Brilliantly crafted. Tastefully designed. Versatile. Very expensive. And an indulgence. Each of these phrases describe the Apple Watch Series 3 Cellular perfectly in my opinion. Put them all together, and you get a smartwatch that is the best you can buy right now. Though this doesn’t mean you should buy it. For many smartphone users in India, the Apple Watch Series 3 is will not be compatible with their phone and their digital life. It only works with the iPhone. And it only works as a watch with cellular connectivity if your iPhone has Airtel or Jio SIM card. Even for the people who can make full use of it, it is a luxury, an indulgence, which they don’t need, but which they would enjoy if they end up getting it. This is my concise, although somewhat abstract, review of the Apple Watch Series 3 Cellular.

Now, a more detailed one. As a product, the Apple Watch Series 3 is simple. It is the Apple Watch Series 3, which was launched earlier in India, with support for cellular connectivity added to it using an eSIM. It looks very similar to the earlier Apple Watch and it works too in the same way. The differences are majorly in what you can do with it, and that one design flourish that Apple has added to it.

NOTICE THE RED CROWN

If you have seen any other Apple Watch earlier, you have seen the Watch Series 3 Cellular. It has a similar shape, and similar looks. The almost square watch body is crafted from aluminium alloy that feels sturdy and luxurious at the same time. In India, the Watch 3 is available in steel grey and stainless steel variants and while it comes with a very nice silicon band, if you want something more fancy for the watch strap, you can buy it separately after choosing from a number of options that Apple offers.

In terms of looks, the only big difference between the regular Watch 3 and the Watch 3 Cellular is that the crown of the watch has a large red dot on it. Although this is not a significant design element, red dot does add a dash of style to the otherwise grey or white watch.

After using the Watch 3 Cellular for over two weeks, I can safely say that it is one of the most comfortable smartwatches available in the market. You can wear it day after day, night after night, and you will not mind it. The only other smartwatch that matches this experience, as far as the comfort is concerned, in my opinion is the recently-launched Fitbit Versa.

In terms of hardware, I feel the Apple Watch Series 3 gets it absolutely right. It’s available in two sizes 38mm and 42mm (the one I reviewed). Both are about the right size, depending on how big is your wrist. Mine is not that bigger, and found the 42mm watch neither big, nor small. It was just the right size.

The good hardware is not just the design, but also the components. The 312×390 pixels OLED screen shows brilliant colours and has such deep blacks that the app icons and colours seem to float. It is also very bright, bright enough to be easily legible even under the mid-summer sun of Delhi. It is also a fast watch. Apple has clearly done some work on the software since it first launched the watch two years. The sluggishness of initial days is gone, also largely because the Series 3 watch comes with a faster S3 processor.

ALWAYS CONNECTED. ALMOST

The big deal with the Watch Series 3, however, is not its processor, screen or even design. It is the connectivity. When Apple announced it last year, we came to know that it comes with an inbuilt GPS and inbuilt support for cellular networks. The GPS + WiFi watch launched in India earlier. Now, the Watch Series 3 Cellular too has arrived.

The big deal with the Watch Series 3, however, is not its processor, screen or even design. It’s the connectivity.

With its added connectivity options, the Watch Series 3 Cellular becomes a more rounded product. It gets some new features that many people, who earlier didn’t find the Apple Watch useful, may like. Personally what I find is that the Apple Watch 3 is the most versatile smartwatch in the market right now. The only two watches that come close are the Fitbit Ionic and the Fitbit Versa. The watches powered by Android Wear aren’t good, and they seem like an afterthought. The Samsung Smartwatch, meanwhile, is better but despite its brilliant hardware it doesn’t seem as wholesome as the Watch 3 Cellular.

Now, before I talk of what you can do with — and I could do while reviewing it — the Watch Series 3 Cellular, quick introduction to how it cellular connectivity in this device works. The reason why the Watch Series 3 Cellular works in India is because Apple has worked with two telecom partners here to launch it: These two are Airtel and Jio. And what this work has meant is that if you use an iPhone — Android phones are not compatible with the Apple Watch — and if your phone has a Jio or Airtel SIM, you will get the 4G connectivity in the Apple Watch Series 3 with the same number.

This is kind of a big deal, because you don’t need two 4G connections: One for your phone and one for the Watch. The reason why only one number works is because the Apple Watch 3 Cellular comes with an eSIM. This eSIM, when you set up the Watch using your iPhone, which is already registered on Airtel or Jio, network gets connected to your telecom account. So you can use the same number on two devices. Best bit is that neither Airtel nor Jio is asking for extra money if a consumers wants to use Apple watch with the existing number. Talk about benefits of the eSIM!

Setting up the Watch Series 3 Cellular is also easy, again thanks to the work Apple has done with Airtel and Jio. Although, I didn’t have any problem while setting up the Watch I am reviewing with my existing Airtel connection — I even changed iPhone mid way during the review it was all fine — some people in India do have reported that there have been issues. But these are region specific issues, and chances are that Apple and its telecom partners will fix them as and when required.

So what all happens with the 4G connectivity in the Watch Series 3 Cellular? Apple says that the Watch 3 with 4G can help you keep a check on your FOMO (fear of missing out). This is because if you leave your phone behind, accidentally or deliberately, you can still stay in touch with the world using the watch. You can call up Siri on the Watch 3 and then can ask it to send a message to your wife. Or you can take up calls on it, although the experience is not as great as taking a call on the phone because the call volume is low, deliberately so because the calls work through speakers on the Watch 3 and that could be a privacy issue in public.

In my two weeks long use, I found that the Watch Series 3 Cellular indeed is the kind of device that can help you leave your phone behind. For example, you are in office and going out for lunch… may be leave the phone behind. Same, if you are in gym and find carrying your phone a hassle. You will still be able to get the important emails, or accept and reject calls.

But it is not perfect. Aside from the obvious limitations of a smartwatch — small screen, calls are routed through speakers (unless you use Airpods, which are Apple’s Bluetooth earphones) etc — there are some issues with the 4G connectivity as well. When the Watch is near the paired phone it uses the same Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity that the phone has. It falls back on its cellular network when the phone is not near it. This connectivity it shows by showing green dots on the watch face — 4 means good connectivity.

Most of the time when I left behind my phone, I got good connectivity in the Watch Series 3 Cellular. But there were moments, when it wouldn’t connect to the Airtel 4G network. But given the fact that this mostly happened in Filmcity where I work, chances are that this was more of an issue with the Airtel network and not with the Watch 3.

Apart from the 4G connectivity, the Watch Series 3 Cellular is a like the regular Apple watch. Using GPS it tracks your physical activity. And it is an excellent tracker. It also records the heart-rate of the user in real time, lets a user set health goals, including calorie consumption goals, and nudges him or her towards it. Although I believe there are areas where it can be better. The automatic exercise detection isn’t that robust, and if you are in a gym on a treadmill it’s better for you start the tracking manually. Similarly, I feel the Watch Series 3 Cellular is missing sleep tracking, somewhat similar to the Fitbit Ionic. That feature in Ionic is brilliant, and incredibly helpful. It’s something that I feel the Apple Watch should also offer.

Most of the time when I left behind my phone, I got good connectivity. But there were moments, when it wouldn’t connect to the Airtel 4G network

Due to the inbuilt connectivity, the Watch Series 3 Cellular can also stream music or help you stay connected with Siri even when you are on the road. When paired with a compatible Bluetooth speaker, the Watch Series 3 Cellular can stream music on the big box without requiring the phone. The good bit is also that the Watch Series 3 Cellular does all of this without consuming too much battery. Because mostly the Watch Series 3 Cellular is near the paired phone, its battery life is good enough to last one day. You will have to definitely charge it overnight, but as far as one long day is concerned, the Watch 3 wouldn’t show you low battery alarm in afternoon or even in late evening.

STILL LUXURY

While I like the Watch Series 3 Cellular a lot, I feel that smartwatches — unless them transform into entirely different kind of gadget by finding a new form factor or features — are complimentary devices. The smartphone is something you need. The smartwatch, even when it is the excellent Watch Series 3 Cellular, is a want. You don’t need, you may desire it.

Keep that in mind, if you are looking to buy the Watch Series 3 Cellular. But if you do desire it, and don’t mind spending Rs 39,080, have an compatible iPhone (any recent one will do), a Jio or Airtel number, go ahead and get the Watch Series 3 Cellular. It works well enough to be of use, especially if you tend to leave your phone behind, with its smart features and it is slick enough to look great on your wrist.