Is There Any Point Buying a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 if You Don't Have a Phone?

saxlady on 25/11/2022 - 16:44

I was considering getting a Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 for my son (young teen), as he doesn't have his own phone, but I read that you can do most of the stuff over wifi, the only thing really being he couldn't track workouts on GPS, which really isn't an issue. I was hoping there'd be some sales on for Black Friday, but I'm only seeing deals for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. I haven't found similar writeups for the Galaxy 4, so it might be the same, but I can't tell, everyone assumes you have a phone that you'll be using it with (which is fair enough)

He doesn't have a specific need, just that he'd like a watch, and I just think he'd enjoy the gadgety side of things, steps, workouts etc. He could always use my phone to set things up if he had to, just as long as it didn't need it all the time. Also, when it says you can download songs onto your phone, I gather that is to play through some other bluetooth device it's paired with? I gather the watches wouldn't have speakers of any kind?

It's probably pretty obvious that I don't know much about smart watches, so I'd appreciate any guidance - as to that one, or other ones, although not Apple.
(I have read about the annoying battery, don't really know enough to see if it would be a deal breaker)

Electrical & Electronics Samsung Smartwatch Wear OS

Comments

  • scrimshaw on 25/11/2022 - 17:04
    +3

    The watch will not do anything meaningful if you don't have a phone. there won't be notifications, no downloadable watch faces, no weather, no music, and no 3rd party apps.

    In fact the smartwatch cannot be setup until it's been paired with a phone, and it won't even show you the time (since it doesn't know it). Time on the watch is sync'ed with smartphone.

  • MS Paint on 25/11/2022 - 18:22
    +1

    A smartwatch is a dumbwatch unless it's paired to a smartphone.

    • AustriaBargain on 25/11/2022 - 18:59

      It's a bracelet without a phone, according to scrimshaw.

  • Murkymerv on 25/11/2022 - 18:38

    But yourself a eco drive instead generally a lot cheaper and no charging

  • pharkurnell on 25/11/2022 - 18:51

    Is There Any Point

    no

  • BadGiraffe on 25/11/2022 - 18:51

    You can maybe get a fitness band. But I can't think of anything that doesn't need to pair with a phone.

  • CleverCounter on 25/11/2022 - 18:54
    +4

    Just buy him a phone. All his friends have one.

    • saxlady on 25/11/2022 - 20:09
      +1

      Thanks I'll check them out

  • idjces on 25/11/2022 - 19:20

    I use my Galaxy Watch 4 paired with some apple airpods. I find it easier to listen to podcasts or music while going for a run, or at the gym. It does have a small speaker to play through if you haven't bluetooth paired the watch with an external speaker.

    I don't think it needs to interact with your phone anymore after setting it up, unless, you want to sync other apps like messaging, calls etc. I get about 4-5 hours of listening out of it before the batteries flat. With those points said, I haven't spent a lot of time looking into what else these smart watches are capable of.

    • saxlady on 25/11/2022 - 20:25

      So once set up, he could put songs on there, track fitness, blood pressure etc . Would weather alerts work over wifi? What else would work over wifi?

      • idjces on 25/11/2022 - 20:36

        Most automated functions should be able to push/pull data over the wifi. He might need the phone app to send specific songs to the phone, or get a more comprehensive view on fitness tracking. Something like strava, I would assume he can just view his history on strava's web site.

        Weather alerts would probably only update while at home with the wifi connection.

        I still need to try out the watches tap n pay without a data connection. Not sure how much use that function will be for a teen

        • saxlady on 26/11/2022 - 20:33

          Thanks for that

  • carimakan on 25/11/2022 - 20:59
    +2

    Perhaps consider a good G-Shock. Smart watches (including LTE 5G are like a computer, after few years they got outdated and no value).
    G-Shock mud master, frogman, rangeman, mudman, etc. just sharing more options.

    I just think that even having a mobile and a smart Bluetooth watch, the watch is just kind of not smart still (dumb). Just sharing my thoughts.

    • saxlady on 25/11/2022 - 23:05

      will have a look

  • CheapskateQueen on 25/11/2022 - 22:38

    you would you get the samsung instead of some other better sports watch? could get a decent garmin (with inbuilt music once you sync with a phone) for the same price and all functions work without a phone and doesn't have the same battery drain as the Samsung screen

    • saxlady on 25/11/2022 - 23:05

      checking them out - is there a model you would recommend?

      • CheapskateQueen on 26/11/2022 - 13:24

        i have had a garmin 645 for years - i think you could get something different though - maybe even this one https://www.rebelsport.com.au/p/garmin-forerunner-245-music-…

        though i haven't really checked out the specs.

        the 645 lets you store mp3 music files on it or use spotify/music apps to use offline - you need to sync with your phone first to upload the playlists and then off he goes. it does not have a speaker so he'll need buetooth headphones. The 245 appears to let you do the same.

        i use it for sports tracking, the inbuilt music and inbuilt GPS for the very purpose of not taking my phone on runs/exercise etc. The battery life is a few days at a time, although the more GPS you use, the faster it kills the battery.

        i bought the 1st generation samsung watch cos it had all the specs i wanted (offline gps/music) and was very pretty (proper watch rather than a sports look). IDK if the newer models are better but i wanted to KMS. Using the music/GPS would kill it in hours so it was just useless. The watchface was pretty it was a battery drain and barely could get a 1.5hr run without killing it.So i fought with samsung until i got a refund. Newer models may be better.

        • saxlady on 26/11/2022 - 20:30

          helpful - thanks

  • Italkdigital on 26/11/2022 - 19:06

    What if he pays $5 per month for Telstras, Vodafone and Optus one number service, ok yes need a phone too set that up to well just remembered lol but once setup i think then can use watch as has carrier 4g data to use and can receive/make calls, do point out if im utterly wrong lolz 👍😆

    • saxlady on 26/11/2022 - 20:32

      He can use my phone to set it up, that's not an issue. It's just whether things run over wifi afterwards. Thanks for your thoughts though

  • will05 on 28/11/2022 - 13:36

    for how old ?

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