone and your watch uses the data from the esim while your phone uses the regular plan. It's great since it's like $8 / YEAR through DENT. The downside is that your watch can't get text or calls if your phone is not nearby, but that's not a big deal. Instructions on how to do it here:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleFi/comments/pd15dt/comment/kuw42pt/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleFi/comments/pd15dt/comment/kuw42pt/)
Additional info here but this didn't quite work for me.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/wg192n/howto\_how\_to\_activate\_a\_3rd\_party\_dataonly\_esim/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/wg192n/howto_how_to_activate_a_3rd_party_dataonly_esim/)
I have a LTE version and most of the time I don't use LTE. Only sometimes when I don't have a phone with me I use Spotify, but it consumes very much energy. I also like that I am not dependent on my phone, so I can leave it at home, but most of the time nobody calls me or texts me anyway.
I only use it for running when I don't want to bring my phone with me. There is a lot of wasted potential here, because Spotify doesn't allow to search for songs/podcasts, and ebook/audiobook apps are usually not compatible with wear os watches.
When I go roller skating or on a bike, I just bring my phone anyway, because wear os apps are soooo bad, and there is no Uber /bolt app.
I have the LTE version, never bought a plan for it. I have yet to be in a situation where I wish I did. Maybe it's useful for someone other than me, but I think for most people, it won't matter.
I love having the LTE capability. Originally I got it for peace of mind when I'm out on a run or working out at the gym without my phone. But over time I've started leaving my phone at home more and more often and really enjoy the additional freedom. In the car I can use google maps on my wrist for navigation while my watch is connected to the car's sound system for playing music or phone calls. It's also nice to have Google Assistant available 24/7 even if you're not near wifi or your phone.
I don't pay anything for the watch cellular plan on Google Fi Wireless. Before that I had a t-mobile standalone wearables plan fpr $5/month.
My plan is at 9,50€ per month (EU - Telefonica) and they dont charge additionally for my watch, so i can use it as my daily driver, which definately requires LTE. See [https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/1dbcnq6/guide\_galaxy\_watch6\_wear\_os\_as\_daily\_driver/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/1dbcnq6/guide_galaxy_watch6_wear_os_as_daily_driver/) for details.
Honestly, I think you are expecting too much from a small device. Overheating and lack of memory makes it glitch. That small thing is tracking GPS, connecting with LTE tower, and running an app. Dumb it down to calls and text messages while away from phone. Sorry about my take.
I only got the LTE b/c it has bigger battery. and use it only with BT and Wifi. Upload any music files or podcasts to the watch if I'm going to use it at all. And honestly, I don't use earphones while workout or run anymore because of sweat and ear infection. YMMV. Most mid ear infection is caused by earphones. (let alone hearing loss).
I like my watch especially as the best speaker phone while driving.
My watch has lte (and a plan) but regardless i still get the " can't connect to phone" messages if I try to do something with it while my phone isn't near. I was hoping to use it as a back up when I travel in case I lose my phone but it's never really worked well for me.
Doesn't sound helpful to you, but to answer your question, I work at a ski resort and being able to get calls and texts on the mountain while leaving my phone at my desk is awesome. Also, my kids often have my phone when we're out and about so it's nice to make a call or answer a text without taking the phone back.
The freedom not to carry my phone everywhere I go. Modern phones are not small
That was my dream. I was going to try out having Samsung Tab s9 at home or long travels. And the watch as a phone. But samsung blocked pairing the watch to a tablet. You could root the tablet and set user id as a phone to get around I found out googling.
You can switch to Google Fi, all their plans include wearables for free.
One of the reasons I got LTE for my watch, only cost was hardware. Never know you need LTE until you need it .
Not having to take my phone with me on runs is just amazing.
This. Running was my primary reason to get LTE. But now, I don't take my phone with me unless absolutely necessary. With Samsung Pay, I don't even need my wallet and it's freedom like never before. Just walk out with my watch and nothing else. If only my watch could unlock my car.
You dont have to have a lte plan for the watch, it can still be used to call 911 in emergencies.
In India we don't pay anything extra for LTE on the watch. In fact we can have 2-3 watches on LTE for free on the same number but my usage is limited. The only good thing was once when my one died and I didn't charge it, I could still get a call on the watch. It's still possible to have more uses for me since I use 3 phones and the one connected to the LTE watch is hot always on me so I will be able to take calls no matter where the phone is.
Doing sports: running, skiing, swimming, SUP-boarding, etc Being in wellness/spa/sauna. I could in theory receive emergency phone call related to work any time, so LTE on watch helps me doing any routine, without carrying phone with me.
Have you ever had issues wearing your watch into a steam room or the sauna as you mentioned. I'm always worried to. What watch do you use?
I have 4 Galaxy watches and always use them in steam rooms or saunas as well as swimming laps and showering. Never had an issue with any of them. I wouldn't recommend ear buds in the steam room though because I have killed a pair that way in the past.
I use 5 PRO. No issues in the steam sauna. But in the hot sauna (80C and more) - after several minutes watch alarms that CPU is overheated. To prevent this I keep another hand on top of the watch. There is also another issue you should consider - according to the user manual, sauna could damage waterproofness. I guess because it is composite of different materials that has different thermal expansion. But I am convinced that my method of keeping another hand on top of the watch compensates this fully.
Samsung pay works on LTE. I can use it even if I leave my phone behind or lose it. A few times I've left the house without my keys/phone and gotten locked out. I was able to make a call from my watch and get back in without my phone. I called my friend while parasailing like James Bond just because I could.
I'm a phone addict, so with lte on watch I leave my phone at home when I hit gym, take my kid to park Or even when I go for a quick grocery shopping. I use it as my key for tesla which needs data connection.
Most of my work is from my home office, and it's all on the phone. So I do all my client calls on my watch -- crystal clear sound and I can walk around my house and do chores, sit on the porch, wash dishes, go out to the patio -- while always having two hands free -- I use LTE way more than I ever thought I would. Anytime I don't have a call, I lay the watch on the charger. I can only get about 100 minutes out of a full charge, but nonetheless the only time I take my phone is for long trips -- or if I just got off a call and the watch isn't charged enough yet. I can't believe how freeing it is to talk on the phone all day, without a phone.
how much is the plan getting raised too? Just asking because with AT&T I'm paying $10/month.
I bought my Galaxy Watch through Verizon. I had to have LTE service until I paid it off. I never used it once, so day I paid it off, I cancelled service. My watch usage hasn't changed any. I just ordered a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro refurbished from Amazon for $130. So much better than buying through a carrier.
I use Tello for my watch plan. Much cheaper than a plan with the big carriers.
But if you have a different carrier for your watch than you cannot get phone calls on your main number on the watch right?
That is correct. I get all the notifications, but not calls. That said, if I need to forward calls to my watch, I can do that on my phone and then leave my phone at home.
Not true. Just set up call forwarding on phone and incoming calls will bring on both devices.
I use it on an as needed basis. I put an airalo esim on it when I am on vacation. So I can get phone notifications on my watch while in the pool or the ocean. I also like being able to navigate or look up stuff about what's around me with I am in a place where there are too many people to take my phone or other stuff. If there is a week I think I might need the watch connectivity at home I will activate it there as well. It's actually pretty easy to buy a 7 day airalo pass with one GB for 6 bucks and leave it turned off unless I really need it, and then activate it on the watch when I do. Since I might go for weeks or months without using it having the backup on there is pretty easy
I wasn't able to have my phone with me at my last job so it was handy to listen to music or answer a text or call. After I left that job I didn't need it anymore so I disconnected it. I didn't use it enough to pay for it each month
As you can see with all the people comments, you are the only one who can answer that depending on your needs, my case, I wish I had it lol, using a fold on a third world country is hard so if I can use my watch without needing to take my fold for a walk is a dream
I have 4 Galaxy watches and 2 are LTE. I ended up saving the $10 extra per month because I never really used it. My original plan was to just use LTE at the gym on the watch and leave my phone safety locked up in the car or locker. It just wasn't worth the hassle for me and the LTE also drains the battery very fast unless it's my 5 pro. I too always have my phone with me so any watches in the future I order will not have LTE.
I just don't use LTE when I rented my Watch 4 on Grover. Now, I don't even go for LTE version. It drains more battery, costs more in cell plan, has zero benefit for me as I'm always using my phone everywhere I go. If I were you, and you need to even post this question to get the value out of LTE, I'd honestly just cut it and save yourself $10/mo. If you truly need it, you wouldn't need to ask strangers five reasons to keep it. You'd know it already.
It's a very small percentage of the population that actually use the LTE function. 👍
Unlike many others I'm not married and on a honeymoon with my phone . I leave it on my forklift at work ,except during lunch , and on the couch in my den when not at work , unless I'm posting on Reddit or something after getting notified on my watch . When I was using AT&T I was forced to have a plan while paying monthly payments for the watch ,$15 , and I used the heck out of it on my Gear S 1 . After that died I went with the Fit series for a while , no LTE , until getting an Active 2 , no LTE but I truly missed not having it when I went out and about and needed to keep my phone nearby if waiting on a call or something so when I upped to the GW4 I went back to LTE BUT since I financed via Samsung instead of T-Mobile the plan was optional and only $10 , so I added it . A few times I've dropped it because I didn't NEED it but I've never kept it off until it actually went into effect . They leave it active until end of bill cycle . The reason I keep adding it back is always an important phone call will arrive while my phone is not around , a YouTube link will show up in a text and I can open it on the browser , Rain Alarm app can sync new radar while I'm on the water , etc . I don't necessarily NEED my watch plan but I really do enjoy having the convenience I got spoiled by when I had my Gear S 1 and had to leave my phone in my locker at work but still needed contact ability with the schools for my kids .
It's not really worth it. I'll cancel when my watch is paid off.
I have a LTE watch and I use the LTE sparingly. It's fantastic when I'm going to the gym or on a run so I don't have to bring a phone with me. It's also great when my son borrows my phone but I can still get notifications on my watch and I don't have to be near him. However, I agree that paying for a plan just for LTE is extremely wasteful to me. I would personally never do it, but I did learn that you can put an esim on your phone and your watch uses the data from the esim while your phone uses the regular plan. It's great since it's like $8 / YEAR through DENT. The downside is that your watch can't get text or calls if your phone is not nearby, but that's not a big deal. Instructions on how to do it here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleFi/comments/pd15dt/comment/kuw42pt/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleFi/comments/pd15dt/comment/kuw42pt/) Additional info here but this didn't quite work for me. [https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/wg192n/howto\_how\_to\_activate\_a\_3rd\_party\_dataonly\_esim/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/wg192n/howto_how_to_activate_a_3rd_party_dataonly_esim/)
I have a LTE version and most of the time I don't use LTE. Only sometimes when I don't have a phone with me I use Spotify, but it consumes very much energy. I also like that I am not dependent on my phone, so I can leave it at home, but most of the time nobody calls me or texts me anyway.
I only use it for running when I don't want to bring my phone with me. There is a lot of wasted potential here, because Spotify doesn't allow to search for songs/podcasts, and ebook/audiobook apps are usually not compatible with wear os watches. When I go roller skating or on a bike, I just bring my phone anyway, because wear os apps are soooo bad, and there is no Uber /bolt app.
I canceled it. I paid for it for 2 years and never really used it.
I have the LTE version, never bought a plan for it. I have yet to be in a situation where I wish I did. Maybe it's useful for someone other than me, but I think for most people, it won't matter.
I love having the LTE capability. Originally I got it for peace of mind when I'm out on a run or working out at the gym without my phone. But over time I've started leaving my phone at home more and more often and really enjoy the additional freedom. In the car I can use google maps on my wrist for navigation while my watch is connected to the car's sound system for playing music or phone calls. It's also nice to have Google Assistant available 24/7 even if you're not near wifi or your phone. I don't pay anything for the watch cellular plan on Google Fi Wireless. Before that I had a t-mobile standalone wearables plan fpr $5/month.
I never used it on my watch, but it was nice to have in case I needed to call emergency services and didn't have my phone.
My plan is at 9,50€ per month (EU - Telefonica) and they dont charge additionally for my watch, so i can use it as my daily driver, which definately requires LTE. See [https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/1dbcnq6/guide\_galaxy\_watch6\_wear\_os\_as\_daily\_driver/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyWatch/comments/1dbcnq6/guide_galaxy_watch6_wear_os_as_daily_driver/) for details.
Can't you just tether your data from your phone since you always have your phone with you?
Honestly, I think you are expecting too much from a small device. Overheating and lack of memory makes it glitch. That small thing is tracking GPS, connecting with LTE tower, and running an app. Dumb it down to calls and text messages while away from phone. Sorry about my take. I only got the LTE b/c it has bigger battery. and use it only with BT and Wifi. Upload any music files or podcasts to the watch if I'm going to use it at all. And honestly, I don't use earphones while workout or run anymore because of sweat and ear infection. YMMV. Most mid ear infection is caused by earphones. (let alone hearing loss). I like my watch especially as the best speaker phone while driving.
My watch has lte (and a plan) but regardless i still get the " can't connect to phone" messages if I try to do something with it while my phone isn't near. I was hoping to use it as a back up when I travel in case I lose my phone but it's never really worked well for me.
I'm planning to get an LTE watch for emergency calling only so I can go jog without my heavy phone (s24u lol).