Apple had unveiled some other amazing devices and upgrades along with the much talked about iPhone X on the 12th of September at the Steve Jobs Theatre. The highly anticipated Apple Watch Series 3 was among them and according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, it is the most advanced smartwatch in the world currently.
The most sophisticated feature of the Apple Watch Series 3 is the cellular connectivity, which would allow users to make and receive phone calls without depending on the iPhone. However, it is sad news for Indians because we won’t be getting this feature.
The Series 3 variant of Apple Watch that is going to be launched in India on September 29th wouldn’t have the cellular connectivity feature. Instead, the tech giant will be selling the GPS-only variant of Apple Watch Series 3 in India (GPS is also available in Series 2). The base price of the new device would start from Rs. 29,000.
Why such disparity towards Indian users?
While it is not yet been disclosed as to why the Cupertino Company decided to keep the most exceptional feature of the new Apple Watch from a market they so desperately want to leave a mark on, we deduced it to one primary reason. It has got everything to do with the carriers in the country. For instance, the telecom operators in India don’t support the embedded SIM or eSIM card technology as of yet which is what Apple requires to offer the cellular connectivity feature to the users.
In the first wave, Apple would distribute the GPS-only Apple Watch Series 3 in a total of 28 countries and territories. So, if anytime soon the telecom operators in the country are to add the feature, we can expect the cellular variant to be launched in the country.
The company’s executive on stage at the launch event on Tuesday said that the Apple Watch Series 3 feature an eSIM card instead of the regular SIM card that we use on our smartphones. It would enable the Series 3 Apple Watch to operate with the same phone number as the iPhone.
Apple Watch Series 3 isn’t the first device that has been struck down by the limitations of telecom infrastructure in India. Last year, Samsung launched their Galaxy Gear S2, a smartwatch that allows you to make calls, took the same hit and couldn’t offer the cellular connectivity to its users in India.
What should you do now?
So, if you were planning to buy the brand new Apple Watch Series 3, I would advise you not to invest right now, since you’re not getting to enjoy the primary feature of the new device. Instead, you can buy the Series 2 which offers the same features without cellular connectivity at a lesser price as well.