How to use an LTE Apple Watch with an Android smartphone

It’s hacky as all hell and your battery life will be terrible. But it works.

While testing the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular last night, I floated a crazy idea past iMore editor-at-large Rene Ritchie: What happens if you set up the Apple Watch on an iPhone, then swap that iPhone’s SIM card over into an Android phone? Would the watch recognize that its paired iPhone SIM was no longer in an iPhone and stop working? Would it still work over a carrier’s LTE connection? And more importantly: If it worked, what could it do?

Well, because we embrace insanity here at iMore, we tried it. And, barring a bit of hacky behavior, it works.

I’m going to preface this write-up by saying that I personally think this is a terrible way to use the Apple Watch. Your battery life will most certainly be nonexistent, because the watch solely relies on a LTE connection. You won’t be able to get any fitness data on your Android smartphone. And you likely won’t be able to access certain features like calling internationally or sending and receive SMS messages from your watch.

How we did it

I used my iPhone 8 Plus on AT&T and the new LTE Apple Watch Series 3, along with a loaner Galaxy S8 Active from Michael Fisher (of Mr Mobile fame), who also shot a video which we’ll be posting soon.

After setting the Apple Watch up, we swapped my iPhone 8 Plus’s SIM card into the Galaxy S8 Active, and isolated the iPhone 8 Plus in Airplane mode so that there was no possible way for the Apple Watch to connect to the iPhone or remembered Wi-Fi networks.

It took the Android device a few minutes to reboot and connect to AT&T. During that time, my watch showed a depressed “Disconnected,” though it did attempt to connect to the (limited) cellular network inside our hotel in NYC.

Once the S8 Active was connected, I went outside (to find a stronger cellular signal) with only my watch. To kickstart it, I swapped the watch into Airplane mode, then back out of it. Then I asked Siri to call my mother. It took Siri a few seconds longer than it has over past Series 3 queries, but Apple’s assistant delivered — and a few minutes later, I was talking to my very-confused mother.

We didn’t stop there, however. Fisher and I then went up to our hotel’s rooftop terrace and placed another call (to him), asked Siri a few queries, and checked for directions on the watch. We also sent an iMessage (!) to Rene, which delivered successfully even through cellular; it appears the watch has its own iMessage handshake protocol separate from iPhone when it’s on cellular — even if your original phone SIM is now in an Android device.

I also had Fisher place an inbound call to me from his older iPhone 7. The call displayed on both the Apple Watch and the Galaxy S8 Active; I then picked it up on the watch and we proceeded to talk for a short period of time.

Wacky.

Things we still haven’t tested, but I would like to explore:

• SMS (“green bubble”) messaging: I couldn’t get a straight SMS message to work when using my Series 3 over cellular normally, so I’m curious to see if this will work at all. We also didn’t test receiving SMS messages on the watch.
• International calling: As with SMS, I couldn’t get this to work when using the Series 3 in stand-alone mode, though this may be an AT&T limitation (along with no roaming).
• FaceTime Audio: If iMessage has its own protocol on the watch, it stands to reason that FaceTime Audio might as well — you’d just need to set up the original iPhone with iCloud, iMessage, and FaceTime addresses before switching to Android.

Who might actually want to use this

If I had to recommend this work-around to anyone, it would be families who have both an iPhone and an Android device — those who prefer Android in their pocket but want an Apple Watch on their wrist, and they have a family member with an accessible iPhone where they can still sync fitness data, iCloud calendars, and change settings.

Yes, you could use some random friend’s iPhone to set up your watch, but it’s a terrible idea from a security standpoint. Honestly, it’s just a terrible idea, period. Don’t do this.

Even if you do have a multi-device household, it’s far from an ideal solution: Your watch’s battery life is going to be awful from it needing to constantly try and look for LTE, and you’ll be missing out on a lot of key features available to watch and iPhone users. Also worth considering: This “option” might disappear at any time with a software update or a carrier settings change.

What you need

If you are absolutely sure you want to do this, here’s what you need to get started.

• An unlocked iPhone 6 or later
• A factory-default Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular watch
• An unlocked Android smartphone with a microSIM card slot
• A cellular network that supports Apple Watch Series 3 GPS + Cellular models
• A SIM removal tool

How to make your Apple Watch work with an Android smartphone

Remove the SIM card from both your iPhone and your Android phone.
Insert your Android phone’s SIM card into the iPhone.
Once your data connection enables, open the Watch app on the iPhone.
Set up your watch, and add it to your carrier’s cellular network.
Finish setting up the Apple Watch.
Switch the SIM card from the iPhone to your Android phone.

Toggle Airplane mode on and off on the Apple Watch to make sure it connects to its cellular network.

Use your Apple Watch alongside your Android smartphone.

If you want to change your settings or sync your Apple Watch, you’ll have to repeat steps 1-3 then adjust accordingly from the Watch app.

What do you think?


Would you try this insanity to get a little slice of Apple on your wrist even without an iPhone in your pocket? Let us know in the comments.

iPhone 8 at iMore: Everything you need to know!

Apple wins two patent rulings against Qualcomm

Apple and Qualcomm’s ongoing patent wars have netted two victories for Apple.

Qualcomm’s processors — at the very least, its modems — are key for any LTE-connected device in today’s world. Beyond the high quality of the radios, Qualcomm is also the only company that licenses the CDMA technology that Sprint and Verizon use for their 2G and 3G networks. Earlier this year, Apple and Qualcomm began a legal battle over Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) patents that stated Qualcomm was charging unreasonable sums for patents essential to cellular technology. Qualcomm followed that up with a claim to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) stating Apple infringed on six of Qualcomm’s patents.

Apple Insider reports that Judge Curiel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California (where the legal arguments for the FRAND case are being heard) has ruled Qualcomm cannot collect intellectual property (IP) royalty payments on Apple’s manufacturing partners until the total royalties amount is determined, if that happens at all. Qualcomm will now have to calculate and argue just how much royalty money will need to be recouped from Apple and its partners.

Next, Judge Curiel denied Qualcomm’s motion to drop Apple’s related lawsuits in other jurisdictions. Qualcomm will now be tasked with proving infringement in each location it is suing Apple, including the UK, China, Japan and Taiwan. There hasn’t been any indication on the status of Qualcomm’s patent claims against Apple. Additionally, the larger battle of FRAND patents is still ongoing, and it’s still important to Apple and the cellular market as a whole. Licensing costs are a large part of the costs of a cell phone, so an increase in licensing fees would quickly have a ripple effect on the prices of smartphones, cellular tablets, cellular smartwatches, and cellular laptops.

‘Resident Evil 7’ DLC trailer offers the first look at Chris Redfield

Chris Redfield has had a long and storied career as the fictitious protagonist in many installments of Capcom’s Resident Evil video game series. The Raccoon City policeman starred, along with partner Jill Valentine, in the original 1996 game, and has appeared as a major character in Resident Evil Code: Veronica, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil: Revelations. He also has a cameo in the latest installment, Resident Evil 7: biohazard, and will show up in the free, downloadable expansion Not A Hero, this December 12th. A new gameplay trailer, just released at the Tokyo Game Show, shows off a bit more of his role in the upcoming release.

The video starts off with Redfield suiting up in a mining cave, ostensibly to find three men from a missing unit. He makes note of a massive “shield machine” before heading further into the mine. He soon finds one of the missing men in a cell, then runs off to find a key. As this is a Resident Evil game, Redfield finally runs across some zombies, which he dispatches quickly via grenade, a punch to the face, and a pistol. The gory visuals continue as he blasts his way through the mine, killing toothy, stringy monsters along the way. The final boss is a bloated, gross, massive beast who spills guts and gore all over Redfield, who says, “just another monster.”

The gameplay in the trailer seems sort of flat to me, to be honest, but the visuals are gorgeous, with tons of shadows and high-res zombie attacks. If you don’t want to wait until December, Resident Evil 7: biohazard is available now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Via: Gematsu

Source: Capcom/YouTube

Volvo launches 12-month trade-in plan with XC40 crossover

By Reese Counts

After months of teasers and leaked images, Volvo finally pulled back the curtain on its latest crossover, the all-new XC40. The stylish new crossover packs in everything you would expect from a modern Volvo. The model will pack a whole host of active and passive safety equipment beneath its handsome, sporty skin. Two gasoline powertrains have been announced, though a hybrid and full electric version will come sometime later.

As with nearly every compact crossover, the XC40 looks to sell as much on style as it does on substance. Volvo is offering a wide range of interior and exterior colors, including a two-tone roof. In total, there are 17 color combinations for the roof and bodywork. The “Thor’s hammer” LED running lights flank a sharper version of Volvo’s corporate face. The overall design is a smaller, more sporty version of what you see on the XC90 and XC60. That’s far from a bad thing, as those two are some of the best-looking vehicles around.

Likewise, the interior looks like a miniaturized version of Volvo’s larger models. It’s likely to use lower-grade materials, but the basic framework all seems to be there. The bold design and color choices carry over from the exterior. One model with black leather and red carpeting (shown in the photo gallery above) looks particularly fetching. The center stack features Volvo’s quick and clean infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while a bin below packs Qi wireless charging. A panoramic sunroof is available.

No Volvo would be complete without safety equipment. The XC40 comes standard with City Safety, which includes pedestrian, cyclist, vehicle and large-animal detection with automatic emergency braking. Other features include Pilot Assist, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert and a 360-degree camera.

Care by Volvo will launch alongside the XC40. The new service is a negotiation-free sales model that has a national, flat-rate monthly fee, combined with the opportunity to upgrade to a new car as early as 12 months. This flat fee includes maintenance, insurance and the replacement of wear and tear items. Volvo equates it to owning a phone, where one payment gets you all the services. No pricing has been announced.

The 8.3-inch ride height is on the low side for a crossover, but we can’t imagine many owners will be taking this on more than some dirt or gravel roads. That said, if the Cross Country and other XC models are any indication, Volvo knows just what its buyers are looking for in an off-roader.

At launch, the XC40 will come in a T5 Momentum all-wheel-drive variant. That model starts at $35,200 and comes with a turbocharged inline-four. Later in 2018, a $33,200 front-wheel-drive model will hit showrooms.

BYU develops sports helmet foam for real-time concussion detection

Cranial collisions are haunting the sports world more and more. A recent survey of 111 former football player’s brains found that 110 showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease caused by repeated blows like those delivered in the high-contact sport. Companies have been scrambling to provide ways to better track injuries during games, which is a complex undertaking. Researchers at BYU have introduced a non-interfering solution: A nanofoam cushioning that measures impacts in real-time.

The foam can be inserted in helmets and padding to track collisions via electrical signals and wirelessly send the data to tablets and devices held by coaching staff on the sidelines. It’s designed to operate quickly, too, informing coaches how hard a player has been hit — and whether they’re at risk of a concussion and should be pulled off the field.

Previous prototype devices simply indicate when players are hit, but the BYU researchers’ nanofoam tracks the severity of impact: When compressed, nickel nanoparticles rub against the foam to generate a static charge, which is gathered by a conductive electrode and measured by a microcomputer before being sent off wirelessly. A bigger hit generates a higher static charge, which is measured to account for acceleration, energy and velocity. The current setup determines how hard the wearer has been hit with 90 percent accuracy, according to research published by the BYU team’s lead Jake Merrell in the journal Annals of Biomedical Engineering.

As with most prototype devices, it’s too early to tell whether programs or leagues in any sport will pick up Merrell’s team’s invention. But EurekAlert noted that a company that produces taekwondo vests had started using the foam in its products to score fights and train athletes.

Source: EurekAlert

Facebook and Amazon might bid on English Premier League rights

It’s no secret that online titans are jockeying with each other for sports streaming rights. Most of the news has revealed domestic squabbling, like when Amazon wrested the rights to broadcast NFL games from Twitter back in April. But a Manchester United vice chairman said in an earnings call today that Facebook and Amazon might bid on the European broadcasting rights to the English Premier League (EPL).

Before you ask, that doesn’t include the rights to broadcast in America, which NBC acquired for a reported $1 billion deal back in 2015 to retain until the 2021-22 season. But snatching broadcasting rights for leagues far from home is apparently now in Amazon’s purview after it recently outbid Sky and ITV for tennis’ ATP World Tour for the next five years.

That deal only cost the online shipping titan about £10 million (almost $1.4 million today), but Amazon is going to have to dramatically up its bidding budget to beat out Sky and BT for the next set of Premier League rights. The latter two split three years of EPL broadcasts ending in the 2016-17 season by collectively spending £5.14 billion (almost $7 billion today) to secure them.

It will be interesting to see if Amazon and Facebook do challenge Sky for the UK and European rights to the EPL. The English broadcasting company just splintered its sports coverage into ten optional channels that users can pick between, and losing a key pillar of its portfolio would be painful.

Source: The Miami Herald

Court rules Stingray use without a warrant violates Fourth Amendment

Today, the Washington DC Court of Appeals overturned a Superior Court conviction of a man who was located by police using a cell-site simulator, or Stingray, CBS News reports. The court ruled that the defendant’s Fourth Amendment rights were violated when law enforcement tracked down the suspect using his own cell phone without a warrant.

Stingrays work by pretending to be a cell tower and once they’re brought close enough to a particular phone, that phone pings a signal off of them. The Stingray then grabs onto that signal and allows whoever’s using it to locate the phone in question. These sorts of devices are used by a number of different agencies including the FBI, ICE, the IRS as well as police officers.

The use of cell-site simulators, especially without a warrant, has come under question a few times in recent years. In 2016, a federal judge suppressed DEA evidence obtained via such a device, the first time a federal judge had done so. Last year, members of Congress called for legislation that would protect citizens’ privacy and require a warrant before Stingrays could be used by law enforcement. Two such bills were introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year.

In the ruling, the judges said, “We thus conclude that under ordinary circumstances, the use of a cell-site simulator to locate a person through his or her cellphone invades the person’s actual, legitimate, and reasonable expectation of privacy in his or her location information and is a search.” They also said, “We agree with [the defendant] that the government violated the Fourth Amendment when it deployed the cell-site simulator against him without first obtaining a warrant based on probable cause.”

The ruling could affect ongoing and future cases as well as law enforcement’s use of the technology.

Via: CBS News

Source: DC Courts

Apple to Donate $1 Million to Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Mexico

Apple CEO Tim Cook this afternoon announced on Twitter that Apple plans to donate $1 million to recovery efforts in Mexico. “While there is life, there is hope,” Cook wrote in the tweet announcing the donation.

On Tuesday, a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Central Mexico, causing widespread devastation in Mexico City and surrounding states. Hundreds of people died in the disaster as buildings and structures collapsed. The earthquake followed a magnitude 8.1-earthquake that hit the southern coast of the country earlier this month.

Mientras hay vida, hay esperanza. Mexico’s resilience is its strength. Apple is contributing $1M to recovery efforts. #FuerzaMexico 🇲🇽

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 21, 2017

Apple’s $1 million donation to help recovery efforts in Mexico comes following Apple’s efforts to raise more than $8 million for hurricane relief efforts in states and countries affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.

As of August, Apple had raised more than $3 million both through its own donations, donations from employees, and donations from customers, and on September 8, Apple donated another $5 million to Hand in Hand, a benefit held for hurricane relief. Apple is still accepting Hand in Hand donations through iTunes.
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4K iTunes Content Limited to Streaming Only, No Downloads

Apple has updated its iTunes Store on iOS devices and the Apple TV with plenty of 4K movies ahead of the launch of the Apple TV 4K, but as made clear in a recent support document, 4K content from Apple can be streamed, but not downloaded directly on a device.

According to Apple, customers can download a local copy of an HD movie, and on occasion, HD movies that support HDR and Dolby Vision, but 4K movies are not available for download and thus can’t be watched without an internet connection.

You can download a local copy of an HD movie, and you might be able to download HDR and Dolby Vision versions, but you can’t download a 4K version.

That means customers who have had their previously-purchased iTunes movies upgraded from HD to 4K at no cost can stream those movies in 4K, but can only download HD versions. Newly purchased content is also restricted from download.

It’s not clear why Apple is not allowing customers to download 4K content onto their devices, but it could potentially be a licensing issue. Apple is providing 4K content at the same price as HD content, though movie studios were rumored to want to charge more. It’s also possible it’s a local storage issue, as 4K movies have large file sizes.

To stream 4K content to the new Apple TV 4K, Apple recommends a minimum speed of 25Mb/s, according to the support document. If an internet connection isn’t fast enough, Apple will downscale the video quality.

In addition to the download restriction, one other major negative surfaced today — the 4K Apple TV does not support 4K content from YouTube at this time. YouTube streams its 4K content using a VP9 video format, a codec the Apple TV does not support. The 4K Apple TV is limited to H.264, HEVC (H.265), and MP4.

Netflix and 4K content from other streaming services is supported, however, and Apple has promised 4K content from Amazon Prime Video will be available when the app launches later this year.

The first Apple TV 4K orders will begin arriving to customers on Friday, September 22, the official launch date of the device.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
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How to Sign Up for iCloud Family Storage Plans in iOS 11

Apple’s Family Sharing feature allows you to share music, movies, apps, photos, and more with family members, and in iOS 11, Family Sharing extends to Apple’s iCloud Storage plans.

When you purchase a 200GB or 2TB iCloud Storage plan, all members of your family can share the storage space. Depending on how many family members you have, family plans offer more storage at a better price than individual plans.

For example, a 50GB storage plan is priced at $0.99 per person. For two people, the $2.99 200GB plan offers each person an additional 50GB of storage for only $1 more.

How to Upgrade to a Family iCloud Storage Plan

Open the Settings app.
Tap on your Apple ID profile at the top of the app.
Choose “Family Sharing,” the sixth option in the list.
Tap on “iCloud Storage” to bring up a notice about the new Family Sharing options.
Click “Continue” to choose a plan.
Pick a 200GB or 2TB plan.
You can also access the plan settings through the standard iCloud Storage menu in the Settings app, accessible by going to iCloud > Manage Storage after tapping on your profile.

How to Stop Sharing iCloud Storage With Family

You can sign up for a 2TB or 200GB storage plan and keep family members from accessing your storage space. Here’s how:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on your Apple ID profile.
Choose “Family Sharing.”
Choose “iCloud Storage.”
Tap on “Stop Sharing With Family.”

How to Downgrade iCloud Storage

If you want to go back to a cheaper iCloud Storage option, downgrading is as simple as choosing a new plan. New rates won’t kick in until the next billing period.

Open the Settings app.
Tap on your Apple ID profile.
Choose “iCloud.”
Tap on “Manage Storage.”
Choose “Change” under the iCloud Storage option.
Select a 5GB or 50GB plan to downgrade.
It’s important to note that there’s no way to allocate how much storage each person gets when using one of Apple’s new iCloud Storage plans for families, so it’s not always an even split. If a family member is hogging too much space, that’s a problem that will need to be worked out offline. You can see how much storage each family member is using by going to profile > Family Sharing > iCloud Storage.

When you choose a 200GB or 2TB storage plan and opt in to Family Sharing, family members who are on the free 5GB plan will be upgraded automatically and will begin using the family storage plan.

Family members who already have a paid plan will need to opt in to the family storage plan to transfer over from their own plans. If they want to have separate storage, your family members can continue to pay for their own plans and choose not to opt into the family plan.

To let your family know that you’ve signed up for a family iCloud plan, Apple offers an automatic iMessage alert that can be sent out to family members that lets them easily switch over to the family plan.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: iCloud
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