Watch.
I wear many devices. The watch is the easier thing to use and control.
You just have to wear it. Biggest obstacle I have. I need another thing attached to me like I need another hole in my head.
Thanks to all. My intuition about watch vs pendant is confirmed. Definitely will be a watch. I’m now inclined to go with just an Apple watch rather than the Lifeline service, but I’ve just spent a couple of hours on and off the phone with my cellular provider trying to escalate to someone who actually know something, with limited success.
They claim they can only activate a bring-your-own Apple watch if you have an iPhone. Or they can offer me an Apple watch themselves on a 24-month contract for the amortized cost of the watch plus $15 a month for the extra device, but the selections are more limited than what I can get directly from Apple. It’s so frustrating because I don’t know how much of this is technical ignorance and how much is corporate incompetence.
I may try talking to them again on a weekday when I may be able to escalate more effectively to someone who knows something, or just switch entirely to a different provider. I need to upgrade my cell phone anyway.
Is there an Apple Store nearby? If so, they may be more helpful than your cellular provider.
Great idea! Yes, there is, not exactly “nearby” but close enough for a casual visit!
I can’t fix whatever formatting mistake I made. I’ll try again in a new reply.
Here’s a guide to Apple Watches and their functionalities.
it looks like the least expensive one, the SE 3, has all that you want. USD it’s $299 with cellular and GPS. Other retailers very well might offer it for a bit less than but getting it through that Apple Store and having their in person support might be worth not saving a few bucks.
Samsung Galaxy has a comparable watch. And you don’t have to join the Apple cult.
You can never ever leave them. Totally.
Don’t forget to make an appointment to visit their store. At least around here the wait times for walk-ins are often measured in hours. Especially if there’s been a release of a new device any time recently.
I’m glad I started this thread! It seems that the correct answer for my purposes about choosing the pendant or the watch from Lifeline is: neither, but to get a cellular Apple watch instead.
After doing more research I think I understand the basis of the argument I was having with my cell provider about this stuff, wherein they required that I have an iPhone in order for them to activate a “bring-my-own” Apple watch purchased from the Apple Store, but not for one that they provide.
I think the basis of all this is that Apple requires you to pair an Apple watch with an iPhone in order to do the initial setup, after which the cellular version can operate independently. I have to replace my old 3G phone anyway so I guess I’ll need to get an iPhone. My conclusion is that the reason the cell provider is willing to send their own Apple watch even if I don’t have an iPhone is that they do all the setup.
ETA: I should be able to afford a new iPhone with a generous data plan simply by cancelling my outrageously overpriced landline. Having two cellular devices provides backup in case one gets lost or damaged.
2 cell phones is the way I roll. I always need a back up. Actually there’s a 3rd one somewhere. But my CGM made it unnecessary.
Be aware that if you get your iPhone and Apple Watch from your cellular provider they might be locked and limited to use only with their service. Buying the iPhone and Apple Watch from a freestanding dealer means it will be unlocked and you will be able to use it with any provider you choose, even switch providers if need arises.
They are very easy to setup, no need to have the provider do it. If LEx can’t do it, find a kid and slip them $20 to do it.
Thanks, I’m aware of that. That will not be the case with the Apple watch but will definitely be true for the contracted iPhone. I’ve been with this provider for probably something like 30 years and have no reason to switch despite the recent argument with them. For years now they’ve been sending me free phones whenever the old ones could no longer work with their new services.
I think I’m just gonna get a minimal “iPhone Air” from them, and then just buy an Apple watch from the Apple store.
If you’re getting free phones, I think you may be overpaying. In the long term, it might be cheaper to buy the phone outright and keep it for four years or more. How much is your monthly charge, if you don’t mind me asking? Service can be quite cheap these days.
The plan that I’m grandfathered on used to be $25/mo, but it’s been creeping up. Currently around $30/mo. But I’m being ripped off for around $70/mo for my landline, so cancelling that will free up a lot of monthly cash flow.
Okay thirty bucks per month for cell service is not bad, if you get unlimited calls, data and texts.
But I don’t. It’s voice-only, no data, and texts cost 30¢ each. It’s a crappy, obsolete plan. I’ll be paying much more for the new one, including amortizing the cost of the iPhone, but $70/mo saved from the stupid landline will go a long way toward covering that cost. And I’ll have a modern phone along with an Apple watch.
Okay, yes, thirty bucks for voice-only isn’t competitive today. You mentioned being with the same carrier for decades. I doubt that loyalty is getting you anything so you might consider shopping around. Many carriers offer unlimited calls, texts and data for a roughly comparable amount.
I never did either. But I see people in the street all the time nowadays wearing them: it seems to have become an accepted norm.
There was a time, when one worked in technical fields, that it was almost obligatory to have a pager clipped to your belt to show how essential you were… 
These fashions come and go…
Loyalty has gotten me two free phones so far, both without any contract commitment. If I manage to get a cooperative agent, I might be able to score a deal on an iPhone. I note that the iPhone Air is amortized at just $5/mo on a 24-month contract, so it’s practically free. They make their money on the cell service charges. ChatGPT, which claims to have read all the pertinent documentation, tells me that the iPhone Air meets the requirements for setting up a cellular Apple watch. Google AI confirms the same, the point being that a new iPhone Air runs the latest iOS and network chips.
I see that the old adage of “too good to be true” is, in fact, true. On all of these amortized 24-month plans, the bastards still own the phone. It’s like a car lease. You can feel free to send it back to them, or you can buy it from them for whatever residual value they claim it has. Plus, the contract plans generally demand a commitment to a certain (expensive) level of service. This was probably obvious to all but it’s been decades since I’ve had a cell phone on contract/lease.
It might be worthwhile to just buy both the phone and the watch from the Apple store, and then sign up for whoever gives me the best cellular service deal. I know most of youse will probably endorse that, but I hate making changes, especially in a time of stress when my whole life is changing. It would be much simpler to just let the LXW subscribe me to a Lifeline device, but it’s just so goddam more costly than an Apple watch.