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If you have an Apple smartwatch and are also signed up with Visible+ by Verizon, then the question isn’t really whether the carrier supports it: it does.
The real question is whether paying for that untethered connection is a worthwhile addition to your monthly bill, or whether it’s a feature you might use once or twice for the sheer novelty, then forget all about it. That means you need to think this decision through carefully.
Should I Get an Apple Watch?
If you don’t already have an Apple Watch but enjoy Apple’s “ecosystem” of devices and apps, then one of its smartwatches can be beneficial. It’s particularly useful if you want to start tracking factors like your fitness levels, sleep patterns, and enjoy the idea of not having to take your phone everywhere you go.
Using a smartwatch with Visible isn’t compulsory, as plans will work just as well on your phone. In the case of some price plans, you may also need to pay extra for an untethered smartwatch connection.
Alternatively, you can just pair your Apple Watch or similar device to your cellphone via Bluetooth. This doesn’t require you to pay an extra subscription, though it also means your smartwatch must be near to your phone to carry out activities like reading messages and to make calls.
What the Visible+ Watch Plan Gets You
Firstly, some good news if you’re already a Visible subscriber: If you’re on the Visible base plan or mid-tier Visible+, then adding an Apple smartwatch costs $10 per month, per watch.
The entry-level Visible plan is $25/month, so adding a watch brings you to $35/month total. The mid-tier Visible+ plan is $35/month on its own, so adding a watch brings you to $45/month total. In both cases, you’re landing at or near what Visible+ Pro costs outright, which is currently $35/month under an active promotional rate (regularly $45/month), except Visible+ Pro already includes the smartwatch plan at no extra charge.
In other words, if you’re already on the entry-tier ‘Visible’ plan ($25/month), instead of paying $10 extra for the smartwatch add-on, for the same amount of money you can switch to Visible+ Pro and enjoy extra benefits, such as tripling your average hotspot speeds.
At the time of writing, Visible supports Apple Watch Series 4, Google Pixel Watch 2 and newer for this, as well as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, 8 Classic, and Ultra, when paired with an eligible Visible or Visible+ plan. Compatible device lists change fairly often, so check Visible’s current smartwatch page before signing up rather than relying on this guide (or forum threads) alone.
How Untethered Use Actually Works
If you’re reading this guide, you likely already know the main appeal of using a device like the Apple Watch: instead of having to take your phone everywhere, you can leave it at home and still be reachable.
For instance, if you’re going for a jog or to walk the dog, your smartwatch can still connect to cell towers like Verizon’s, so calls and texts still come through. Any apps that need data, such as Apple/Google Maps or music streaming software, will keep working. This is handy when you’re doing something like having a 30-minute workout but don’t want to be encumbered by your phone.
Of course, this untethered method of using a smartwatch isn’t for everyone. People who can’t easily charge it will find that the battery drain of maintaining a cellular connection is much greater than pairing the watch with your phone via Bluetooth.
And while calls and basic messaging work without issue on most modern smartwatches, some apps will work better (or indeed only) when there’s a phone nearby. That means you can’t expect to transition to a fully phone-free experience just because your smartwatch has its own cellular connection.
Of course, this isn’t a criticism of a specific model of watch or Visible’s plans: it’s simply a current limitation of the technology.
Cost Comparison: Visible vs. Visible+ Pro With a Smartwatch
In the previous sections, we touched on the three main monthly plans offered by Visible, and why it may not make sense to go for the lowest price if you intend to add a smartwatch to your plan.
For example, if you choose the entry-level ‘Visible’ plan for $25 a month, then pay another $10 to add a smartwatch, you’re paying a total of $35 per month.
If instead you sign up for the Visible+ Pro plan, this is currently also $35 per month and includes the smartwatch service. On top of that, you’re also getting certain features that aren’t available on the basic ‘Visible’ plan, such as Verizon’s fastest 5G Ultra Wideband network, 4K streaming, a faster hotspot cap of 15 Mbps instead of 5 Mbps, and a certain number of ‘Global passes’ for when you’re traveling internationally.
This is why we described these pricing points as “good news” in the above section, as if you intend to use your smartwatch with Visible, then it makes no sense currently to pay the extra $10 for the dedicated add-on.
If you do this, you’re paying Visible+ Pro prices for the lowest available speeds. Instead, Visible+ Pro is the obvious move once a watch is part of the plan, since you get more features and better speeds for the exact same price.
This said, these numbers only make sense at the time of writing, as Visible is running a special promotion for Visible+ Pro whereby you can use a special promotional code to reduce the plan’s regular price from $45 per month to $35 per month. Different discounts are also available for users who are willing to pay annually: for instance, this currently costs $375 per year for Visible+ Pro, which works out at $31.25 per month.
Check the pricing page carefully along with any current promotional offers before signing up, as the gap between tiers (if any) may be different by the time you read this guide.
When the Visible Apple Watch Plan Is Worth It
The fact that you have a compatible watch doesn’t necessarily mean that setting up a cellular connection with Visible is the right choice. It comes down to your specific circumstances, needs, and budget.
We’ve already mentioned someone who enjoys exercising without a phone as a good example of those who might benefit from an untethered watch service. This group also encompasses individuals who might be working in environments where phones are out of reach, but watches are allowed, such as in retail or security.
Parents may also want their child to have a smartwatch with a cellular connection for safety reasons: it lets you keep tabs on them without giving them the kind of unrestricted Internet access they might have with a smartphone. Some schools also ban cellphones but may allow students to wear a smartwatch.
If you don’t fall into these categories and can always easily reach your cellphone, then the main use for smartwatches like the Apple Watch is for activities like fitness tracking and viewing notifications that would appear on your phone anyway. Bluetooth tethering can also cover texts and calls, as long as the cellphone is nearby, so a smartwatch isn’t always useful in this scenario.
Checklist Before Adding a Smartwatch With a Dedicated Line
Confirm Your Smartwatch Model
Depending on your carrier, certain types of smartwatches may or not be compatible with the cellular connections on offer. As we’ve learned, in the case of Visible, you’ll need an Apple Watch Series 4 or a Google Pixel Watch 2 and newer for full compatibility.
Make sure to check this directly with the provider rather than rely on social media. For example, in our research for this guide, we found a Reddit thread claiming that Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is now compatible with Visible. However, the main site states that only the model 8 and newer will work with Visible’s cellular plans.
Check Current Pricing
As we outlined in the previous section, it makes more sense to sign up for a Visible+ Pro plan currently if you plan to use it with a smartwatch, as you’d pay the same amount ($35/month) for the base Visible plan ($25/month) with the smartwatch add-on ($10/month).
Although these numbers stack up at the time of writing, seasonal discounts, such as the ‘SUMMER’ promo code discounting the Visible+ tier from $45/month to $35/month, can come and go.
Many carriers, including Visible, also offer different rates depending on whether you pay monthly or annually. That means different deals can make more financial sense at different times and depending on how much you’re willing to pay upfront.
Factor in Battery Life Expectations
We’ve already learned that untethered cellular connections will generally drain a smartwatch’s battery a lot faster than pairing them with a phone via Bluetooth.
There isn’t really much you can do about this at present, but you should consider how easy it will be for you to charge up the smartwatch if you plan to rely on the cellular connection for extended periods.
Of course, you can carry a power bank with you if you’ll be away from a wall socket, but as these weigh around the same as a cellphone, you’ll lose much of the benefit of not having to take a phone with you.
Consider Data Deprioritization
Prepaid cellular plans that operate over major mobile networks like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile tend to be deprioritized in favor of postpaid customers.
In other words, when the network becomes congested, the traffic of prepaid customers is slowed down in favor of more mainstream network subscribers who have postpaid contracts.
If you don’t live in a particularly crowded area, attend sports stadium, or regularly get stuck in traffic, this may not be a significant concern. You also may only use the Internet features on your smartwatch minimally, such as for receiving messages.
However, if you plan to rely heavily on your smartwatch’s untethered connection for more intensive activities like VoIP calling, then you’ll need to select a prepaid plan that will sideline your traffic in this way.
For example, Visible+ Pro subscribers benefit from unlimited ‘premium’ data: the main site confirms this means that users’ data isn’t deprioritized deliberately when the network is congested.
Read the Fine Print
This guide focuses on smartwatch plans for Visible. The price plans and FAQ on the main site clearly state pricing, as well as compatible smartwatch models. However, not all carriers will be as transparent. For instance, the amount of data you can download via a smartwatch may be different to that of your main device. Some carriers even throttle traffic to limit download speeds.
If you plan to use apps like ‘WatchTube’ to stream videos on your smartwatch, you also need to bear in mind that certain carriers may limit video quality. For example, Visible’s entry-level plan only supports up to 480 SD quality video, while the Visible+ Pro plan supports up to 4K UHD quality video.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the app and hardware on your smartwatch will necessarily support streaming HD/4K video, but if they do, you’ll also need a compatible cellular network.
Final Verdict: Is the Visible Apple Watch Plan Worth It?
If you’re still on the fence regarding whether the smartwatch plan on Visible is worth it, then the answer really depends on which subscription plan you’ve already chosen.
If you’re a new customer, there’s not much sense in paying $10 for the smartwatch add-on when for the same amount of money you can sign up for Visible+ Pro and benefit from smartwatch support, 15 Mbps hotspot speeds, and truly premium, non-deprioritized data.
So, for anyone who is seriously committed to using an Apple Watch or similar device untethered on a regular basis, Visible+ Pro is the plan that earns its keep right now, particularly as users can enjoy unlimited premium data without deprioritization.
But for casual watch wearers who rarely leave their phone behind, skipping the smartwatch add-on entirely and sticking with Bluetooth tethering on a cheaper Visible tier is the more sensible call.