How to set up Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular

Smart watches are so cool. After all, they fetch all the relevant notifications including calls, messages, emails and much more on to your wrist. Usually, for all this, the phone has to be around but not with Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular.

Apple Watch Series 3 Cellular is capable of working independently. It comes with an electronic SIM (eSIM), which can be mapped to your existing number (for Airtel and Jio customers). This gives you the freedom of staying connected on your mobile number even if your iPhone is not around or if it runs out of charge. Using the cellular network on the Apple Watch, you will be able to answer calls, send messages, and stream music from Apple Music. This makes it ideal for those who often wish to leave their phone behind while going out for workout sessions, lunch meetings, and more but end up carrying the iPhone.

If you are planning to buy one and are wondering what is this eSIM and how to configure it, fret not. It’s just as simple as setting up a new phone.

As the name suggests, Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular supports mobile network but it doesn’t have a SIM card slot. The eSIM is activated by the mobile operator over-the-air itself while setting up the watch.

Setting up the watch is very simple. Launch the Watch app on your iPhone, select pair a new watch, point iPhone’s camera to the watch and leave the rest to the iPhone. Once connected, it asks you some basic information such as the wrist on which you will wear the watch, your iTunes password, and more.

The Watch app automatically selects the network operator and asks to either register with the network operator or log in using the mobile number and password. In case you are facing issues while setting up the eSIM on the watch, you can skip this step and return back to it later. For instance, while setting up the watch, I was not able to reset my Airtel account password and had to skip the cellular setup. But once the watch was configured, I was able to activate the eSIM from the mobile data option within Watch app. As soon as you will enter the operator account log-in details, the process of activating eSIM will be initiated. Shortly, you will receive a message from your operator stating the Apple Watch has been activated.

The mobile operator can take anywhere between five minutes to 30 minutes to activate the eSIM. In the meanwhile, you can continue to the Apple Watch Series 3.

The default watch face on the Apple Watch Cellular displays the mobile network signal using four green dots. Apple has designed the Watch in such a way that the cellular network only kicks in when it is not connected to the iPhone over Bluetooth and is also disconnected from the Wi-Fi network so that the mobile network does not drain the watch battery all the time.