How much battery power could be fit inside of a strap? Looking at the actual battery from an apple watch tear down pictures I would assume one can easily fit a couple of days worth in it. Ideally the watch would come with two battery straps. One is always at home charging and if your watch is nearly drained you just swap the bands. And for weekend trips one would always bring the second strap.
Very interesting. I've really enjoyed using the Watch for the past few days. My take is that its biggest problem (no not shattergate, etc) is battery life. Right now, this is not so much a problem. When a plethora of on-board apps arrive, it will be. A band-charger would be a potential solution. Or one of those plutonium batteries they used to use in pacemakers 30 years back.
Most people don't remember, or weren't around when the first iMacs came out, that there was a connector inside that Apple used for diagnostics there as well.
Manufacturers found that they could make boards for it that added functionality. Apple removed it with the second iteration of the machines. That fact that they covered this connector is likely telling everyone that it's not intended for third party use.
While it would most likely make it more difficult for Apple to do whatever testing they use this for, they would probably remove it if they weren't happy about it being used by others, for uses it wasn't intended for.
So I wouldn't be too thrilled, just yet, about third parties having ideas for its use.
If you visit an Apple Store you will see the watch on display being powered without the magnetic charger. I would guess they are using the "so-called" diagnostic port.
I suspect Apple is just trying to get the Watch out the door and on many wrists as possible before officially opening up that port. It certainly would expand the possibilities of (imho) 3rd party add-ons, possibly in the medical field.
Imagine going to the doctor, and them handing you some kind of special medical wristband to monitor vital signs in addition to what the Watch does? Dunno... possible?
Either way, with the possibilities there, expect the Samsungs of the world to "innovate" (i.e. Copy) this design quickly.
Most people don't remember, or weren't around when the first iMacs came out, that there was a connector inside that Apple used for diagnostics there as well.
Manufacturers found that they could make boards for it that added functionality. Apple removed it with the second iteration of the machines. That fact that they covered this connector is likely telling everyone that it's not intended for third party use.
While it would most likely make it more difficult for Apple to do whatever testing they use this for, they would probably remove it if they weren't happy about it being used by others, for uses it wasn't intended for.
So I wouldn't be too thrilled, just yet, about third parties having ideas for its use.
This is important to remember. Building a business plan based around an unannounced, and as yet unsupported, feature of someone else's device is a bad idea. I would avoid buying any such devices that come out until Apple says something about ongoing support for that port.
Then again, I am holding off on the watch itself until we get an idea of ongoing support of the watch and upgrade paths.
I'm not actually sure Apple even officially acknowledges the existence of the port, much less signal their plans for it. That iMac port might have had a whole host of plans associated with it, but they were scrapped on the second iteration as Apple saw the progress of the device.
This will be interesting to play out. Apple has a host of patents on the Apple Watch, not the least of which is a design patent on the attach mechanism. They have essentially three choices:
1. Turn a blind eye to the infringing devices that are sure to appear;
2. License the technology "Made for Apple Watch" as the article suggests;
3. Quietly monitor infringers to see if there are real damages to the Apple Watch profitability and branding and act against them, either with a legal challenge or acquisition.
Interestingly, I'm fairly sure that Apple can completely control that port via firmware updates. Pretty sure they can make the Watch non-responsive to any device they feel isn't "appropriate."
You missed an obvious one.
4. Issue a software update to the watch that kills any unauthorised hardware that uses the port.
Remember how butt-hurt the jailbreakers got when Apple released updates that bricked their phones? Even if Apple didn't want to be capricious, they may have genuine reasons for not allowing access to the port, and third party hacks that use it might cause unexpected consequences.
So, as I already said, be vary wary of anyone who sells an accessory that uses an undocumented, and potentially unsupported, feature of any device. You have no idea how long it will be supported.
Apple will find it hard to block charging through the port if there is no DRM like the Lightning port. That men's they won't be able to block battery straps. In other words, they can't stop it.
So let people risk their money. Why does everyone have to get their panties in a bunch about it?
I'd wait until Apple authorizes this, you don't want them removing the functionality in an update.
Apple probably designed it to also charge so that a tech can just deal with one cable when he's diagnosing it.
Makes me wonder if Apple will bother with actually repairing watches. May be less hassle and cheaper in the long run to just swap them out and put the bad one in the crushing machine. Unless it's an Edition, in which case the case is melted down and tossed into Aplle's Scrooge McDuck vault with the rest of their gold.
Apple will find it hard to block charging through the port if there is no DRM like the Lightning port. That men's they won't be able to block battery straps. In other words, they can't stop it.
So let people risk their money. Why does everyone have to get their panties in a bunch about it?
Because when Apple shuts this down, if they decide it's a "bad thing", the people who buy and/or sell these bands will start whining about how Apple is evil, and stopping them from doing what they want, and/or making money.
Also, you're wrong. Apple can stop battery straps. A firmware update will do it. That's if they can actually get into the hatch in the first place - the teardown said it required disassembling the watch and pushing it out from the inside.
In addition, it is now officially forbidden from Apple's newly announced Made for Apple Watch program.
What I don't see in there is any mention of the diagnostic port and accessing it. Again, I'd be very wary of using something not explicitly documented as a feature on any device, not just Apple's.
Also, I'm not entirely sure how you'd connect a battery band. How do you insert the connector? Make it springloaded on the lug? Doesn't sound very reliable. Engineering that bit sounds like it's much more work than it needs to be for something that isn't supported.
Comments
My AppleWatch has been consistently showing 25%-30% at the end of a typical 17- to 18-hour day.
I've noticed that it has actually got better in the past ten days! Weird.
Probably for the same reason Iphone's battery improve after a while, people play less with their new toy :-); normal use patterns emerge.
Same here. With the exception of day 1, when I played with it endlessly, mine always has plenty in reserve at the end of the day.
On the 42mm, I'm easily getting 24 hour battery life.
Very interesting. I've really enjoyed using the Watch for the past few days. My take is that its biggest problem (no not shattergate, etc) is battery life. Right now, this is not so much a problem. When a plethora of on-board apps arrive, it will be. A band-charger would be a potential solution. Or one of those plutonium batteries they used to use in pacemakers 30 years back.
Most people don't remember, or weren't around when the first iMacs came out, that there was a connector inside that Apple used for diagnostics there as well.
Manufacturers found that they could make boards for it that added functionality. Apple removed it with the second iteration of the machines. That fact that they covered this connector is likely telling everyone that it's not intended for third party use.
While it would most likely make it more difficult for Apple to do whatever testing they use this for, they would probably remove it if they weren't happy about it being used by others, for uses it wasn't intended for.
So I wouldn't be too thrilled, just yet, about third parties having ideas for its use.
If you visit an Apple Store you will see the watch on display being powered without the magnetic charger. I would guess they are using the "so-called" diagnostic port.
Same here the more I use it the more the battery last. An extra battery would be great for traveling.
I suspect Apple is just trying to get the Watch out the door and on many wrists as possible before officially opening up that port. It certainly would expand the possibilities of (imho) 3rd party add-ons, possibly in the medical field.
Imagine going to the doctor, and them handing you some kind of special medical wristband to monitor vital signs in addition to what the Watch does? Dunno... possible?
Either way, with the possibilities there, expect the Samsungs of the world to "innovate" (i.e. Copy) this design quickly.
Then again, I am holding off on the watch itself until we get an idea of ongoing support of the watch and upgrade paths.
You missed an obvious one.
4. Issue a software update to the watch that kills any unauthorised hardware that uses the port.
Remember how butt-hurt the jailbreakers got when Apple released updates that bricked their phones? Even if Apple didn't want to be capricious, they may have genuine reasons for not allowing access to the port, and third party hacks that use it might cause unexpected consequences.
So, as I already said, be vary wary of anyone who sells an accessory that uses an undocumented, and potentially unsupported, feature of any device. You have no idea how long it will be supported.
"Apple don't take a dump without having a plan, son."
First of all, that is one of my favorite movies of all time
Secondly, I thought that iFixit said you couldn't access the port without pretty much destroying the watch in the process?
Still unable to remove the diagnostic port door, we resort to pushing it free through the little holes on the inside of the case.
There's got to be an easier way to access the door than disassembling the whole watch—but we're not privy to Apple's secrets.
ideas are the easy part. implementation is the hard part.
It would be bulky, expensive and incredibly inefficient.
So let people risk their money. Why does everyone have to get their panties in a bunch about it?
Makes me wonder if Apple will bother with actually repairing watches. May be less hassle and cheaper in the long run to just swap them out and put the bad one in the crushing machine. Unless it's an Edition, in which case the case is melted down and tossed into Aplle's Scrooge McDuck vault with the rest of their gold.
It would be bulky, expensive and incredibly inefficient.
In addition, it is now officially forbidden from Apple's newly announced Made for Apple Watch program.
Also, you're wrong. Apple can stop battery straps. A firmware update will do it. That's if they can actually get into the hatch in the first place - the teardown said it required disassembling the watch and pushing it out from the inside.
What I don't see in there is any mention of the diagnostic port and accessing it. Again, I'd be very wary of using something not explicitly documented as a feature on any device, not just Apple's.
Also, I'm not entirely sure how you'd connect a battery band. How do you insert the connector? Make it springloaded on the lug? Doesn't sound very reliable. Engineering that bit sounds like it's much more work than it needs to be for something that isn't supported.