Apple Watch

[Matt6]

When will O2 be able to supply the Apple Watch?

[Cleoriff · Accepted solution]

@Matt6There re no plans for O2 to stock this watch currently

This article explains why https://www.macworld.co.uk/news/apple/when-will-apple-watch-3-lte-come-o2-3664181/

Why can't O2 offer Apple Watch data plans?

The first thing to mention is that this isn't some sort of artificially created exclusive sweetheart deal set up between EE and Apple - there is, according to EE and corroborated by one other provider, a concrete technological reason why that provider is the only one capable of handling the Apple Watch in the UK.

An EE spokesperson told us that "EE is the only UK network that has the capability to 'share' a number across a hard SIM (in the phone) and the Apple e-SIM (in the watch)."

At present this isn't something O2 can offer - so it isn't simply a question of waiting for an exclusivity deal to expire.

Additional info from @Chris_K Who may have further information now...

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Welcome-News/Apple-iPhone-8-iPhone-8-Plus-amp-iPhone-X-Megathread/m-p/...

[MI5]

Most likely never.
They dropped the Samsung watch which ran on the same principles.

[jonnymk]

Ironically, the Apple Watch Series 4 added LTE/4G band 40 (2300MHz) which o2 have started rolling out in densely populated areas to improve speeds, so it’s a perfect fit for o2s network. The Apple Watch Series 3 does not support this.

[Martin-O2]

Good news @Matt6, @jonnymk, the Apple Watch Series 4 is now available with O2! 

You can read all about it here 

[jonnymk]

I saw that. I went through the sign up process in the watch app and it’s just stuck on “activating” with a spinning circle. Tried rebooting both the phone and watch. O2 customer support says it’s not supported because I did not get my iPhone or Apple Watch from o2 which is total rubbish. There is only one UK provider who seem to be able to make the Apple Watch actually work as advertised.

[jonnymk]

* my pessimism might be pre-conditioned since one of the other UK networks who added support for the apple watch in the last year also got stuck on "activating" when I signed up with them,  and it was like that for over 7 days. the whole process and general support with them was so frustrating I cancelled the whole lot and moved back to o2. I will pateiently wait out the full 24 hours with o2 though