Third-party Apple Watch housing promises underwater capabilities, duo dock charges Watch and iPhone
Third-party accessory maker designed by many on Thursday revealed plans for an Apple Watch housing line that offers protection from water, shock and dust, as well as a separate combination dock for simultaneous charging with iPhone.
Dubbed Banded, designed by many's protective Apple Watch housing is crafted from solid aluminum and sports a leather strap to give users extra protection without sacrificing looks.
Banded is marketed toward fashion-minded users who are drawn to Apple Watch's technology, but may be less than thrilled about its aesthetics. With protection from nicks and scratches, however, the housing is much more than a second skin.
An open-top design leaves full access to the Force Touch-enabled screen, while tactile controls like the Digital Crown and multifunction button are overlaid with precision cut aluminum parts. An underside cutout offers unfettered access to the heart rate sensor and inductive charging module.
Apple Watch is rated to the IPX7 standard, which means it can be immersed in water up to one-meter deep for a period of 30 minutes. To compensate, designed by many is working on a waterproof version of Banded, as well as a robust shock- and dust-proof iteration.
Banded will debut as a Kickstarter project next month.
A separate product called Simple Station looks to be a one stop shop for iPhone and Apple Watch charging and docking.
Cut from a solid block of aluminum, Simple Station showcases iPhone and Apple Watch side-by-side, ideal for bedside or desktop charging and display. The stand uses Apple's provided cords to charge and sync, while keeping them hidden with a unique cable management system.
A phone slot accepts iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5s or 5 hardware and is architected to channel speaker output through a passive sound amplification groove.
Simple Station will be offered in matte black and silver colors.
Specifications, pricing and availability for both Banded and Simple Station will be made public when the projects hit Kickstarter in April.
Dubbed Banded, designed by many's protective Apple Watch housing is crafted from solid aluminum and sports a leather strap to give users extra protection without sacrificing looks.
Banded is marketed toward fashion-minded users who are drawn to Apple Watch's technology, but may be less than thrilled about its aesthetics. With protection from nicks and scratches, however, the housing is much more than a second skin.
An open-top design leaves full access to the Force Touch-enabled screen, while tactile controls like the Digital Crown and multifunction button are overlaid with precision cut aluminum parts. An underside cutout offers unfettered access to the heart rate sensor and inductive charging module.
Apple Watch is rated to the IPX7 standard, which means it can be immersed in water up to one-meter deep for a period of 30 minutes. To compensate, designed by many is working on a waterproof version of Banded, as well as a robust shock- and dust-proof iteration.
Banded will debut as a Kickstarter project next month.
A separate product called Simple Station looks to be a one stop shop for iPhone and Apple Watch charging and docking.
Cut from a solid block of aluminum, Simple Station showcases iPhone and Apple Watch side-by-side, ideal for bedside or desktop charging and display. The stand uses Apple's provided cords to charge and sync, while keeping them hidden with a unique cable management system.
A phone slot accepts iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5s or 5 hardware and is architected to channel speaker output through a passive sound amplification groove.
Simple Station will be offered in matte black and silver colors.
Specifications, pricing and availability for both Banded and Simple Station will be made public when the projects hit Kickstarter in April.
Comments
Immediately disqualifies it.
Okay, AI, a groove is not a port or vent.
Having said that, this does look groovy.
That was my first thought. You need to be able to use Touch ID with it charging.
Another issue is the very narrow grove underneath for the ?Watch strap. It needs to be wider so you can put it on the charger without paying much attention. I'm not even sure the link bracelet would fit in that space, but either way there is going to be a lot of rubbing for all bands. The thing is they can easily raise it up since the magnetic charge will hold it with ease.
Apple has said publicly that you can wash your hands with the watch on.
If it gets damaged due to swimming laps (not likely, it's just a precaution to tell you not to do it), what's to stop someone from claiming it got damaged through normal use while washing your hands?
Cannot use a phone case with that dock..
Immediately disqualifies it.
+ The picture is a turnoff as well. I never take my iPhone in the bedroom.
Round face + Android = fail. They'd be better off making a platform agnostic OS like Pebble.
What all you naysayers really want is to see TAG make a smartwatch with Intel and Googs. And you'll get your Android wish soon: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/03/tag-heuer-intel-google-announce-smartwatch-that-feels-like-a-normal-watch/
Round face + Android = fail. They'd be better off making a platform agnostic OS like Pebble.
Tag Heuer announced today that they're going to have to start cutting prices worldwide because of the Swiss Franc. (Sure...)
In any event, it would most certainly be a pricing strategy consistent with getting the Google/Android crowd on board.
Cannot use a phone case with that dock..
Immediately disqualifies it.
Except for me, as I would never put some hideous case on an iPhone.
Will one of these "dock" solutions ever be made heavy enough so that you don't have to hold the damn thing in place while putting the iPhone in/taking it out?
+ The picture is a turnoff as well. I never take my iPhone in the bedroom.
The hell are you talking about? The product is basically CREATED FOR a bedside nightstand.
That case looks like absolute ass. The watch with the case will be fecking huge!
Apple has said publicly that you can wash your hands with the watch on.
If it gets damaged due to swimming laps (not likely, it's just a precaution to tell you not to do it), what's to stop someone from claiming it got damaged through normal use while washing your hands?
The watch is rated IPX 7 which is good for 30mins in 1 meter, NOT MOVING. when its submerged and moves a lot water can get it. So no Swimming is out of the question. So dont be the idiot walking into an apple store seeking a replacement when you decided to jump into water and do a few laps with your apple watch on.Water Rating
Definition
Suitable Activities
Unsuitable Activities
IPX7
Withstands incidental exposure to water of up to 1 meter for
up to 30 minutes
Indoor/outdoor use in the presence of rain, snow or brief
splashes of water
Any immersion of more than 1 meter, regardless of duration of
immersion, or any immersion of more than 30 minutes, regardless of depth of
immersion
You're making assumptions the IP rating doesn't make. The IP rating means EXACTLY what it states so you can't apply any additional meaning to it. It means, it's been tested for and guaranteed by the manufacturer to withstand the pressure from 1 meter of submersion for 30 minutes. Nothing more. It does not mean it can't withstand 1.1 meters or 31 minutes underwater.
This is where the manufacturer, especially one like Apple, where err on the side of caution, but it doesn't mean it's incapable of withstanding more pressure and longer submersion periods; it all depends if you're willing to take that risk with a $349 and up device. If people are willing to buy an iPhone just to bend the shit out of it I have to assume there will be people testing the upper limits of their ?Watch.
* I use the term their because a sample size of one is not enough to determine the limits of the average ?Watch, no matter how precise Apple's manufacturing process.
You're making assumptions the IP rating doesn't make. The IP rating means EXACTLY what it states so you can't apply any additional meaning to it. It means, it's been tested for and guaranteed by the manufacturer to withstand the pressure from 1 meter of submersion for 30 minutes. Nothing more. It does not mean it can't withstand 1.1 meters or 31 minutes underwater.
This is where the manufacturer, especially one like Apple, where err on the side of caution, but it doesn't mean it's incapable of withstanding more pressure and longer submersion periods; it all depends if you're willing to take that risk with a $349 and up device. If people are willing to buy an iPhone just to bend the shit out of it I have to assume there will be people testing the upper limits of their ?Watch.
* I use the term their because a sample size of one is not enough to determine the limits of the average ?Watch, no matter how precise Apple's manufacturing process.
Dont you think apple would have said you can swim with it if you could? I mean really that is a FEATURE that they would promote. When you label something with an IPX rating you are certifying it for that use. If you do more than that you VOID THE WARRANTY. and if you don't think apple can tell if you took the watch swimming or you dropped it in more than 1 meter of water you're gonna be very disappointed when they tell you sorry but this damage is not covered and you have a $350 piece of aluminum.Think about it for a second. How does Apple indemnify themselves against the wide variety of swimming? Why would they want to take that risk?
Only if you don't think about it does that risk become a feature.
Exactly my point. Thanks for finally catching up, and yet despite your statement you still not grasping what the IP rating is actually stating. To restate (yet again) IP rating merely states what the company is fine with advertising as the highest common denominator for which t can insure the product will operate, not the maximum upper limit possible among all devices under all scenarios.
1) If it does break they will be to protect themselves, but if they said, you can "swim with it" which they mean it will take allow the average person to do laps in a pool and but you interpret that to mean you can snorkel with it for a week during your Bahama vacation going down up to 5M every day you may fund yourself to have a different outcome.
2) Will Apple use a pressure sensor to know 1M v 1.1M? That'll be interesting. How will they measure whether it's been submerged for more than 30 minutes in ? 1M of water?
PS: I'll bet yout $399 — the cost of a 42mm ?Watch Sport — that ?Watch will be able to withstand a submersion of 1.1M and 31 minutes submerged. If it can't, you pay me $399.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/289346553/premium-one-dock-and-charge-apple-watch-and-iphone