Here's what you can do on the Apple Watch without your iPhone

he Apple Watch is, first and foremost, an iPhone accessory. It might be even more than that eventually, a truly independent gadget, but a vast majority of its current core functions -- making calls, sending messages, getting information, even playing any third-party games -- require your iPhone to be on, have Internet service, and be paired with the Watch via Bluetooth or a shared Wi-Fi network. If you're thinking about getting one, make sure you know that. It requires an iPhone 5 or later, and it can't even be set up without one.

Still, the Apple Watch can do a few things without your iPhone around -- more than I even realized. I left my iPhone behind and went for a stroll with just the Apple Watch to try it out.

The Apple Watch has 6.2GB of available storage, of which 2GB can be used to store music. You sync music with Apple Watch via your iPhone and the Apple Watch app, no Mac or iTunes required (but, the music must be on your phone in the Music app, or in iTunes in the Cloud). Once your music is synced, you're free to listen as long you have a pair of Bluetooth headphones. I paired a few sets easily via the Apple Watch's Bluetooth settings: the ones I tested in the video above were the Plantronics BackBeat Fit, a highly-rated comfy pair of fitness-targeted wraparound wireless sport earbuds. In the Apple Watch Music app, you need to Force Press and select "Source" as Apple Watch. Once that awkward step is done, music plays just like on an iPod.

Apple has two built-in fitness apps called Activity and Workout, and both work away from the iPhone. You can measure heart rate, too. Activity tracks steps, time spent standing, and active exercise. Workout allows timed exercise sessions that measure pace, distance, heart rate, and calorie burn estimates for various activities. The only thing you can't do away from your iPhone is track your walk or run with GPS: that requires your iPhone. Third-party fitness apps can't be used away from your iPhone, either. In fact, all third-party apps -- those not created by Apple -- need an iPhone connection to work.

Once you set up a credit card for Apple Pay to work on Apple Watch, it keeps working even when your iPhone is not attached. Double-click the flat side button, and you can tap to pay at any Apple Pay-ready store. It's easy to use and addictive. If the watch is taken off your wrist, you'll need to enter a passcode to use it again. Because Apple Pay doesn't use your actual credit card number, you can cancel it from your iPhone and deactivate your Apple Watch's Apple Pay function, even if the watch isn't online at all.

You can store boarding passes, tickets and gift cards in Passbook in the form of QR codes, and it's a great alternative to Apple Pay for a lot of stores and services. It's easy to open your cards and tickets, and QR codes even get brighter when you display them, for easy scanning.

There's a small photo album app on the Apple Watch that stores up to 500 photos from your phone library or iCloud. It's hard to see pics on the small screen, but it's a cute replacement for the itty-bitty wallet photo.

Apple has several timer and clock apps apart from the stylized watch faces, which also work when your iPhone is disconnected and offline. You can use Apple Watch like a full-featured chronograph and watch, or as an alarm clock. And of course, you can use Apple's own beautiful watch faces, too, which will still tell time.

You can't make phone calls away from your phone, but you can see who's called recently, and read already-sent texts. Shockingly, you can even listen to voice mails! The Apple Watch syncs visual voice mail, and most of them will play back on my watch even with Airplane mode turned on. You won't be able to receive new messages without connecting your phone again, but at least you can browse missed connections.

Hopefully, someday, the Apple Watch will use its Wi-Fi antenna to get data on its own, or to pair with other devices like the Apple TV and Macs (it already has an Apple TV remote mode, but it's somewhat simple in its range of function).

Exactly.

It is probably pretty similar to the simplest of the ipods. Might even use the same LCD. The smallest ipod is fairly easy to use.

It is a cool wizzy idea but I probably won’t be buying one. The cost/benefit (value) isn’t there for me.

One suggestion is that it must be very simple to use and configure with an iphone. Most people are not super techie so it has to be as simple as setting it up with a Bluetooth ear piece. And that it have decent battery life with some process for replacing the battery when it dies.

Ya.

Cool idea, but limited functionality — IMHO. I had something similar 20 years ago — the calculator watch and I actually found it useful although a bit clumsy.

Now if Apple could develop google glasses....

I bought the first iPod Touch. This is quite similar. It COMPLETELY displaced my home computer, being able to use it anywhere anytime for about 90% of anything I wanted the computer for (enough that I suffered thru making the remaining 10% either work by any means necessary or just dropping that action altogether).

Configuration? Tap the new “Watch” app on your iPhone, point camera at Watch face. Done.
Battery life? intense use for several hours, basic watch function for 3 days, recharge with magnetic-attach induction puck. When battery reaches “it’s dead and not coming back”, you’ll have bought a new Watch already.
Don’t want one anyway? nobody is compelling you to.

We have had several generations of ipods. My son has the ipod touch. All except the two newest are in a drawer because of a dead battery. And our ipad is obsolete. So we are a little cautious when it comes to Apple.

The little gadgets still can't displace a good ol qwerty keyboard. I am always surprised when someone tries to use a touch pad device to type large documents. It is painful and my wife wasn't too happy when she had to give up her flip out keyboard for a touch screen. Voice recognition helps, screen swiping across the keyboard helps too. But it will never replace a true keyboard.

Certainly you can always attach an external keyboard. But why not just buy a laptop or a desktop (for about the same price). I know, I am a nonconformist for suggesting this. :)

My son is starting College next year and we will be looking at laptops pretty soon. I like the ultra-slim, ultra-lite laptops that Apple has to offer. But I can't justify the price adder because it is Apple. And it isn't just the laptop that is pricy but the software. Very pricy indeed but will we will stop in the Apple store as a comparison.

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