Next Gen Apple Watch Reportedly Won’t Feature LTE Due To Battery Life Concerns

If you’ve been itchin’ for an upgrade to the Apple Watch that would allow you to make calls from your wrist without a wireless tether to your phone (something that Android Wear- and Tizen-based smartwatches are capable of); you’re gonna have to keep on waiting. According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple won’t be adding LTE connectivity to its second generation smartwatch, which is expected to be unveiled within the next few weeks.

Sources for the publication are indicating that Apple was hard at work on an LTE version of the Apple Watch that would make/receive phone calls on its own and provide internet connectivity activity for apps on the go. However, the company was not able to incorporate the functionality without putting a serious drain on the already limited internal battery.

Apple says that the current Apple Watch provides “all day battery” life, while some are able to extend that time to two days if they aren’t constantly fiddling with the device. However, extended use of the fitness aspects of the Apple Watch — like its built-in heart rate monitor — can put a significant strain on the battery. Tossing in an LTE radio to the mix would only make matters worse.

Despite the fact that we are unlikely to see cellular connectivity this time around, the second generation Apple Watch is expected to include GPS to allow more precise tracking of your location when jogging or biking. And overall battery life is expected to receive a minor boost this time around.

The next Apple Watch will also likely have a faster and more efficient SoC, which when combined with the performance advancements witnessed with watchOS 3 should result in a much better overall user experience.