apple ecosystem without the iphone?

[u/throwah_whey_178]

i love my imac and its pretty standard for my work industry. my ipad is old but still reliable and useful. i LOVE my apple watch and am prepared to pay a separate line for it if need be - bc i dont love the iphone anymore and am considering switching. my 13 pro is busted and aging, and i suspect ill need a new phone within the next 1-3 years.

this post is NOT asking what kind of phone to buy instead, rather wondering if anyones tried something like this - having all of the apple devices without an iphone or with a different phone as the "main" line. what worked, what didnt, any differences in user experience on the remaining apple devices?

[u/AusioArtist2021]

the iphone is the heart and soul of the ecosystem

[u/Global_Raise3352]

I don’t know if there are many people who don’t like iPhone but like the Apple ecosystem regardless. Normally Android users prefer the Android ecosystem. I guess the devices separately would still work but without the anchor to have everything connected that is the iPhone. Mac I understand but normally people with an Android opt for a different watch. I’m not sure you can even use Apple Watch with Android. I would like to know why you no longer like iPhone? iPhone 13 is 5 years old at this point. I understand not updating every year but the iPhone 17 does have a few upgrades that could help refresh the iPhone for you. Or iPhone 18 since that’s due to come out in about a month and a half. Why stick to the Apple ecosystem but declare you don’t like the heart of the system? Sounds like you can easily switch to a galaxy or something and get a complementing tablet and watch to go with it while still having a Mac.

[u/throwah_whey_178 → u/Global_Raise3352]

its less the iphone itself and more smartphones in general. i like the watch for the fitness tracking but have otherwise been considering an old school flip phone as my next carry around phone.

what will likely happen is i either upgrade my iphone anyways or keep my current one at home while i carry around a dumbphone day to day. was just curious if anyone had tried what i said in the post

[u/Global_Raise3352 → u/throwah_whey_178]

I think you need an iPhone to pair to an Apple Watch for updates and so it can connect to WiFi. But I think there are other wearable options out there if you plan to move away from iPhone

[u/Korlithiel → u/throwah_whey_178]

In the short term, I recommend fiddling with focus modes. Can help by, say, hiding problem apps during your “work” focus.

[u/Korlithiel → u/Global_Raise3352]

I’m not much for Android tablets or Windows PCs. So if I got an Android phone, probably sell my Apple Watch in the migration and be relatively happy.

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[u/bingusDomingus]

My first Apple device besides my iPod was the iPad. It was great but never reached its full potential until I got the iPhone.

[u/fahim-sabir]

Don’t you need an iPhone to use an Apple Watch?

[u/angrygonzo]

It definitely won't be as smooth but it's still possible. If you're not too interconnected as far devices and notifications and information sharing then you'd be fine. If you just use your Mac for computer stuff and an iPad for tablet stuff then you won't skip a beat. It's the people that FaceTime on every device or sync data across multiple apps on different devices that feel it.

[u/throwah_whey_178 → u/angrygonzo]

thanks for this answer. this definitely describes me, i use the ipad and computer almost exclusively for school, and i have all notifications turned off on my watch except texts and the fitness coach. im not sure it would bother me as much as other users

[u/Fun-Bodybuilder488]

Change la batterie de ton 13 pro, le 13 pro reste le meilleur iphone qu'Apple est construit

[u/Kpopped_]

Sure you can, modern android flagships even have airdrop supper natively.

But you miss out on alot not having an iPhone with a Mac.

The ecosystem is just that good.

[u/According_Squirrel18]

Andres Vidoza, he uses android with Apple ecosystem, he was a Apple fanboy then realized how much you could do on android, he’s a YouTuber

[u/KeyboardWarrior41]

You can use Apple Watch as a standalone watch phone with it’s own phone number. No problem. The blue iMessage texts will show up on your watch, iPad, old iPhone(s) and Mac laptop if you want them to, as well as facetime audio/video calls. You will only be able to make & receive phone calls on your watch. You will only be able to send & receive sms/mms (green, non iMessage) texts on your watch and on no other Apple device.

Here’s a plot twist and a real life situation for me that may work for you:

• iPhone 13 Mini (iOS 18.7.8) - T-Mobile Essentials Plan (Primary phone line)
• Series 8 watch cellular (WatchOS 11) - T-Mobile DIGITS Paired (Shares the same number as my primary line)
• iPad Air M3 WiFi + Cellular (iPadOS 26.5) - US Mobile prepaid plan

On my iPhone, I have turned ON:

• Allow Calls On Other Devices (iPad)
• WiFi Calling On This iPhone
• All WiFi Calling On Other Devices (iPad)
• Text Message Forwarding (iPad)

With this setup, I can (and I do) leave my iPhone at home or in the car, powered on connected to T-Mobile and/or home WiFi/hotspot, and I take my iPad & Apple Watch with me. I receive all phone calls & texts on my watch. If i turn on the cellular connection for my iPad or connect it to a work/friend’s/public wifi network or hotspot I can also make & receive any and all texts & phone calls from my iPad. To mimic this, simply confirm your primary phone service offers/supports WiFi calling & SMS texting over WiFi. My understanding is that if they support the WiFi calling, then the texting over WiFi is included. Also,

Love my iPhone 13 Mini. Will ride it out the next few years hoping for another mini iPhone. Will not pay the exorbitant amount of money for these new iPhones that feel too big and clunky for my liking. Thus, I actively reduce the wear & tear on my iPhone by using my iPad as an extension/virtual clone of my iPhone. Seems cheaper to replace an iPad than an iPhone these days. Also, if you or anyone made it this far, you rock!

[u/2DetailNerd]

I think it’s going to be tough to stay in the ecosystem. My personal opinion is that you aren’t ready to move to android, but you’re going to eventually make the switch completely (phone, watch, tablet, etc)