Apple watch wifi connection on Adventure of the Seas

[kearney]

I am not the most technologically oriented person... so forgive what might be a dumb question. I am participating in a study that uses an apple watch to report health stuff. It requires wifi link to an iphone. So assuming Adventure of the Seas will have the Royal Caribbean App active as part of their Covid tracking... does anyone know if I will need to purchase wifi service OR if the wifi provided to allow tracking on the ship and other aspects of the royal app... will allow my apple watch to communicate to the iphone? I have no real need to wifi.. so I would hate to have to purchase it just for this purpose.

 

I hope my question is clear enough... Thanks in advance

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, kearney said:

will allow my apple watch to communicate to the iphone?

You phone should be linked to your watch directly via BT, not wifi - it will work just fine when directly linked.

[John&LaLa]

9 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

You phone should be linked to your watch directly via BT, not wifi - it will work just fine when directly linked.

 

But if he needs to report data in real time, the iPhone will need a data plan

[Dat Cruisin Couple]

29 minutes ago, kearney said:

I am not the most technologically oriented person... so forgive what might be a dumb question. I am participating in a study that uses an apple watch to report health stuff. It requires wifi link to an iphone. So assuming Adventure of the Seas will have the Royal Caribbean App active as part of their Covid tracking... does anyone know if I will need to purchase wifi service OR if the wifi provided to allow tracking on the ship and other aspects of the royal app... will allow my apple watch to communicate to the iphone? I have no real need to wifi.. so I would hate to have to purchase it just for this purpose.

 

I hope my question is clear enough... Thanks in advance

Not sure of YOUR details. But if either the watch or the phone is going to upload the collected to some central location that is part of the study, you will need to have the phone is airplane mode with BT turned on to prevent the upload. Otherwise the phone will connect to something and you will be charged international roaming rates. Could probably get another cruise for what that will cost. 

 

Once back in port, you can turn off airplane mode and the upload will happen.

 

[cruiseguy1016]

I am not an expert on iPhones or apple watches but I just helped my MIL set hers up so I have a little knowledge on how it works. The watch connects to the phone via Bluetooth, not WiFi. You will need to have your phone close by on the ship in order to accomplish this. The problem, if I'm understanding you correctly, is that your phone needs to send data to the people conducting the study. You will need a WiFi connection for that. The "free" WiFi on board will not do what you want/need it to do. You will need to purchase an internet package in order to send that data to the people conducting the study. Does the data need to be sent in real time? I'm assuming your phone stores the data. In that case, you can connect at the various ports and your data will be sent then. It's not real time but they will still receive the data.

Edited May 3, 2021 by cruiseguy1016

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

I am not an expert on iPhones or apple watches but I just helped my MIL set hers up so I have a little knowledge on how it works. The watch connects to the phone via Bluetooth, not WiFi. You will need to have your phone close by on the ship in order to accomplish this. The problem, if I'm understanding you correctly, is that your phone needs to send data to the people conducting the study. You will need a WiFi connection for that. The "free" WiFi on board will not do what you want/need it to do. You will need to purchase an internet package in order to send that data to the people conducting the study. Does the data need to be sent in real time? I'm assuming your phone stores the data. In that case, you can connect at the various ports and your data will be sent then. It's not real time but they will still receive the data.

 

It is true that they will need an internet connection on the phone to send out the data. The free WiFi that the Royal App uses won't carry that data. However the Apple Watch does connect via WiFi. It uses Bluetooth when near the iPhone to conserve energy. If there is compatible WiFi and the phone is not in Bluetooth range it uses WiFi. 

Edited May 3, 2021 by Charles4515

[kearney]

Thanks everyone for the feedback... I need to contact the company to see how often they collect data and if there is an issue with me being out of contact.

 

[AF-1]

39 minutes ago, kearney said:

Thanks everyone for the feedback... I need to contact the company to see how often they collect data and if there is an issue with me being out of contact.

 

If you want to test out your health and fitness apps on your watch with your iphone here is what you can do.  On your iphone put it in airplane mode.  That turns off the wifi and LTE features(LTE is the cell towers your phone uses).   keep using the fitness and health apps on your watch.  I guarantee all your health data, and fitness data will be on your phones activity app and fitness app.  Why you ask?  Because your watch and phone talk to each other via Bluetooth.  Bluetooth works when two devices are within 25 feet of each other.  Since your watch is on your wrist and your phone is in your pocket;  you will always be connected.  Now your phone won't get any calls or emails;  since you are in ariplane mode;  but when you turn it back on;  phone and email service will be back.  Leaving you phone in airplane mode while on a cruise will not effect your watch.  Have a great day.  What version iphone do you have?  

[reallyitsmema]

37 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

If you want to test out your health and fitness apps on your watch with your iphone here is what you can do.  On your iphone put it in airplane mode.  That turns off the wifi and LTE features(LTE is the cell towers your phone uses).   keep using the fitness and health apps on your watch.  I guarantee all your health data, and fitness data will be on your phones activity app and fitness app.  Why you ask?  Because your watch and phone talk to each other via Bluetooth.  Bluetooth works when two devices are within 25 feet of each other.  Since your watch is on your wrist and your phone is in your pocket;  you will always be connected.  Now your phone won't get any calls or emails;  since you are in ariplane mode;  but when you turn it back on;  phone and email service will be back.  Leaving you phone in airplane mode while on a cruise will not effect your watch.  Have a great day.  What version iphone do you have?  

 

Without knowing the requirements of the study the person is participating in and the apps they are using, you can not guarantee anything.  

[kearney]

1 hour ago, AF-1 said:

If you want to test out your health and fitness apps on your watch with your iphone here is what you can do.  On your iphone put it in airplane mode.  That turns off the wifi and LTE features(LTE is the cell towers your phone uses).   keep using the fitness and health apps on your watch.  I guarantee all your health data, and fitness data will be on your phones activity app and fitness app.  Why you ask?  Because your watch and phone talk to each other via Bluetooth.  Bluetooth works when two devices are within 25 feet of each other.  Since your watch is on your wrist and your phone is in your pocket;  you will always be connected.  Now your phone won't get any calls or emails;  since you are in ariplane mode;  but when you turn it back on;  phone and email service will be back.  Leaving you phone in airplane mode while on a cruise will not effect your watch.  Have a great day.  What version iphone do you have?  

Thanks for this.. I have an iphone 8. FYI and not related to cruising... I signed up to be part of the Heartline study sponsored by Apple and J&J... it's goal is to see if they can identify people with Afib... early and if that leads to better outcomes. I signed up because I knew my father had afib... I ended up in the watch group and so purchased an apple watch for a discounted price. Ironically less than 6 weeks into my participation.. I got an afib alert... so it was well worth participating. Anyway.. I went from Apple watch skeptic to enthusiast... 

[AF-1]

1 hour ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Without knowing the requirements of the study the person is participating in and the apps they are using, you can not guarantee anything.  

Sorry for any confusion.  I was addressing how iphone and apple watch communicate with each other.  Was not addressing health issues or health reports.  

Edited May 3, 2021 by AF-1

[AF-1]

4 minutes ago, kearney said:

Thanks for this.. I have an iphone 8. FYI and not related to cruising... I signed up to be part of the Heartline study sponsored by Apple and J&J... it's goal is to see if they can identify people with Afib... early and if that leads to better outcomes. I signed up because I knew my father had afib... I ended up in the watch group and so purchased an apple watch for a discounted price. Ironically less than 6 weeks into my participation.. I got an afib alert... so it was well worth participating. Anyway.. I went from Apple watch skeptic to enthusiast... 

The apple watch will do amazing things.  I had a bike accident last September;  my watch noticed I was thrown from my bike and was on the ground;  Siri asked if she could call 911 for me.  I said yes.  Ended up with broken back, broken hand, and concussion.   I have been tracking my health and activities for five years..  

[reallyitsmema]

8 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

Sorry but it has nothing to do with what type of study they are doing.  I am only giving feedback on how the apple watch will send data to their iphone without using data, wifi, or lte service. Below is the copied part of their thread stating they need their watch to talk to iphone via WIFI.  They watch and iphone communicate via bluetooth; so regardless of the study,  I am only stating how the two devices connect to each other.  Sorry if I have offended you or the OP.

am participating in a study that uses an apple watch to report health stuff. It requires wifi link to an iphone. So assuming Adventure of the Seas will have the Royal Caribbean App active as part of their Covid tracking.

 

Not offended at all, no worries.  Just lots of contradictory information in this thread.  If the study requires data to be transmitted on a specific timetable, they will need wifi, only the OP knows that information.  

[kearney]

14 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

The apple watch will do amazing things.  I had a bike accident last September;  my watch noticed I was thrown from my bike and was on the ground;  Siri asked if she could call 911 for me.  I said yes.  Ended up with broken back, broken hand, and concussion.   I have been tracking my health and activities for five years..  

Holy Cow... so I guess you are a believer too. I never had any interest in an Apple watch... I had just gotten a very nice tank watch for my 40th anniversary and really couldn't see wearing a smart watch. Plus things like oxygen sensor...well I had purchased a $26 device for that... so I saw this technology as for younger athletic types.... but now after a few months I am hooked... went from zero activity during this pandemic to walking and riding stationary bike daily... and I did notice the hard fall alert... which..you never know... glad it helped you..

[garywatson]

One thing that I couldn't get to work when I cruised on Mariner in March 2020 was having my watch communicate via wifi using a plan I paid for, so I wouldn't have to carry my phone around.  There was seemingly no wifi login screen available on the watch.  Maybe if I had paid for two devices then I could have logged in with my phone and then the watch would share the login info and it might work and then I could leave the phone in my stateroom from that point, but that's a very expensive experiment to be conducting and it might not work and the tech support people didn't even understand the question much less have an answer for me.

[AF-1]

garywatson;  is your apple wifi and cellular?  My watch is only wifi and has to have my iphone near it in order to communicate.  On the ship I think the only way for the watch to work would be to have your iphone with you.  My watch communicates via bluetooth with my phone

Edited May 7, 2021 by AF-1