If you are considering buying an Apple Watch for yourself or a family member but don’t have an iPhone, I have news for you… The Apple Watch needs an iPhone to pair with.
You might be thinking, “ok I have an iPad instead, will that work?”, let me clarify. The Apple Watch does not work with an iPad. It’s not even possible to download the Watch app on the iPad. You need an iPhone for the setup of the Apple Watch.
Why doesn’t the Apple Watch work with the iPad?
Apple Watch is designed as an extension of the iPhone and uses the Watch app for setup, which is not available for iPad. The Apple Watch also uses messages and calls from the iPhone, which is not available in the non-cellular versions of the iPad.
With its many limitations and the fact that Apple leverages the sales of Apple Watch to entice users into buying an iPhone, it is very unlikely that they will make the Apple Watch compatible with the iPad in the near future.
But what if I want my kids to have an Apple Watch, but they’re too small for an iPhone?
If this is the case for you, you’re in luck. Apple allows for Family Setup for your family members wherein, they can use a Cellular + GPS Apple Watch independently without an iPhone. The initial setup will require an iPhone but post that, the watch can be used independently.
I personally find this feature very useful for kids, and here’s why.
Control iPad with your Apple Watch
Although we can’t control an Apple Watch with an iPad, the reverse is possible. Yes, you can control your iPad with your Apple Watch. To control your iPhone or iPad using your Apple Watch, your iPad must be signed in to iCloud with the same Apple account and be on the same network. On your Apple Watch,:
- Settings > Accessibility > Control Nearby Devices
- Select your iPad.
- Tap on the various buttons that appear and control the device. These buttons are –
- Home button
- App switcher
- Notifications center
- Control center
- Siri
- Options (this includes media controls and custom hand gestures)
If you have enabled VoiceOver on your Apple Watch, the same will be enabled for the connected iPad, and the gestures used for the Apple Watch will also be performed on the iPad.
Wrap Up
The Apple Watch will not work with an iPad and needs an iPhone to function. While family setup allows for some independence, the initial setup too requires an iPhone. Apple will have to make a lot of changes to the iPad in order to accommodate compatibility with the Apple Watch, which is what leads me to believe that this integration will not come into play anytime soon.
