Apple Watch Ultra and Oceanic+ App

[kimh]

I actually expect that offshore coverage will decrease in the not too distant future.

I'm afraid that's a bit pessimistic. 4G will be around for many years to come. There won't be significant changes in offshore coverage soon except maybe in the positive direction.

Satelite communicators (Sat phone, InReach, etc.) or VHF radios would be better.

Definitely. Let me know when there's a consumer wristwatch/DC that supports them.

 

[Belzelbub]

I'm afraid that's a bit pessimistic. 4G will be around for many years to come. There won't be significant changes in offshore coverage soon except maybe in the positive direction.

I know 4G will be around for a while, but I really don’t see much more expansion in 4G. At least not in the states. In my area, I’ve seen towers going down, as more 5G poles go up. I certainly don’t see new 4G towers going up. So, at best it will stay the same. Which means pretty much zero chance of coverage with a watch at just about any dive location here.

Definitely. Let me know when there's a consumer wristwatch/DC that supports them.

All in one? No. That doesn’t exist. But the InReach is small enough to be unobtrusive and the Descent series can interact with them. So, the InReach can remain in the dive case while the watch controls it. I carry a VHF, though. When that dies, it may be replaced by an InReach.

 

[kimh]

So, at best it [4G] will stay the same.

Some providers are building out 4G infrastructure alongside new 5G. I would say … 4G will stay the same, at *worst* – for years to come. It will be around for at least another decade (even in the US), and providers need to support it. No change during the lifecycle of an AWU.

I mentioned coverage earlier, because of course, one can't/shouldn't count on an offshore cell signal, whether in the water, or on a boat. But for dive sites within 15 miles or so of a populated shore, there's a reasonable chance that coverage will be available for the AWU. Sometimes less, sometimes more.

A more predictable scenario is when a diver gets back to shore or dock, and his land gear is somewhere else, e.g. in a car. Calls and text are available from the watch.

All in one? No. That doesn’t exist. But the InReach is small enough to be unobtrusive and the Descent series can interact with them.

There's no usage scenario comparable to the AWU.

 

[mje113]

Unfortunately there's a bigger limiting factor on cell calling from the watch. There's a physical limit on how many LTE bands a single watch can support, so a watch sold in the US can only be used in the US, Canada, DR, Ecuador, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands. You'd need a different physical watch to use cell calling/data in any other country.

For me this is a real bummer since my kids have watches and was planning on using them as primary communication with them while they are spring breaking in the UK with their Mom, and I'm diving in TCI.

 

[Landau]

Was on a liveaboard last week where one of the divers was using the Applewatch Ultra + Oceanic for his Dive Computer. Mid week the computer decided to lock him out as "his license had expired"

According to the diver he had a a 1 year license with many months left on it. We suspect the watch tried to call back to apple to verify the license but we were off the grid for several days. It kept locked out for 24 hours + then decided to reactivate

No idea if this is common or a on off glitch but it definitely discouraged a few of the other divers on board who were considering getting one.

 

[kimh]

You'd need a different physical [Apple Watch] to use cell calling/data in any other country.

Very interesting. According to Apple, there are three cellular models: Americas, China mainland, and Europe/Asia Pacific.

If the kids bring their iPhone on break (seems likely?) they can still make calls on a watch paired to their iPhone. If they use the watch mainly to avoid possible theft, this might do the trick- phone stays in a pocket.

"International roaming with your Apple Watch"

 

[mje113]

If the kids bring their iPhone on break (seems likely?) they can still make calls on a watch paired to their iPhone. If they use the watch mainly to avoid possible theft, this might do the trick- phone stays in a pocket.

Yeah that would work, however the kids are still a bit young for phones so I got them Apple Watches. I wanted to be able to track and contact them, and allow them to contact me. Most importantly to allow them to call 911 if needed (yes this has everything to do with safety in our schools). Lacking their own phones I used Family Setup.

Of course that means they are paired to my phone and not my wife's, so they can't share her cell signal. It's not the end of the world, but not exactly what I was envisioning.

 

[kimh]

Of course that means they are paired to my phone and not my wife's, so they can't share her cell signal.

They could unpair their watch from your phone & pair it to your wife's during the trip. Should be easy, and probably a good idea anyway, in case their watches need to be managed for some reason in the UK. Of course, they'd need to be fairly close to her to share her cell signal. Bigger question might be how cell signal sharing works with family setup.

 

[mje113]

They could unpair their watch from your phone & pair it to your wife's during the trip. Should be easy, and probably a good idea anyway, in case their watches need to be managed for some reason in the UK. Of course, they'd need to be fairly close to her to share her cell signal. Bigger question might be how cell signal sharing works with family setup.

unfortunately it's more complicated than that. Xfinity mobile doesn't support Family Setup for some reason so I switched just my line to Verizon to pair the watches. She's still on Xfinity.

But if it was possible the watches would share cell, if they are within Bluetooth range of the phone.

 

[lattehiatus]

Was on a liveaboard last week where one of the divers was using the Applewatch Ultra + Oceanic for his Dive Computer. Mid week the computer decided to lock him out as "his license had expired"

According to the diver he had a a 1 year license with many months left on it. We suspect the watch tried to call back to apple to verify the license but we were off the grid for several days. It kept locked out for 24 hours + then decided to reactivate

Thanks for the report. These are the kinds of things that come up from user testing in conditions that may or may not have been expected by the developer. Considering that being off the grid on a liveaboard is not uncommon, it would be a poor judgement call for the developer to require phoning home to verify licenses, if that is indeed the case.

I am fairly happy with wearing the Apple Watch Ultra on my wrist as the primary computer but would be hesitant to have it as my only computer. Its display is readable without being bulky and has all the basic info I need.