Apple Watch SIM Only Plans
- Access the internet directly from your Apple Watch
- No tethering required - leave your phone at home
- Apple Watch series 3 and up are eSIM-enabled
Common Questions About Apple Watch SIM Only Plans
What is an ‘eSIM’ on an Apple Watch?
eSIMs are embedded SIMs. They replace physical SIMs in phones and other wireless-connected devices. Embedding the SIM in these products reduces the physical size of the watch and enables a direct cellular connection. That means you can connect directly to the internet from your Apple Watch without tethering it to your iPhone.
If you want to use your watch to make calls and use the internet without your phone nearby, you’ll need to purchase an Apple watch with cellular connectivity and use a Family Sharing plan with one of the major telcos to make it active.
How much does the Apple Watch Cost?
The cost depends on the version and the features. For instance, Apple’s most expensive smartwatch in 2023 is the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which costs around $1399. However, you can get an Apple Watch Series 6 for a little over $500, and you can even spend much less if you purchase one of their older models. The great news is that you can find an eSIM-enabled Apple Watch going as far back as the Apple Watch Series 3 (Cellular + GPS).
GPS and cellular functions are beneficial as users can use the watch for location-based services (such as Apple Maps) and phone calls.
Apple Watch products come in various colours, including silver, black, grey, and gold.
Can I make voice calls directly from the Apple Watch?
Yes, you can if you have a Series 3 or up. You’ll either need to tether the watch to your phone, or enable its eSIM with a plan. Users with the eSIM-enabled variant of an Apple Watch can make calls directly from their Apple Watch.
Which telcos offer eSIM plans for the Apple Watch?
Three major telcos in Australia – Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone offers eSIM ready SIM-Only plans. Also MVNOs like felix, amaysim, and more.
Can I have a separate phone number for the Apple Watch?
Well, not really, but it depends on what you consider to be a real “separate number”.
First, current eSIM plans for your Apple Watch share one phone number with your iPhone. You must also pair your watch with your phone to share data and cellular settings.
However, the Apple Watch comes with a number of its own if it is a GPS + Cellular version, which can actually receive calls and texts whenever your phone is not within range, meaning your Watch can function independently with its own plan and data.
But in essence, your Apple Watch is not designed to be a standalone device – it is supposed to function as an extension of your iPhone, so that you can receive notifications, calls, texts, etc., on either device. This means that, although your eSIM plan is tailored for your Apple Watch, it isn’t necessarilly a separate plan – it is more like a device add-on.
Do eSIMs ‘share’ data with the user’s mobile plan?
Yes. With a mobile connection on Apple Watch, one can make calls, reply to messages, receive notifications, use data, and more – even while away from your iPhone.
What's good
- Apple Watch started the 'mainstream' use of an eSIM in devices
- It sets the stage for much easier SIM management
- Use data on the watch without tethering
- SIRI built-in - talks through watch speaker
- A broad range of health-related apps provided
What's bad
- eSIM represents more 'Apple control'
Apple, the eSIM saga
- Apple has successfully pushed the entire phone industry ecosystem to adopt new technology.
- The Apple Watch Series 3 was the first mainstream device to feature an ’embedded’ SIM. (eSIM). Several years later, Apple is still putting eSIMs into their newer model smartwatches.
- The specifications for eSIM technology are now widely available, and the second set of eSIM standards has been agreed upon by the GSMA.
- However, Apple has been faced with the challenge of integrating eSIMs’ new capability in a way that is clear to customers.
- And having a range of network providers in Australia that offer data plans which will suit the device.
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is a SIM that’s embedded into the device itself. It has the same functions as a SIM card, minus the inconvenience of physically switching out SIM cards whenever you buy a new phone plan. Instead, the eSIM allows you to switch phone plans right from your phone’s settings, usually by scanning a QR code that downloads the profile from the telco.
How the eSIM works to make the Apple Watch better
The eSIM’s presence in the new Apple Watch means the product has no removable, standard physical SIM card. The watch (or phone or any other eSIM-enabled device) receives updates ‘over the air’ that change the characteristics of the eSIM. The SIM profile you need in order to access your Apple Watch over a wireless cellular network is downloaded ‘over the air’ to your device. (This process is known as provisioning the device in industry jargon). Unlike standard SIM cards, eSIMs allow users to pick a phone company and plan directly from their device without waiting for a physical SIM to arrive in the post – any phone plan, just like a regular SIM.
Here are some essential points to note about current eSIM device plans in Australia:
For a couple of years, only the major telcos offered eSIM plans, essentially blocking MVNOs from the eSIM market. The ACCC expressed concern over this issue, but nothing happened for a while. Finally, Telstra announced their intention to open up eSIM plans to their MVNOs, then Optus and Vodafone followed suit. Today, there is a range of eSIM plans to choose from, offered by both MVNOs and major telcos alike.
Current eSIM plans allow you to share one phone number between your eSIM devices and your phone. However, on eSIM phones, you can also use your eSIM as a second number, while your physical SIM card holds another number. This is useful for those who need dual numbers, perhaps a personal and a business number.
The eSIM has several advantages over conventional SIMs, which we explore below. Let’s see how these ideas tie together.
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The Apple Watch and the eSIM
The Australian Apple Watch Series 3 was one of the first devices to feature an eSIM. The primary difference between an eSIM and a standard physical SIM, from a user’s point of view, is that they can now access the internet directly from their Apple Watch rather than pairing it with an iPhone using a ‘hotspot.’ The most common use cases for eSIM watches are when the user is exercising or has laid their phone down and is away from it when they want to use the watch (running, for example).
Here are the specifics of what we now know about the eSIM in Apple Watch Series 3 thru 9 (and the Ultra 2 and SE series as well):
- It is an eSIM:
Many speculated about the arrival of a new eSIM-enabled Apple product for some time before the release of the Apple Watch Series 3. In other articles, we considered the eSIM alternatives that Apple could have used in the Apple Watch.- For example, they could have used the Apple SIM or other soft/programmable SIMs, which proved beneficial in several versions of their iPad.
- We now know that the watch features a pure ‘eSIM.’ That means there is no physical SIM card in the watch, and the user picks an operator and plans from settings.
- Space saving:
eSIMs are physically smaller than their even Nano SIM physical equivalents. The eSIM is 2.5 by 2.3mm. Whereas a nano SIM is 12.3 by 8.8mm- This means that Apple Watches have more room for circuits and parts that improve the watch’s function.
- Some older smartwatches, such as the LG Watch Sport, had to be larger to fit in the SIM tray and the electronics required to read it.
- SIM Only:
The Apple Watch supports SIM-only plans, so customers can save money by buying the device and SIM plan separately. - You don’t need to use it with your iPhone:
Whatever eSIM technology enables technically, Apple has put some ‘business rules’ for their watches. Apple insists on business rules irrespective of the technical possibilities in these eSIM-enabled devices. One of those rules is that the eSIM-enabled Apple watches must be paired with an iPhone from time to time. The watches can be used independently, but the user must purchase and connect an iPhone to them here and there. Note that the Apple Watch works only with iPhones. You cannot manage it with your iPad or any other Apple product. However, you can pair the watch with the Fitness+ app on your iPad.
The SIM (eSIM) you get for your Apple Watch must come from the phone provider who gave you a SIM for your iPhone.
Again, the eSIM’s technical facilities allow you to sign up for a plan for your Apple Watch from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Amaysim, and/or a variety of other telcos and MVNOs. The business rules for this rollout say that the user must take a SIM from the same phone company they got their iPhone plan at. That undermines the benefits of having an independent device and provides an improved user experience with a single phone number used in both products.
Apple has been the brains and the brawn behind the push to have the GSMA (If the world of SIMs, including phone companies, you, Apple, and so on, is a school, the GSMA is the principal) allow the new eSIM standard within the telco industry. The significance of this goes well beyond the current watches. Once eSIMs are available in this format, every manufacturer will start including them in their devices. As we’ve always predicted, eSIMs are now more commonplace than previously. They are present in everything from Android phones to Internet Of Things devices and laptops of all shapes and sizes.
These days, going to physical shops to buy a SIM card seems strange when you think about it. Smartphones are little computers, and they’re connected to the internet all the time. Everything that is written on a SIM and can be used to connect you to the phone company has always been available for remote delivery. With an eSIM, that’s precisely what will happen—there’s no need to go to your local Coles to get a SIM. You’ll be able to connect your phone to a plan through settings.
Like most phone manufacturers, Apple has several motivations for wanting an eSIM. They desire to make their phones more waterproof, so newer iPhones have been eSIM-enabled since 2018. By removing the SIM drawer, reducing the size of the components in the phone has helped them gain more space for the smartwatch – one of their most miniature products. Further down the line, the impact of saving the space a SIM would otherwise take on the size of a phone might be seen as trivially small to you but not to Apple. If you look at their behaviour over the last ten years, they’ve been moving us to smaller and smaller SIMs for a long time, and they have now gone full eSIM in newer iPhones. Apple invented the Nano SIM, after all.
The end-user benefits of eSIMs include enormous savings of time and money. Connecting to a phone plan from your watch while sitting on your sofa rather than taking a trip into town for a SIM will be a boon for most people. However, there is also the question of cultural adoption (how readily people will accept eSIM technology) and easing the path for people who find the change from a physical SIM hard.
What phone plans can the Apple Watch use with the eSIM?
Apple Watch Series 3 and up (GPS + Cellular) allow you to make calls, send texts, and stream Apple Music without your phone. Not all models work in all countries or regions worldwide, and none supports worldwide roaming. Only Telstra, Optus & Vodafone offer plans to support Apple Watches in Australia.
eSIM devices can use any phone plan in Australia, provided the telco supports eSIM. So far, you can choose any phone plan from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, or a variety of MVNOs to use with your eSIM device.
You do not need a separate data plan for your Apple Watch. However, even though your wearable wrist device uses data from your existing phone plan, LTE connectivity on an Apple Watch does not come free. You will need to pay extra on top of your monthly bill. For example, a Telstra One Number costs $5 per month and is required to connect a secondary device, such as an Apple Smart Watch, to the Telstra Network.
What phone company should I use for my Apple Watch eSIM?
We usually suggest smaller phone companies for most SIM needs. However, in this circumstance, bigger phone companies seem more appropriate.
That’s because the major ‘retail’ phone company brands you know, Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, have been testing the eSIM for some time. Although many MVNOs now offer eSIM plans, the big telcos might be the better choice here. We will expand on this later in this article.
However, if you’re interested in smaller telcos, here are some of the MVNOs that currently offer eSIM plans:
- Kogan Mobile
- Woolworths
- Amaysim
- Lebara
- Gomo
- Felix
Some smaller companies also provide eSIM plans for people who are overseas. Some of the popular options are GigSky, KnowRoaming, and Airalo.
eSIM plans allow you to share one phone number for your Apple Phone and Watch:
Our view is that Apple’s business rules (see introductory bullet points) for this product are restrictive and limit the benefits that we were expecting users to get from the eSIM-enabled watch. That said, insisting that the plan sold to users of the watch comes from the same phone company that provided the SIM they have in their (also mandatory to use the watch) iPhone does improve the customer experience in one regard. Optus, Vodafone, and Telstra all offer ‘Single Phone Number’ plans for eSIM devices. Users can have a single phone number that works across their iPhone and Apple Watch. That’s far preferable to the alternative: Having two numbers and telling friends and family that you might be on either, for example.
Bigger phone companies have data-sharing facilities:
Something the big phone companies have that smaller phone companies often need is a data-sharing facility. This is extremely useful for circumstances like those presented by the Apple Watch’s eSIM. The major brands can offer, for example, $10 per month of extra data under their shared plan scheme. Users can then share their data allocation between their phone and watch.
A bit of history: The first eSIM alternative Apple tried - The Apple SIM
The Apple SIM originally appeared over five years ago. It’s what drew our attention to the whole area of the eSIM. Apple has been experimenting with the customer acceptability of their proposed solutions for some time.
Apple added its Apple SIM to several of its data only devices. The then-new facility was different from the eSIM used in the Apple Watch.
Here’s a list of Apple’s devices that support Apple SIM.
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st to 3rd Generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9 inch (1st to 5th Generation)
- iPad Pro 10.5 inch.
- iPad Pro 9.7 inches.
- iPad (5th to 9th generation)
- iPad Air (3rd to 5th generation)
- iPad Air 2.
- iPad Mini (6th and 5th generation)
- iPad Mini 4
- iPad Mini 3
Apple’s tinkering on the Nano SIM made these devices capable of calling themselves ‘Apple SIM’ iPads. The Apple SIM had some notable differences from the SIM cards that preceded it. As well as the Nano SIM, the device supported an eSIM. Also:
- Apple made it:
Notably, the Apple SIM was a physical card provided to people buying an iPad by Apple. The Apple SIM was not provided to the user by a phone company. That’s quite a big deal. It’s like BP building a small car… - You could connect to more than one phone company without leaving the house:
Like the eSIM, people with an Apple SIM could connect it to a small selection of new phone companies directly from settings. Unlike an eSIM, the Apple SIM was a physical SIM pre-programmed with the settings for their attached phone networks. - You could also swap it out for a physical SIM:
Users with an Apple SIM could swap out the physical form factor Nano SIM which had the Apple SIM settings, for a physical SIM from their phone company if they wanted to. The device had to be unlocked before people could do that, and only some operators supported unlocking in every circumstance.
So, some Apple SIM features were similar to an eSIM, while others were similar to a physical SIM. You can tell from the long-winded explanation of the limits of that trial that it was far from a perfect customer experience.
Two years later, Apple filed a patent for a Dual SIM – Separate eSIM / hard SIM
Two years after the Apple SIM launch, Apple appeared to take the next step. The patent for their new idea was pending, as reported by Chris Smith on the website BGR. Apple wanted to allow either an eSIM or a complete, classical, physical SIM (of the sort now used) as the network connection from their devices.
This is subtly different from the Apple SIM in that the Apple SIM cannot be programmed over the air electronically as the eSIM can. A patent was issued in the U.S. which allows Apple to use two phone numbers in “some devices,” for example, for “business and for pleasure.” The patent mentioned the names of three Apple cell phone engineers, Li Su, Guojie Dong, and Ming Hu. Li Su was also mentioned in an application lodged with the State Intellectual Property Office in China for a dual SIM card feature. This office is the equivalent of a patent office in China.
Here’s how it was anticipated to work back in 2016 before the launch of the iPhone 8
Why are Dual SIMS Popular in Parts of Asia?
Dual SIM smartphones are prevalent in both India and China. Both are huge and expanding rapidly. Phone users in those countries like dual SIM technology because they can use one number for business or work and the other for personal use. The new Apple iPhones have this technology, allowing them to compete with other local phone companies, like Oppo and Vivo, which have been providing dual SIM phones for a while. Apple’s smartphone sales have been dropping in Asia, a trend they are hoping to reverse if Apple is to retain any sizeable market share.
One of the reasons why Apple was slow in developing dual SIM technology is because of arrangements with carriers that lock phone access to a single carrier.
However, phones with eSIM and physical SIMs can use separate numbers on each, providing a solution for dual SIM.
How we got here - the Samsung Gear S2 smart watch
Samsung, not just Apple, have moved towards the integration of eSIMs in their next generation devices. In the case of Samsung, the process started with their smart watch, the Samsung Gear S2 smart watch.
Samsung’s approach with their watch suggested they too were prototyping e-SIMs in real life scenarios. Finding the extra space to fit the SIM housing would be a materially large part of the hardware on your wrist. So, it made sense to test the customer experience of set up and use on a small device – like the Galaxy Gear2.
It’s usually easier to adopt new technology in consumer lives than in business. If you’re a consumer and you would like a Samsung Gear watch, you go down Harvey Norman or JB Hi-Fi and buy one. If you’re a business and you would like a Samsung Gear watch, you do a business case, get it signed off by governance, submit it to procurement, wait 6 months for a competitive tender, pick a winner, develop IT support procedures for a Samsung Gear watch and then roll it out. The entire process takes a lot longer. But, the Apple watch Series 3 has shown that businesses will need eSIMs soon too for all their connections to the internet.
The Samsung Gear S2 watch was released in three different variants. Only the highest of the 3 models contained inbuilt eSIM. The operating system was unique to the Gear 2 Watch and was based on a fork of Android. The Samsung version allowed users functionality to make and receive calls and use GPS features natively, on the watch, without the need for a local smartphone to pair with. The Gear S2 3G also featured a 20 percent larger battery in comparison to the others. No doubt this is due to this version of the wrist watch needing the extra juice to charge the 3G feature.
The main difference between the S2 3G and classic model was the lighter and thinner case, which was again, due to a more traditional and sportier feel. With fewer features than the S2 3G Gear, the S3 replaced functionality for (low) weight. The Gear 3G watch is also supported by GPS navigation and Bluetooth, which allowed you to stay connected while you are travelling and on the go. While conserving battery life is a good thing, being out of contact is not. Manually connecting to WiFi will become a pain after a while which is where the soft SIM functionality comes in handy.
By all accounts, the Gear 2 trial was a bit of a flop with customers. It received some press coverage at the time of release but ultimately went nowhere in terms of sales. The trial did garner results, however, which could be used by phone companies and Samsung to improve their understanding of a significant eSIM deployment at a larger scale. All of Samsung’s smartwatches and smartphones in the near future are expected to support eSIMs, too.
Why does Apple Watch fail to connect to LTE?
If the LTE aspect of your Apple Watch isn’t working, it is because the software is seriously flawed. The Apple Watch code is designed to switch between WiFi and cellular networks automatically. But if the watch detects an open or unsecured WiFi network, it prefers that to cellular. These public networks are everywhere – coffee shops, airports, shopping centres, and restaurants. Also, they have a wide range – so your watch will still detect it even if you are far away from an open network.
If you are too far away, your watch will detect the network and hang on to the ‘one bar connection’ it receives. Obviously, that ‘one bar’ is not enough to let you make any calls, but your Watch will not understand that. It will refuse to connect with the much stronger, local LTE, preventing you from making calls and sending texts without your phone nearby.
How can I fix Apple Watch LTE connection problem?
You can fix the issue by going to your Watch App and downloading the most recent WatchOS upgrade. Apple resolved the connectivity issue in previous updates dating back to 2019, so the latest update is light years ahead on connectivity issues.
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Summing up our thoughts on the new eSIM in Apple Watches
Everyone expects innovation in the next range of smartphones. This is why, ever since 2018, Apple customers can buy an iPhone that supports eSIM connectivity. It was a seemingly innocuous technical change that could cause a significant shift in how we all buy phones and plans.
Industry rumours suggest that the eSIM used in the Apple Watch is a cobbled-together version based as much on Apple proprietary rules (both technical and business) as the GSMA standard. Only Apple has the clout required to insist that phone companies do this. The fact that they insist the user pairs the watch with the phone and has a plan from the same phone company for the watch as it does for the phone is bizarre from a technical standpoint. It does fit with Apple’s restrictive practices, however. They generally try to ‘ensure a good experience’ for their users by removing confusing options. Android devices and manufacturers do not do that, though. As Samsung and other Android phone manufacturers start to use the facilities offered by eSIM, the benefits are likely to be felt a great deal more by early adopters who are prepared to figure out how to use it.
Tying together what Apple has been doing elsewhere is often tricky. They’re such a huge company that they file many patents, some of which go nowhere. One view is that Apple (and others, including Samsung) have trialled the eSIM in various formats and settled on a version of the technology which suits the need.
There needs to be some way to transition millions of iPhone users worldwide to the new SIM technology without confusing or alienating them. Many people buy the iPhone each year and begin experiencing the processes that need to be changed from the full commercial release of the iPhone 8 and up. It is a formidable job, but this eSIM watch may have been a favourable method to introduce a new concept softly, both testing the processes surrounding it and exposing people to the idea, which, for many, will still be unique today.
Since the iPhone 12 came out in 2020, all iPhones have had versions supporting Dual SIM. The iPhone dual SIM device simultaneously offers customers a chance to have an eSIM phone and a phone which could work on a traditional SIM card. This allows you to have one number on your eSIM and another on your standard SIM card.
