The Apple family is nearly complete, but it's missing one important thing

Where are multiple users on the iPad?

- MICHAEL SIMON

Apple’s “Time Flies” (go.macworld.com/tfly) event in September might as well have been called “All in the Family.” And I’m not just talking about the new watches. Alongside the new Apple Watch and iPad hardware, Apple unveiled two initiatives designed to connect families (go. macworld.com/2ini) and keep them within the Apple ecosystem.

The first is Family Setup (go.macworld. com/fset). A feature strictly for LTE Apple Watches (Series 3 and later), it brings Apple’s wearable ever closer to full independence. Instead of needing to have every watch paired to a specific iPhone to work, you’ll be able to set up watches for family members without iPhones and they’ll still have full calling, texting, and app independence.

Family Setup essentially turns every Apple Watch into a mini iPhone with its own account. It’s geared toward “children and older family members,” but there’s no stopping an Android-using spouse from using it, too. For kids, parents will be able to set limits on contacts, apps, and features as well as get alerts when they’re not home when they should be.