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Apple Watch's Hidden Diagnostic Port To Allow Battery Straps, Innovative Add-Ons

Posted by samzenpus on from the corkscrew-now-included dept.

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.

4 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. I've had the watch 10 days by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.

    1. Re:I've had the watch 10 days by kirkc99 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Ditto. I watched battery life closely the first couple days. After that, I haven't given it any thought.

  2. Battery life non-issue by mveloso · · Score: 4, Informative

    "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.

  3. Sealed connectors by sjbe · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.