Everyone has two apps.
It’s mostly WhatsApp and Spotify, because that’s what the rest of the world runs on outside the United States and China. But as I look through Reddit forums and reviews of “feature phones” and blog accounts of “going light,” the recurring theme is always that if I just had [APP] and [OTHER APP] this phone would be perfect.
In my case, for the Apple Watch, the two apps are Lyft (or some other ride sharing option) and Triode (or some other streaming radio app that can handle SomaFM, Bluegrass Country, Arctic Outpost Radio and Radio Siamsa). But in a pinch I could actually try calling a cab, and Apple Music will cover most of the music options in some other form. So it’s not a dealbreaker.
In fact, a quick Sunday test down at the local proved that any WiFi you’ve already saved credentials for will still work with no phone present. I didn’t need the cellular while there. Which means if I could only harvest the WiFi credentials for the Duke, or the local downtown bars, or the San Jose spots, I might well obviate the need for wireless altogether. Which is devoutly to be wished when it looks like the actual cost of moving to Visible full time will be an extra $25 a month, and that ain’t hay.
Because really, where am I going with just the watch and no phone and no WiFi (or WiFi that depends on an interstitial page)? Pub night out once a month? Disneyland in another year or two? Maybe biking down to the farmers market? Church? Not a lot of use case under those conditions. If it were $5 a month to add it to USMobile, sure, it’s no big deal and a nice thing to have, but not for $35 a month sack and all, not while work is still floating the bill for my primary number.
Still, it’s interesting to have a thing on my arm that would use the same phone number and give me everything I need and absolutely nothing I shouldn’t have. I’m still trying to will a slightly better future into existence. Of which.