Apple Watch 5G (RedCap) — Telekom leads carrier support in Germany

Apple’s newest Watch models support 5G using a subset of 5G called 5G RedCap (“Reduced Capability”) optimized for wearables. While the hardware in the watches includes 5G RedCap modems, actual 5G operation depends on carrier-side support and network upgrades.

What is 5G RedCap?

5G RedCap is a lower-power, lower-complexity flavor of 5G designed for devices like smartwatches and many IoT products. It provides many benefits of 5G while keeping power use and device complexity reasonable. (Explainer: What is 5G RedCap?)

Carrier availability in Germany

Reports indicate that, at the moment, Deutsche Telekom is the carrier in Germany publicly offering Apple Watch 5G connections via 5G RedCap. Other carriers may roll out support later, but users should check with their operator before expecting native 5G on the watch. (More reporting: MacRumors: Apple Watch 5G availability)

What this means for users

• If you own a new Apple Watch with 5G RedCap capability, you may still see only LTE/4G until your carrier enables RedCap on its network.
• Check with your mobile provider about eSIM plans and explicit 5G RedCap / Apple Watch support.

If you’d like, I can add carrier links, a short checklist for users to verify support, or create a short FAQ to publish alongside this post.

Sources: MacRumors, RedCap explainer