Apple releases USB-C charging cable for Apple Watch

AppleInsider

As the new iPhone XR comes out, so does a single accessory -- but it's not for the phone. Instead, it's for connecting your Watch to a USB-C port instead of the regular USB-A one.

The Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB-C Cable is 0.3 meters long (1 foot) and costs $29. As with the original Watch charging cable, it has a round, magnetic inductive charger that you place the Apple Watch against.

The Apple Watch has always used USB-A, the type of socket and plug most people think of when they say USB at all. However, apart from the current MacBook Air, all present models of MacBook charge using USB-C.

Consequently, this new cable means that you can pack one USB-C mains plug and use it to charge either your MacBook or your Apple Watch.

USB-C protocols can carry more power than USB-A, but in this case charging is not impacted as the induction charger that snaps onto the back of your Watch is unaltered.

It's rumored that Apple will move to USB-C for its forthcoming iPads, expected to be announced at the company's October 30 event.

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wood1208

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

macapfel

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

aknabi

macapfel said:

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

That'll be cool until you need to charge somewhere remote and can't and miss an important meeting/job interview/date/Tinder hookup as a result... and bolt to Android because Apple's arrogance cost you money/a job/possible future wife/night of wildness...  (not to mentioning don't know if wireless will be able to fast charge like a cable in a pinch).

But of course the folks in Cupertino never deal with these realities (add real cold weather or a bike based life looking at some of their design decisions).

kidrock2199

Oh geez, here we go again. So if the iPad coming this month will in fact move to USB-C, then you can pretty much guarantee next years iPhones will switch, too. This is just SOP for Apple. That’s how they keep you upgrading every year even when you don’t want to. So if you just got the new XS and were looking to upgrade your iPad this year, hopefully you weren’t thinking about keeping that XS for more than a year because you’re not gonna want two different cables to charge those two different devices. 

It was completely possible for them to include USB-C in the iPhone THIS year and then the iPad a month later. But of course....why do that when you can offset the introduction of it and guarantee that extra sale next year?

As for the USB-C for MacBook, I don’t like that. The magnetic cable was perfect! You know how often people trip over those cords and no one else had that! That was a brilliant invention, and they kill it. 

macapfel

aknabi said:

macapfel said:

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

That'll be cool until you need to charge somewhere remote and can't and miss an important meeting/job interview/date/Tinder hookup as a result... and bolt to Android because Apple's arrogance cost you money/a job/possible future wife/night of wildness...  (not to mentioning don't know if wireless will be able to fast charge like a cable in a pinch).

But of course the folks in Cupertino never deal with these realities (add real cold weather or a bike based life looking at some of their design decisions).

Well, after we'll be informed on 30. October that the Smart Connector can also be used for charging, this problem vanishes. Also, in 1-2 years, Qi charges will be more common everywhere. We have a restaurant around the corner, where Qi-charges are part of the each table. They're not expensive – but a great service. I don't see a problem here.

redgeminipa

I think Apple is slowly moving everything to USB-C to Lightning. It's already been proven that Lightning can handle high-speed charging when using the USB-C to Lightning cable and a MacBook charger to charge new iPhones. I'm still betting that's what all this BS about the iPad Pro moving to USB-C is all about. It's going to be a USB-C to Lightning cable with a higher wattage charger included. Why would Apple care about using a wired spec for external monitor support? Make customers buy an Apple TV 4K, and just do it wirelessly. Apple is moving everything to wireless, so why would they completely change the connector again when Lightning does what it needs to do? As for USB-C showing up in an iPhone, forget about it. It's a physically larger port, and Apple won't sacrifice internal space or design to switch to CLUMSY USB-C. My MacBook has it, and I HATE it. It's nowhere near as nice as plugging in a Lightning cable, period.

Mike Wuerthele

aknabi said:

macapfel said:

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

That'll be cool until you need to charge somewhere remote and can't and miss an important meeting/job interview/date/Tinder hookup as a result... and bolt to Android because Apple's arrogance cost you money/a job/possible future wife/night of wildness...  (not to mentioning don't know if wireless will be able to fast charge like a cable in a pinch).

But of course the folks in Cupertino never deal with these realities (add real cold weather or a bike based life looking at some of their design decisions).

I feel like if you have a single point of failure that causes you to miss all of these life-altering events, then its your workflow that's the issue and not Apple's charging choices.

StrangeDays

aknabi said:

macapfel said:

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

That'll be cool until you need to charge somewhere remote and can't and miss an important meeting/job interview/date/Tinder hookup as a result... and bolt to Android because Apple's arrogance cost you money/a job/possible future wife/night of wildness...  (not to mentioning don't know if wireless will be able to fast charge like a cable in a pinch).

But of course the folks in Cupertino never deal with these realities (add real cold weather or a bike based life looking at some of their design decisions).

Rest assured that regardless of the butt hurt, if Apple does it the Android knockoffs will follow. 

Heres google following:

netrox

kidrock2199 said:

Oh geez, here we go again. So if the iPad coming this month will in fact move to USB-C, then you can pretty much guarantee next years iPhones will switch, too. This is just SOP for Apple. That’s how they keep you upgrading every year even when you don’t want to. So if you just got the new XS and were looking to upgrade your iPad this year, hopefully you weren’t thinking about keeping that XS for more than a year because you’re not gonna want two different cables to charge those two different devices. 

It was completely possible for them to include USB-C in the iPhone THIS year and then the iPad a month later. But of course....why do that when you can offset the introduction of it and guarantee that extra sale next year?

As for the USB-C for MacBook, I don’t like that. The magnetic cable was perfect! You know how often people trip over those cords and no one else had that! That was a brilliant invention, and they kill it. 

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Macbook-Basevs-Devices-6-6FT-Sliver/dp/B07863DZ4D

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Delivery-Connector-Converter-Pixelbook/dp/B07C1PCBM3/ref=pd_sim_147_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07C1PCBM3&pd_rd_r=409558ca-d3b9-11e8-a6fd-9dddcd259c60&pd_rd_w=G2KCI&pd_rd_wg=3zU4y&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=18bb0b78-4200-49b9-ac91-f141d61a1780&pf_rd_r=YSCT3HDFWS6Y5889M4NT&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=YSCT3HDFWS6Y5889M4NT

I could go on and on. Shop for it and your problem solved.

siretman

I don’t understand all this blather about connectors to Apple devices. Apple makes well considered decisions on the type of cable to use on each device. I am sure that they spend lots of time discussing the pros and cons of each connector type. 
We trust Apple on making many more significant design decisions about the device so why not trust them on the connector decisions. 

tyler82

All apple products still come with USB-2 cables even though Apple ditched it for USB-C 2 years ago! C’mon Apple where is your “courage?” Tired of these old legacy USB cables for my 1 year old MBPro.

anome

I should get me one of them cables. On the other hand, I still have a lot of USB-A chargers.

Still, will come in handy when they go for all USB-C PD for charging everything.

maestro64

Looks like Neil will be happy, this was the one think he said he was unable to do when he traveled, the watch was the only Apple item he could not get a USB-C connector for so he only had to carry one charger.