Not long ago, we reported that the new Apple Watch from the technology giant in Cupertino would not support roaming or have multiple carrier support, but it seems that the controversy surrounding the cellular-enabled smartwatch from Apple isn"t stopping at just that..
The new cellular-enabled device allows the user to connect to their carrier in lieu of the iPhone with the embedded eSim, however, that - for now anyway - reportedly results in even more problems thanks to a battery saving feature that automatically connects to "captive networks" instead of the cellular network when it detects an open WiFi network usually found in places like your local coffee shop.
Apple has confirmed some reports of its Series 3 Watch suffering from connectivity issues, since the device would join "unauthenticated" networks automatically, blocking the user from connecting to their carrier. As the firm demonstrated in its keynote call demo, the smart device seems to be much more comfortable in the middle of a lake, where no pesky Wi-Fi network can disturb its operation.
A spokesperson for the company acknowledged this to the Verge who discovered the issue, without going into much detail about when a suitable fix would be rolled out:
“We have discovered that when Apple Watch Series 3 joins unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks without connectivity, it may at times prevent the watch from using cellular. We are investigating a fix for a future software release.”
The new Apple Watch 3 with cellular is set to release alongside a non-cellular version for $399 and $329 respectively on September 22. The device was announced at the special Apple event held in the Steve Jobs Theater on September 12, with the new iPhone 8 range and the higher-end iPhone X. The cellular Apple Watch 3 will require additional charges - in the US at least - to enable the LTE feature on supported carriers, as reported earlier.
Source: Ars Technica