I gotcha. As an FYI, the Samsung watches (the only droid watch I've looked at) can be used as a stand-alone phone. In other words, they have cellular and non-cellular versions. It was the "stand-alone phone" and "911 button" features you all were discussing that got me looking at these. For the cost of a cellular Samsung watch plus the $10/month Verizon "shared device" cellular fee, it only takes a year (maybe it was 2 years) for the out-of-pocket cost to equal what an emergency pendant (with monitoring fees) would cost over the same time period. After that, I would have my Emergency 911 device, save money AND have a watch phone! I might drive to the Apple store in Richmond tomorrow and talk to them. It's supposed to be a rainy day, this will give me something to do.
@John Brunner -- Maybe you should look something like this... https://www.greatcall.com/devices/lively-wearable-urgent-response-device
The Galaxy watches do not have the 911 button on them. They have an emergency button that will call the contacts you set up. I like the idea of a stand-alone watch phone because I can leave my cell phone in the house when working on my property or doing other stuff. I've lost my phone in my yard a couple of times. I've smashed eyeglass cases and other things that have been in my pocket when I leaned against my tractor or workbench too hard, so don't like carrying my phone that way. And I would always wear a watch around the house, whereas my phone stays on the dresser unless I'm using it or I'm going out. I'm having second thoughts about the "Summons Help When A Fall Is Detected" feature. If it calls 911, the police must respond and they must check inside the house...you cannot tell them it was just a mistake. I had it happen to me once at 4AM, and I still have no idea why they thought my number dialed 911. I live alone and I was asleep. It was weird. I don't want to go through that again just because I bump my wrist the wrong way.
The watch will ask if you need help before it calls 911. If you don't respond then it automatically calls. I have the Apple watch 6 and don't wear it much. I don't have a need for the emergency fall detection or other stuff, and I like the Fitbit app and interface better. (But the Fitbit is not as full-featured as an AW.)
Unless you pass out somewhere (and probably need 911), your Apple Watch is not going to just automatically call for help if it thinks you fell. It takes a pretty hard and fast movement (similar to an actual fall or near fall) before it activates, and then it asks you if you fell or not. If you say no, then that ends it. If you say yes, then it asks of you need help, and again you can say yes or no. You can also disable the fall alert, so if you didn’t want it to call emergency help, then it does not do that. Even if you have fall detection turned off, there is still the emergency button in case you need help , or you can also make the call from the watch using Siri if you want. Here is a link from apple support that explains really well how it works. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208944 Neither Bobby or I take our phones along when we go places, we just use the watch for everything. As you said, there is no worry about it being lost, smashed, or some other mishap, like you have to be concerned about with your phone.
We are both full of praise for our apple watches after it detected the slip / fall hubby had and broke his hip
Since tomorrow's forecast is for rain, I thought I'd drive the 40 miles to the state capital and talk to the folks at The Apple Store. Well, they have some pretty restrictive COVID rules. You gotta make an appointment to see a Specialist. The next available appointment is Saturday. And I have to make a reservation online...which requires an Apple ID...which requires I give them my email address AND my cell number...so they can text me...all so I can come in to their store and give them my money. That's not gonna happen. Plan B: Find a highly rated EBay reseller of used Apple stuff and see what they recommend. I should do this anyway just to weigh my options. Plan C: Wait for sanity to return so I can just walk in to a store like a normal human being without granting perpetual marketing access to me. (Maybe this belongs in @Von Jones Rant thread.)
That is CRAZY ! ! You do not need to see a specialist, since you do not have a phone or ipad that needs repair. You just need to go in and talk with a sales person. They can’t possibly be selling anything if they only allow people who already have an Apple ID come in the store. Whoever answered your phone call was not very bright, I think.
Link to website I cannot make a reservation without getting an Apple ID first. They are all booked up for tomorrow. Yes, it is crazy. It is Apple's response to COVID.
I believe apple in Australia sell refurbished items , I personally wouldn’t touch a second had watch bought on eBay but that’s just me ..it may be worth contacting apple via phone or chat online they are great to deal with ..,well I can only speak for Australia ..however I had an issue with an iPad once which was 100% my fault ( I could not find my encrypted password word to transfer all the data from my old iPad the the new one I’d just purchased at the time (4 years ago) and we contacted the phone help service and was on the phone with a lady from Canada for almost 2 hours working it out . I’ve since learned to keep that password written down in a couple of books ,I had it but in a different page to all the other user names / passwords. Of course I don’t know or wish to know your business about $ however for the sake of paying maybe around the $300 - $400 mark for a second hand watch ( I’m talking Aussie $$$) I’d rather buy a brand new one for $599 and know it’s new and no issues more updated features @John Brunner Costco also sell apple products as do many hi fi / major electrical stores. I’m not sure how you’d set up a apple watch without an apple phone cause I have a app where I set up change anything on the watch and of you haven’t got a apple ID it’s obvious you haven’t got a apple phone John @Yvonne Smith do you have a apple phone in conjunction with your watch
You know, I went there when I first started talking about getting a smart watch. I was looking at Samsung products. I want the Apple Store so I can pick their brain regarding buying a used watch and a used phone to control it rather than drop the bucks for new and losing my Android in the process. I want someone with legacy (and current) Apple technology knowledge to advise me. I figure if I talk to Apple, even if I talk about buying used I'm still gonna be their customer. Talking to Best Buy about anyone's used products is sort of wasting their time...even if they have the knowledge of non-current products.
My thought was that Apple users upgrade so often that there is a deep market of barely used second-hand stuff out there in good condition. I looked on Ebay and there are a few Apple specialists who have high user ratings...I would not but a watch from a random individual. I think someone here was kicking around the idea of buying a used Apple watch and then a used Apple phone to set up the Apple watch with (I currently have an Android phone.) I'm not interested in replacing my phone, and think that doing so and buying an Apple watch is gonna approach USD$1,000. If it comes to that, I just might buy the Samsung droid-compatible watch and not worry about one-touch 911 calling. I don't really care about the other Apple watch features.
Actually, Best Buy sells refurbished Apple products, and so does Amazon. As long as you get an iPhone that will run the latest iOS it should work with the newest watches.