5G connectivity was one of the big new features added to the latest Apple Watches this year, but the feature is notably absent from the spec sheet on Apple's Australian website.
WhistleOut is able to confirm that Australian variants of the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 all have 5G connectivity, but local telcos currently don't offer 5G for smartwatches. Once they do, all new Apple Watches sold in Australia will be able to connect to 5G.
A Vodafone spokesperson told WhistleOut that the company is actively exploring how to bring 5G to customers with the latest Apple Watch models.
"Vodafone is committed to delivering the best possible experience for our customers. We’re excited about the potential of 5G to complement and enhance how Australians connect with Vodafone NumberSync using their compatible Apple Watch," said the spokesperson. "We’re actively exploring how best to bring 5G to our customers with 5G-capable Apple Watch models and we look forward to sharing more updates in the future."
Telstra was unable to provide comment, and Optus did not reply to a request for comment in time for publication.
While 5G on a smartwatch may seem unnecessary - it isn't the kind of device you need high-speed internet on - it has better network capacity and less lag. Enhanced capacity can help prevent congestion, and 5G allows for more simultaneous connections than 4G or 3G do.
Looking more broadly, telcos in the US, Europe, UK, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and China are all supporting 5G on the Apple Watch at launch. Canada is one of the only other major markets where 5G connectivity isn't available for Apple Watch customers yet.
Alex Choros
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