Cellular Watch not so Standalone?

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.

As Idris says, this is really for dependent children, as well as aging parents. Not for a typical adult.

Perhaps you would be more interested in an Android based Watch. There are models that are completely standalone.

LukeM97 wrote:

First off, it doesn’t look like I can have my credit card on my watch, because it’s set up as friends/family? Also I can’t download Spotify only Apple Music? There is also no Watch app for the iPad?

Apple now calls this feature "Apple Watch for Kids" which was always it's really intention.

Set up Apple Watch for a family member - Apple Support

No, you can't use a credit card. No, there is no Watch app for the iPad (never had been). As for not being able to download Spotify, that's up to them.

Seems like it does absolutely nothing that I want it to? Looks like I’ll have to find something else to help me kick my phone addiction and still function in society?

Perhaps something like this:

https://www.thelightphone.com/