Apple Watch Battery Designed to Last 1000 Complete Charge Cycles

[Carmenia83]

Just so long as you're ok with doing all your repairs on your own afterward since apple won't service a device that's been tampered with.

It's funny that it's 'servicing' if Apple changes the battery but it's 'tampering' if I do. I do all my own work after the warranty is up. Apple's repair pricing is outrageous.

 

[ibphd]

Not quite rite

Wow, this guy...Either you don't own a mechanical watch or know what a mechanical watch is. Mechanical watches don't need batteries. If your battery runs on batteries its a quartz movement.

The first watches meant to compete against the first Quartz/tuning fork movements were purely mechanical. There was a battery and small motors with no transistors, no Quartz, and no spring to power it. They were made by Timex, Hamilton, and several other companies. They failed to "stem" the tide of digital watches, and were sold for only a few years. Incidentally, the batteries they used were advertised to last a year; that claim was a fantasy. The batteries were eventually banned because Mercury was happily used as a ingredient. Such batteries are now residing in your local landfill, quietly polluting the water table. The watches are now collectors items, and are still available at your local thrift store or your grandfathers discard drawer.

 

[NT1440]

More that they've jumped in to the technology wearable style fashion accessory market. Yeah, the aluminum and steel Apple Watches are in the "wearable technology" market - but look at where they're advertising and selling the gold versions - in high-end-fashion magazines and stores. The expensive Apple Watch is not about conventional watch collecting (as you also state,) nor is it about the wearable technology market; it is purely about the fashion accessory market.

Just look at the custom one-off versions they have given to fashion-conscious celebrities, including an all-gold-band version to a fashion icon - an all-gold band that is not available elsewhere.

I think the high end serves to get wearable technology onto the wrists of "the tastemakers". Make no mistakes, this platform is going to be as transformative as the smartphone was, but the cultural acceptance needs to be built up first. Hence, the Apple Watch V1.

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It's funny that it's 'servicing' if Apple changes the battery but it's 'tampering' if I do. I do all my own work after the warranty is up. Apple's repair pricing is outrageous.

I do my own repairs as well (I'm 2015 ACMT certified), but as far as pricing goes right now Apple's doing some damn good acts in terms of batteries.

$79 in the watch is not bad for consumers given few would dare to open the device up from technophobia.

But Apple's battery replacement for $179 in the MBP's and Airs is actually a phenomenal deal. For that price the entire topcase (Keyboard, Trackpad, and battery) get's replaced because of the glued in battery.

Now if we're talking Logic board pricing...that's still outrageous. Apple's battery pricing is pretty good though in my opinion.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

Feel free to invent a new battery technology to solve these problems.

I'm looking forward to this technology replacing batteries... Super capacitors. High storage, quick charging (think less than a minute for the watch, and 90-120 seconds for a full charge on a phone, and MacBooks at 5-7 minutes)
http://www.focusforwardfilms.com/contest/84/the-super-supercapacitor-brian-golden-davis

The one bad thing about capacitors is that when you over-voltage them or short them out, they tend to... well, explode.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63c3NDwk2TU

Having said that, there are capacitors in pretty much every electronic device out there, and the smart thing to do is have over-voltage prevention circuits, using a capacitor with a higher voltage rating (usually 2x of max possible voltage is done), and limiting the chargers available (like what was done with the watch.)

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

Now if we're talking Logic board pricing...that's still outrageous. Apple's battery pricing is pretty good though in my opinion.

The first modern Mac I had was a G4 iBook. My house in France had a near miss lightning strike, while my G4 was backing up and was connected to the net via the dial up modem. Both the logic board and the back-up drive were killed. I had bought the iBook as an ex-demo at £400. Apple wanted £450 to replace the logic board. Luckily the internal HD survived and I was able to transfer my data to a new Macbook. Multiple back-ups have been the order of the day ever since.

Wilson

 

[theluggage]

wrong. mechanical watches don't run on batteries...that's why they're called mechanical.

If it has got moving hands, it has a mechanism, it is mechanical.

 

[BillyTrimble]

Meh. Still not that great for a watch to be honest.

Perhaps not. Perhaps that's the best can be achieved right now. You will be upset with this kind of battery life and I'd strongly suggest you don't get it. Or else we'll have to listen to you complain and moan and grown for the next two years. Please, I beg you, don't get this watch. Thanks.

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What the hell? I have to pay 1/4 of my watch every two years so I can use it?

Please don't get this watch. You are already complaining and we don't want to listen to you complain, and moan and groan for the next two years. Thanks.

 

[manu chao]

If it has got moving hands, it has a mechanism, it is mechanical.

Welcome to the world of literalists where the concept that a word can have different meanings depending on context is a thought too complex too hold.

 

[darcyf]

It's funny that it's 'servicing' if Apple changes the battery but it's 'tampering' if I do. I do all my own work after the warranty is up. Apple's repair pricing is outrageous.

How can Apple guarantee the work they do on your device if someone they haven't certified has done work on it in the past?

They do a repair after you, and something goes wrong... who's fault is it now?

Think about it.

 

[bhayes444]

I don't know how much you know about batteries, but cell age degradation in Lithium based batteries is negligible. They keep their charge for years if left alone. The opposite is true for lead or nickle based batteries, which lose significant amounts of charge in a short time span.

In aviation we're not allowed to keep batteries (nickle based) shelved for more than 3 months for that very reason.

I don't know a ton about batteries. Good to know that the lithium based batteries have a negligible amount of degradation. Thanks for the info!

 

[weezor]

So it will depend on usage. If you drain your watch to 50% each day, it will take 2000 days, not 1000, to reach 80%.

The article's expected time frame sounds like a worst case: if you kill your battery dead every day. Sure, in that case, you'll need a battery swap sooner, or you'll sell it because you prefer a new one. But it doesn't sound like the typical scenario.

After a full day of playing around with my apple watch I have 40% left.

 

[gorskiegangsta]

Battery tech is really under developed. Despite the fact that batteries remain the biggest bottleneck of mobile technology, and that they've become the single largest component in portable electronics, it's surprising that majority of relevant innovations (e.g. graphene super capacitors) have been glossed over by electronics companies. Hopefully the recent Stanford aluminum battery tech will make it somewhere.

As for the current "retains 80% capacity at 1000 cycles" claims, good luck with that. My 2011 MBP lost 15% capacity at 600 cycles and 45% at 800 cycles, despite being used/charged regularly over the course of 4 years.

 

[mazz0]

i see i was too slow. sigh.

no. you can keep it at 80% if you wish, like many people do w/ old iPhones. or if you're unhappy w/ the actual world in which we live, where batteries wear out, then you can bring it in for servicing every few years. just like, you know, mechanical watches.

i bet you dont even have a mechanical watch.

If you don't mind me asking, why do you right "w/" instead of "with"? You're saving a single keystroke at the expense of readability. Seems weird to me.

 

[manu chao]

If you don't mind me asking, why do you right "w/" instead of "with"? You're saving a single keystroke at the expense of readability. Seems weird to me.

I don't know, I don't think writing 'right' when one means 'write' is enhancing the readability either. And "don't" and "you're" are also saving one character each.

 

[the8thark]

Number of complete charge cycles isn't a fair comparison to make. Those other devices typically last longer than a day between charges.

That's obvious. I charge my iPhone every 2-3 days and my iPad every 3-4 days or more. Can't compare that to a decide where you have to charge it daily. The different batteries will lost totally different lengths of time even all of them are 1000 charges before they lose lasting power.

I am a little surprised the original article here does not mention this. That does seem kind of obvious.

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I'm impressed they thought about the amount of charge cycles and realised it needed to be better than the iPhone. My one comment would be it seems quite expensive to replace, around half the amount would seem to be more reasonable. But then, who is going to keep it more than 3 years?

Are you aware different Apple devices have typically different lengths of time between charges?

 

[manu chao]

As for the current "retains 80% capacity at 1000 cycles" claims, good luck with that. My 2011 MBP lost 15% capacity at 600 cycles and 45% at 800 cycles, despite being used/charged regularly over the course of 4 years.

When Apple announced improvements in battery technology for the notebooks about five years ago they wrote:

Your new Apple notebook features advanced battery chemistry that greatly extends the battery’s lifespan. The built-in battery of your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air is designed to deliver up to 1000 full charge and discharge cycles before it reaches 80 percent of its original capacity. In addition, Adaptive Charging reduces the wear and tear on the battery giving it a lifespan of up to 5 years.​

So it is not only the cycle count but also the age (as in: whatever comes first). That still means your battery is underperforming. But you also see reports of batteries "overperforming". In the link above somebody has clocked up 2500 battery cycles on a late 2008 aluminium Macbook (which officially is only rated for 500 cycles).

 

[the8thark]

In my company (which is not Apple but is one of the top PC makers in the worlds), we offer the 3-cell on most of our consumer notebooks, and they come with 1 year warranties for both unit and battery. That means your battery is liable to start losing effectiveness after 1 year but if you get in before the 1 year mark we'll replace it (assuming no abnormal CID). We don't do this to screw the customer, we do it to keep commodity costs low so ppl can buy $299 notebooks.

I'm sure you tell your customers this. But you tell your shareholders, having warranties that just till the batteries start to lose effectiveness so by the time people notice it they are out of warranty saves the company more $$.

I always compare product effectiveness times and warranty lengths to see if the various companies are pulling this trick on me.

 

[the8thark]

... and they are all fools because they bought one anyways and we all know a fool and his money are soon parted... wonder how they got so rich being so dumb lol

They only have to find other fools to part with their money to become rich. And like attracts like in this case.

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Fair enough. Will any of them track my heart rate and distance run?

They certainly both tell time–and are worn on wrists–but the they are made with different goals. If any of the Rolex watches address all of someone's needs at a lower price point–then yes–choose from that line.

I was and, to some extent am, uninterested in a watch as a time piece. I preordered an Apple Watch because of everything else it can do.

Your mechanical or quartz watch and iPhone will track your distance run too. Only difference is you'll have to check your iPhone for the results. The iPhone can do that no matter what watch you have. And you need it with you for the Apple Watch.

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Welcome to the world of literalists where the concept that a word can have different meanings depending on context is a thought too complex too hold.

Please don't enter the world of haters and complainers who love hating and complaining so much that even ignorance of the facts does not get in the way of their hate crusades.

 

[manu chao]

Please don't enter the world of haters and complainers who love hating and complaining so much that even ignorance of the facts does not get in the way of their hate crusades.

What shall we do when some people insist on their definition of a word or term? Even if basically everybody else has a different meaning attached to that word or term? When they try to use logic to explain why their definition is the right one?

Of course I know what we should do, simply ignore them. But sometimes I cannot help myself.

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That's obvious. I charge my iPhone every 2-3 days and my iPad every 3-4 days or more. Can't compare that to a decide where you have to charge it daily. The different batteries will lost totally different lengths of time even all of them are 1000 charges before they lose lasting power.

We also know that the vast majority of people charges their iPhones everyday which implies that they go down to at least 50% after one day but on average go down maybe to 25%.

 

[the8thark]

What shall we do when some people insist on their definition of a word or term? Even if basically everybody else has a different meaning attached to that word or term? When they try to use logic to explain why their definition is the right one?

Of course I know what we should do, simply ignore them. But sometimes I cannot help myself.

I agree. People don't have an open mind and are not willing to say " I didn't know that, thanks for teaching me something new". Stubbornly insisting their incorrect way is the only way. I personally like saying thanks when I learn something new. One person can't know everything.

And btw well said.

 

[Carmenia83]

How can Apple guarantee the work they do on your device if someone they haven't certified has done work on it in the past?

They do a repair after you, and something goes wrong... who's fault is it now?

Think about it.

I agree. And like I said, I do all my own work after the warranty is up. iSurgery is actually a lot of fun. If I had time for a second job, I'd apply at the Genius Bar lol

 

[iKen1]

Meh. Still not that great for a watch to be honest.

Just about every quartz watch on the market will be dead after 3 years and need it's battery replaced. This one will actually still be going strong at 80% of original capacity. Seems pretty comparable to me.

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Is that another way of saying the Apple Watch was designed to die within 3 years ?

No, it doesn't. Read the article rather than making things up. After 3 years it will be working just fine (as the battery will still be able to retain 80% of the charge it originally was able to).

 

[Gasu E.]

My Mechanical watch is exactly that, mechanical. It cost £180 and requires no batteries whatsoever. In fact, even though I could manually wind it up every day, just wearing it powers the watch through simple but clever mechanical design. After 3 years it has retained 100% of it's original power capacity.

It does one thing and one thing only, but really, really well. Exactly how products should be.

Based on this, it can be inferred that you also believe cell phones should only do one thing-- presumably, make phone calls. It's certainly your right to feel this way; but if so, why are you even bothering to comment on an iGadget blog?

 

[mazz0]

I don't know, I don't think writing 'right' when one means 'write' is enhancing the readability either. And "don't" and "you're" are also saving one character each.

OMG, can't believe I did that! I'm going to go sit in a corner and hide.

<incredibly ashamed face>

"don't" and "you're" reflect spoke language though, w/ doesn't.

 

[unplugme71]

too bad you can't make wireless payments with your watch. or send messages. or unlock doors. or turn on lights, or...well, Nything other than tell the time. yawn.

also, and back on topic - your $1300 watch should have been taken in for occasional servicing, to adjust the mechanisms, etc. $79 for that is a fair price.

I don't want my watch to do that. I have an iPad and iPhone to do that and both work extremely well.

As for the second part... I do. And its free like I previously mentioned.