Until now, the watch had to be within range of an iPhone to do most tasks, like receive notifications or make calls.
The report says Intel will supply the LTE modem that will be used in cellular versions of the Apple Watch.
Apple plans to release an Apple Watch with built-in LTE this year, according to Bloomberg. The next Apple Watch might look and perform very differently from what we've come to expect, which could drive even more sales Apple's way, along with the "super cycle" of upgrades expected with the iPhone 8.
The new Apple Watch may also ship with WatchOS 4, the latest version of the watch's software, slated for release this fall. As it stands today, Apple's smartwatch is mostly reliant on a connection with an iPhone to do anything that needs a cellular connection, like using the Maps app for directions, streaming music, making calls, or sending texts.
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The U.S. military in Afghanistan has refused to provide any information on potential casualties. The NATO convoy they were apart of came under attack in Kandahar province.
John Gruber, who runs the Daring Fireball blog and has been known to have early information on Apple products, said he had also heard the new cellular watch model would include an "all-new form factor". Pricing wasn't mentioned in the report, but Apple charges $130 for cellular connectivity in an iPad, so it will probably be at least that much for the feature in a Watch.
Battery life is still an issue with a device of this size that's constantly connected to a network, but perhaps the new form factor will add some room for a bigger battery without significantly increasing the watch size.
The watch is likely to be announced in September, alongside new iPhones.
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