South Africans can expect to pay a lot of money to use the latest Apple Watch Series 5 Cellular model in SA. iStore went live with pre-orders for its upcoming eSim Apple Watch in South Africa and they are very expensive. In comparison, the watch will cost you R4,500 more for the same size as the non-cellular model but with the eSim functionality. They even cost more than the iPhone SE.
- 40mm Aluminium Case – R12,499
- 44mm Aluminium Case – R13,499
- 40mm Stainless Steel Case – R17,499
- 44mm Stainless Steel Case – R18,799
In comparison, the standard non-cellular Apple Watch Series 5 starts at R7,999 for the 40mm. Not to mention, Vodacom charges also charge you an additional R25 per month to make use of its eSIM functionality.
R4,500 extra for an eSim seems like a lot of money. Apple released titanium models of the devices in the US which at first, we thought these models were actually those. However, they are standard aluminium devices. As box-standard as they come.
Luckily, you can also still purchase the Series 3 with GPS and cellular starting at R7,499. It is an older model but the price difference is night and day. Up to now, no cellular models have been available in South Africa. However, Vodacom launches eSIM functionality earlier this year for Apple devices making older devices compatible with the service. Keep in mind that this comes at the extra cost of R25 per month to make use of the hardware.
The Apple Watch Series 5 includes an always-on retina display, cycle tracking, and all the great fitness features found in previous devices.
Pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 5 GPS + Cellular are now open on the iStore site for those who want to order.
