Apple Watch sequel reportedly includes cellular data

One of the biggest gripes with the now year-old Apple Watch is that it's not very useful away from your iPhone. You can keep track of a run and do a few things on WiFi, but not much more than that. However, that could all change when the sequel rolls around. Wall Street Journal sources hear that the next Watch should include cellular access on top of the expected faster processor. How it would work isn't mentioned, but the odds are that it'd behave like existing cellular smartwatches: you could leave your phone at home while continuing to get notifications and run apps. You'd likely still need the iPhone at some point (if just to install apps and get updates), but not nearly as much as you do today.

Needless to say, Apple isn't confirming anything at this point. However, there is evidence to suggest that cellular data might be part of the company's wearable future. Apple just recently mandated that all Watch apps must be native, rather than extensions of iPhone apps. While that's partly necessary for improving the experience (native apps are much faster), it also paves the way for a time when every app would have to run independently. So long as the leak is accurate, the only big questions are when this cellular Watch will arrive, and how much of a premium it'll carry over standard models.