The buzz about an up and coming version of the Apple Watch with an LTE cellular connection is making the rounds. By going the LTE route, this means the Apple Watch will no longer need to be connected to an iPhone to make phone calls, send text messages, stream music, or show directions on a map. LTE-enabled wearables, like this new Apple Watch, have been on our radar screen for some time. Here’s why.
From the earliest discussions around IoT and wearables, especially those that provide critical functions like medical devices, the need for reliable connectivity has been looming large. Despite the fact that Wi-Fi tended to be the main focus, some industry observers – including ourselves – have been predicting that cellular will be absolutely essential to providing the Quality of Service (QoS), reliability and security needed for IoT devices to reach their true market potential. Apple’s move to LTE is a clear indicator that these predictions were spot on.
We can never assume that cellular coverage is always going to be available when we need it. Even if you live in an urban area, you can’t count on good cellular coverage all the time. In fact, a recent Zinwave study in the U.S. showed that 74% of office workers had “frequently” or “sometimes” bad cellular coverage.
The truth of the matter is, an Apple Watch – or any other wearable device for that matter – is only as functional as the quality of its wireless connection. Without connectivity, you’ve pretty much got a paperweight on your wrist. And with more and more devices going the LTE route, top notch, uninterrupted indoor cellular coverage is going to be more critical than ever.
We have been delivering an entirely new level of uniform indoor cellular coverage with our CEL-FI family of products from day one. As the IoT world expands and devices begin to embrace LTE for connectivity, CEL-FI will become an even more important part of that indoor coverage picture.
For some additional reading on the LTE chip version of the Apple Watch, check out this Fortune article.
By the CEL-FI Team