How to use Apple Watch Ultra 2 without eSIM?

There are three broad Ultra Ultra 2 categories, for support of pulse oximetry / blood oxygenation: those US models with a model number ending in LL/A, those US models ending in LW/A, and those from the rest of the world and ending in other model suffixes.

Those models ending in LL/A and the models from the rest of the world have pulse oximetry support. Those models ending with LW/A can only display that pulse oximetry data via a paired iPhone.

Identify your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Pulse rate display is available everywhere.

ECG display is available (most) everywhere, but is only available for people 22 years and older.

To conserve power, Watch goes to some effort to avoid using cellular communications functions, absent a requirement. Where possible, Watch uses the iPhone for its hardware capabilities and greater battery capacity.

With a paired iPhone, an eSIM and a cellular plan is irrelevant for any case where the Watch is within range of the paired iPhone, or where the Watch has access to a known Wi-Fi network.

Watch will be unable to connect and communicate when out of range of the paired iPhone or of a known Wi-Fi, if no cellular plan is available.

Without being paired to an iPhone and not being connected to the internet via eSIM the Ultra 2 is basically useless. Since health features are a priority the recipient would be better served by something like a Fitbit and the cost would be much lower. The Ultra 2 is overkill for what it will be used for.

If your son has an iPhone with an iOS version compatible to the Apple Watch watchOS version, then your son can pair the Apple Watch to his iPhone, and use it as a GPS ONLY Apple Watch. You get just about all the features as a cellular model, except your Apple Watch and iPhone need to be kept near each other, were near is basically both in the same moderate sized wood frame constructed home.

As others have said. No iPhone, no way without cellular service, and using the Apple Watch Family Plan

Apple Watch Family Plan https://support.apple.com/en-us/109036 https://support.apple.com/guide/watch/set-up-a-family-members-apple-watch-apd54d0a51fb/watchos Some limitations: Cannot receive SMS/MMS messages, as that depends on a fully paired iPhone. Messaging is pretty much limited to Apple's Messages, unless the messaging service provides an Apple Watch app. Alarms, alerts, notifications on the iPhone are not sent to the Apple Watch. Apple Pay via a credit card is not available. Also not available: Medications, respiratory rate, irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG, AFib History, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Wrist Temperature, Blood Oxygen, Walking Steadiness, Audiobooks, Camera Remote, News, Shortcuts, and the double tap gesture.

Jzapko13 wrote:

You can use apple watch without iPhone and eSIM too but with big limitations (calling and more iPhone connected things)

It still has to be paired with a phone. If the original poster is setting it up for their son for use without an iPhone, it MUST have an eSIM.

If your son does not have an iPhone, the watch can't be used at all without cellular service set up for a family member which will require carrier support.

Hi rbadillarx

Your son can use the Apple watch without eSIM normally like GPS watch.

And Heart rate works normally in every country

Happy to help!

ONLY if it is paired to an iPhone.

You can use apple watch without iPhone and eSIM too but with big limitations (calling and more iPhone connected things)