Apple Watch 2 Reportedly Seeks iPhone Independence With Cellular Modem, Brawnier S2 SOC

Adding cellular functionality directly to the Apple Watch 2 would allow it to make/receive phone calls and text messages without first having to route through an iPhone. This would allow the Apple Watch to gain some newfound independence and you the freedom to leave your iPhone at home should you need to go out for a for a jog. The combination of a cellular modem along with GPS could allow for more accurate fitness distance tracking and monitoring — something that is not currently possible with the Apple Watch without an accompanying iPhone close by.

However, the addition of a cellular modem would also mean that Apple would have to beef up the battery, which currently stands at 205 mAh on the 38mm model and 246 mAh on the larger 42mm model. We’d expect to see something more in line with the Samsung Gear S2 3G which comes with a 300 mAh battery.

We can also count on the Apple Watch 2 including a faster, more efficient processor to lessen the strain on the internal battery. We’ve already told you that Apple is requiring that all Apple Watch developers create native apps in an effort to improve performance across the board, but a next generation S2 processor could be just what the doctor ordered to get rid of the loading screens that are so often displayed when trying to open apps. The S1 is widely believed to be roughly equivalent in performance to Apple’s A5 SoC, so perhaps an upgrade to A6-level or A7-level performance could be on tap for the S2.

We’d have to imagine that a cellular version of the Apple Watch 2 would be an optional feature instead of standard, as not everyone is going to want to pay for calling capabilities if they already own an iPhone. The current Apple Watch is already a bit on the pricey side (starting price $299), so we’d imagine that a call-capable Apple Watch 2 won’t be for the faint of heart when it launches this fall.