New Apple Watch will pack an LTE modem, eschewing the need for an iPhone

Having an Apple watch could become much more than the status symbol it currently is with the addition of its own cellular connection. (Source: Apple)

A Bloomberg report referencing trusted sources claims that Apple is getting ready to release an LTE-enabled Apple Watch towards the end of the year. The addition of an LTE modem in the Watch would mean the device could operate completely independently, increasing its appeal.

Douglas Black, Published 08/05/2017

Why buy a smartwatch when you still have to carry around your phone in your pocket? This has been the crux of argument many give for not using a smartwatch. Apple is looking to make the next Apple Watch more compelling with a crucial change: the company is planning to release a version of the Apple Watch with an LTE modem (provided by Intel), according to a Bloomberg report from trusted sources.

The main impact of this change is that the Watch would no longer require a nearby iPhone to be paired to. As a result, a user could leave the house with just their watch, leaving their iPhone at home. More importantly, though, the Apple Watch currently is only compatible with iPhones due to the way they sync data, meaning Android users were out of luck. With an on-board LTE modem, however, the Apple Watch could become a stand-alone product, increasing its audience significantly.

The Apple Watch is only a small portion of revenue as evidenced in the company's rosy financial report from last week, but CEO Tim Cook was quick to point out that it is still the most popular smartwatch by far. If LTE-enabled Apple Watches can indeed be used independently of an Apple phone (or any phone, at that), it will only lead to strong growth of the product for Apple.