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Apple Watch's Hidden Diagnostic Port To Allow Battery Straps, Innovative Add-Ons
MojoKid writes: Apple's Watch launched two weeks ago to some unbelievable hype and coverage in the press. However, it appears one feature flew under the radar and Apple actually had just one more trick up its sleeve. You see, on one side of the watch face is a hidden door that exposes a 6-pin port. It's assumed that this could be used for diagnostic purposes, but with an Apple Watch in hand, a company by the name of Reserve Strap was able to verify that it could also be used for charging. This seems pretty huge and strange at the same time: why would Apple keep such a thing quiet, when the Apple Watch's battery-life isn't what most people would consider impressive? Even more interesting is the fact that Apple didn't make use of this port to release its own charging straps — watch straps that carry a charge themselves. Apple's lack of transparency here doesn't much matter, though, as the aforementioned Reserve Strap is planning to get such a product to market as soon as possible. The company says about its first offering: "The Reserve Strap will come in White, Gray and Black and will fit both the 38mm and 42mm case sizes. The first batch of straps will be shipped in the Fall.
And there hasn't been a day where I thought I'd run out of battery power. I've been wearing it at night, and most mornings I wake up with it still about 30% full. This is the 42mm model.
...until Apple breaks it for unlicensed third party hardware, that is.
well, its apple. so, not a JTAG port but a PRICETAG port, perhaps?
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"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
... why would Apple keep such a thing quiet,
Uh, so that they have something to roll out in the future with more hype? Maybe share a charge with your iPhone or iPad?
Some of you guys talk about elite Google engineers, but Apple's marketing prowess and ability is just incredible.
If pebble applied for a patent on it's smartstrap (http://developer.getpebble.com/smartstraps/) technology.
Plenty more to go. The single biggest one being, of course, only being able to use it with an iPhone. I mean, c'mon... at least give iPad support too!
"Apple Watch's battery-life isn't what most people would consider impressive"
This is yet another bullshit clickbait statement. Never gotten below 30% on mine, even when my phone has run dry.
The innovation never stops, this is so exciting. You can now charge your watch, I believe I may pee my pants.
The diagnostic port is hidden by a cover. I'd be interested to see if removing the cover adversely affect's the watch's water resistance. Also, having those electrical connections directly exposed to water, sweat, etc. cannot be good.
Apple will release a patch to block that function, just you wait.
Almost every device has a connection for diagnostics, firmware writing, etc... So, is this just an ad for the company making the strap?
For transparency doesn't give us the courage to find these hidden treasures which have been bestowed upon us.
May we be forever grateful and humbled by our overlords.
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There's a few reasons I can imagine Apple was mum on this. Either it just really isn't actually useful, or meant to be released, or the software/frameworks aren't ready for primetime.
Still, my biggest concern is water resistance. It's exposed pins and it's a wearable. I can't imagine a strap alone is going to help matters here. Right now the watch can survive in relatively shallow depths for short amounts of time, but I wonder if it'll even survive getting dripped on with the diagnostic port exposed.
Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
...it's an App Port! Use an App Cable to connect App Apps to your Apple App! Apps!
Wait for Apple to sue them like they sued these guys.
Right now the watch can survive in relatively shallow depths for short amounts of time, but I wonder if it'll even survive getting dripped on with the diagnostic port exposed.
You are aware that sealed connectors are a thing, yes? I run a company that makes wire harnesses and it is a pretty straight forward exercise to make a water tight sealed connector good to reasonable depths. (It's very easy if you don't care about bulk) I don't know if this is the case here but I suspect it wouldn't be terribly hard for Apple to make a port water tight when open or connected. You could have corrosion of the pins over time, particularly with salt water but it would have to be pretty bad to compromise the seal.
Who cares. Apple's watch is a joke. Only idiots would buy it.
If I felt like I was surrounded by idiots before, how exactly is this going to help point them out?
It seems like this post is an ad for the company Reserve strap. Disguised as a news story.
but with an Apple Watch in hand
Might I be the first to point out that if you have your Apple Watch in your hand you are probably doing it wrong...
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
I remember the first model of iMac had an undocumented card slot. People speculated that Apple used the card slot for factory diagnostics on the iMacs; third-party companies took advantage of the slot to add 3D accelerators; and then Apple revised the iMac design and left that port out.
http://www.macworld.com/article/1014902/imacboards.html
If Apple hasn't announced the port, the port may be gone from the next iWatch release.
Likely the problem is that there aren't enough patents on the port. Perhaps Apple will add a documented expansion port once they find some patents to encumber it.
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
I've had the misfortune of having a Li-Ion battery enter thermal runaway while I was holding it, luckily I managed to drop it with only minor burns and some lightly melted clothing (the floor wasn't so lucky) I know people already carry these things around in their pocket and such, but wrapping one round you wrist is another matter, especially when you consider all the extra opportunities for puncturing the cells. Someone, somewhere, is going to end up with their hand amputated and cauterized in very quick succession.
I'm waiting for Apple to put a charger in their iPhone so that you can place ur Apple Watch on ur iPhone for a quick partial charge.
My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
I can't imagine having to deal with another freaking technology product that I have to charge. Especially one I have to pay Apple a premium for. The day I can't reach into my pocket and use my smartphone is the day I loose both arms and won't need a watch either.
A hidden port is surely something that appeals to any geek. But geeks are not the ones buying an Apple Watch. What will it look like if you attach anything to this hidden port? Dead ugly? In that case, nobody who buys an Apple Watch will want it.
Because it's a sealed diagnostic port for a non-end-user serviceable product, not a feature. They aren't wishing anything up, it's just not something they have a reason to publicise.
Actually, people's opinions on this are very mixed. Some people are reporting great battery life and improved battery life on their iPhone as well as they switch the screen on less. Some people report the opposite. Chances are, people who have just got a new gadget are playing with it all day, which obviously isn't representative of normal usage patterns or battery life.
Why are you describing lack of publicity about a sealed diagnostic port for non-end-user serviceable goods as a "lack of transparency"? That is bizarre. You wouldn't expect that for any other company, let alone Apple.
Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
Next hardware rev they'll remove the port, or worse, just slightly change the configuration of pins and size.
In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
So you have innovative straps and also adds ons. We'll call it the iStrapOn
About their platforms, especially the iPhones. I would expect them to be as or more so with a watch. I wouldn't expect this port to remain usable, in the same configuration or even be there in the future. Because that's how they work.
Most of the time I sort of buy the benevolence in their designs (ie, the lighting port on phones) although generally speaking I think they're too controlling and they actually limit things you can use the devices for.
But if you discover something that hasn't been advertised as for a speciic function, don't be disappointed when they take it away.
Perhaps Apple don't want to put their name on a flexible strap tied around your wrist containing a lithium battery.
It would be a PR nightmare if it caught fire. I don't think flexible battery technology is as mature as non-flexible batteries.
"Innovative" = "Same stuff that has been around forever. But on a watch!"
what are the chances that a strap that incorporating piezo electrics could be used to charge an Apple Watch?
Criminy, the battery in my watch lasts a couple of years on a single charge.
Of course I only use my watch to tell time, or, in a pinch, to navigate.
The diagnostic port is hidden by a cover. I'd be interested to see if removing the cover adversely affect's the watch's water resistance.
It may somewhat, but given that the port itself is located under the round part of the band that slides into the watch, it seems like it would be sealed away fairly well (especially if you designed the strap with that in mind).
It seems pretty sure sweat would not be able to get in there, really only submersion would have a chance.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
One of the things I was thinking the port was there for, was probably when developers could build native apps for the phone - since it would be a little pokey to ship debug builds and running debug info over wireless to the watch, a development cable would be a great idea.
It's probably also for Apple Store employees to run diagnostics (not sure if they have equipment for that yet).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
The diagnostics port offers a direct power input that bypasses the majority of the induction charging circuitry because all that stuff is software controlled. Under certain (and very rare) circumstances, it might be possible to damage the watch in such a way that it becomes impossible to charge using the included accessories. For that reason and that reason only, the diagnostics port offers a guaranteed ability to charge and power the watch so any software related repairs can be made.
Just to be clear, the diagnostics port was NOT designed for external "battery" straps. There is zero API feedback through the kernel or software stack that would allow you to monitor the level of an externally connected battery, nor is there any way to "charge" a battery strap through the same port (so your strap is going to need its own charging circuitry and external power plug). We don't even have full support for that port in the kernel, the watch won't actually say that you've plugged it into an external AC source if you have the recovery adapter plugged in, the battery level will just start rising until it hits 100% and stay there.
Likewise, there is almost no reason to have any kind of power present at that port when the watch is fully booted with the consumer software. I have a feeling that if people start manufacturing straps like this, it isn't going to be long before the software guys lockout the booted watch UI if anything is detected on that port, and the accessory manufactures will have absolutely zero recourse because this kind of operation is totally and utterly unsupported.
TLDR; the diagnostic port accepts power for recovery purposes. Don't bet on any accessories abusing this fact to continue working for very long.
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One of the things I really expected to see out of the Apple Watch was an active battery in the band. The placement of this port really makes me wonder if that wasn't one of their original intentions.
This was supposed to be a developer port that, I thought, Apple themselves said wouldn't be usable in the production model.
Once a watch can go a week without being charged, then I will consider.
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- Holy crap, I've got MOD points! Who thought that was a good idea.
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