Next Apple Watch may include cellular connectivity

What if the Apple Watch had its own cellular connectivity? Would that finally make you want to dive into the world of wearables?

According to a new report, that choice may be coming soon.

Buried in a report from the Wall Street Journal on Sunday is a tidbit that could change everything for the Apple Watch. The report, citing a person “familiar with the matter,” claims that Apple is working on adding cell-network connectivity and a faster processor to the wearable device.

If true, such an update could do two important things: First, it would prompt existing Apple Watch owners to upgrade (most people don’t buy a new $300-$550 watch — not even a smart watch — every year). Second, it would make the device a more attractive first-time buy for those who have been on the fence about the device.

Despite the fashion-oriented marketing campaigns and celebrity endorsements, there remains a significant number of people who still find the need to tether the Apple Watch to your iPhone a redundant deal breaker. If you’re going to check your texts, make calls and check the weather on your wrist, is it really that much more difficult to simply pull your iPhone out of your pocket?

However, if Apple does give the Apple Watch a solid, iPhone-free wireless connection, all those questions would be erased. In turn, such an update could finally jumpstart the wearable device space beyond fitness tracking and into the realm of true (albeit, still limited) mobile communication devices.

We still don’t know exactly how well the Apple Watch is selling (Apple hasn’t released the per unit sales data), but we may find out more during the company’s earnings call on Tuesday. The coming weeks will likely reveal more about the Apple Watch as the company will hold its annual WWDC conference on June 13.