only if you throw out your stuff when they require maintenance. can't imagine how many cars you must go thru...
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Watch Battery Designed to Last 1000 Complete Charge Cycles
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
only if you throw out your stuff when they require maintenance. can't imagine how many cars you must go thru...
Yeah, people tried this route 10 years ago with iPods. This is normal for everything that runs on a battery, and this one is replaceable.
they'll most likely do what they did when new iPods, iPhones and iPads come out, many of which are more expensive than the best selling apple watch models.
i dont imagine the bands will change for at least a couple design cycles. i also dont expect annual design changes.
----------
if you have a mechanical watch then you'll know that after 3 years its common for it to require service.
Haters are always inconsistent, they have no ability to retain relevant information on specs/performance/quality or they wouldn't be haters.
3 years life ahhhh..... the same as my Tissot and that cost be £50 for a send back battery replacement. So whats the big deal ?
----------
I'm sure your send it in for a complete S2 and battery upgrade well before then?
----------
I'm sure your send it in for a complete S2 and battery upgrade well before then?
80% capacity after 1000 full charges. So 18 hours life becomes 14.4hrs. If it lasts all day at 14.4 hours, you might get 4 years out of it. After 1200 to 1500 charges, it's probably down to less than 50% capacity or 9 hours.
It's doesn't magically die at 1001 cycles. Although capacity does drop more quickly after the 80% threshold is reached. It's not another 1000 for 80% of that.
I'd say most people will sell or upgrade their watch every 3-5 years. Except maybe those people here who bitch about it needing to last forever. How's that Mac SE working for you?
It's doesn't magically die at 1001 cycles. Although capacity does drop more quickly after the 80% threshold is reached. It's not another 1000 for 80% of that.
I'd say most people will sell or upgrade their watch every 3-5 years. Except maybe those people here who bitch about it needing to last forever. How's that Mac SE working for you?
I think the article is wrong. A charge "cycle" does not normally mean just charging to 100% (which, yes, would likely happen each day).
It means DRAINING and recharging 100%--or multiple smaller drains/recharges that add up to 100%, right?
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.
Plus, as has been said, 80% is not a dead device. Far from it.
Correct me if I'm misunderstanding.
It means DRAINING and recharging 100%--or multiple smaller drains/recharges that add up to 100%, right?
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.
Plus, as has been said, 80% is not a dead device. Far from it.
Correct me if I'm misunderstanding.
Last edited:
Well i don't think that any ipad, iphone, or ipod was ever priced at $17k. And that is why I am hoping they have a strategy that does not require investing in the case with each new gen. In my case its not $17k, but just $2 (including my wife's phone), but if they either have an internals upgrade or a trade in that helps retain some of its value that would be awesome. More awesome would be to have a watch on my wrist right now, but alas....
It's always a worst-case scenario. Apple knows that if they give best case scenario they'll have to deal with the people above complaining about why their watch battery needs to be replaced
Absolutely, and as long as you keep doing that, it's guaranteed for life. The main thrust of my comment was to point out that the iWatch does have some pretty strong barriers to overcome such as competing with existing wearables that provide functions with little maintenance, power constraints, and cost.
For me, I am impressed with the overall design and look, but the price is off the wall and far outside what I would pay for a watch which is something that is likely to get hit / scratched etc. Every watch I have ever known will last more than a few hours (in fact months) before needing a charge or battery change. To have to have an iPhone as well to get the iWatch to perform many functions is negative considering its drawbacks.
In fairness, this is the first release. When a product is launched, both the good and the bad have to be learned in order to evolve the product. Apple will no doubt continue to improve it and address any usability issues.
This is where battery tech is and shouldn't be at all surprising. It's not like the battery on phones (comparatively) do better nor do laptops.
Perhaps the "outrage" is because the cost of the watch - do people expect it to defy physics? Or that Apple is going to just hand over a new/fresh battery?
No - they will offer paid replacements and/or you can buy a new watch in a few years.
This business model really shouldn't surprise anyone.
Perhaps the "outrage" is because the cost of the watch - do people expect it to defy physics? Or that Apple is going to just hand over a new/fresh battery?
No - they will offer paid replacements and/or you can buy a new watch in a few years.
This business model really shouldn't surprise anyone.
Apparently you're not very familiar with these things. It wasn't that long ago when Li-ion batteries would diminish after only 300 recharge cycles. 1000 cycles is an achievement, it took a lot of engineering to get it to last THAT long.
So no, Apple didn't design it to die. Apple designed it to last as long as they know how to make a Li-ion battery last.
And then you get it replaced. No different than a mechanical watch requiring service every few years.
Watch battery replaced would be comparable (or actually less).
Hi,
every 3 yrs a new battery may turn out to be a non existing problem for many. Pople will replace the unit even more often than that. If however the watch cannot function for a full day on one charge, say after 1 year, that could be a problem. We shall, I will not
Keep well
Yes, I think folks are not factoring in that dropping to 80% might regularly mean the watch loses power before you go to bed. That would be annoying. For many people even a drop to 90% capacity might be too much capacity loss during their busy usage days.
However $79 isn't that much to get a new battery. Maybe Sport owners will weigh that against cost of version 2 or 3 and find it steep. But SS owners will probably get the replaced battery. And how many years of use are Sport owners expecting to get out of their watch anyway?
I replace the battery in my iPhones after a bit over a year and change and it makes a big difference. But my last attempt with iPhone 5s was really hard to successfully execute. So i think I'm done with doing this stuff myself.
But your mechanical watch is dumb as mule, does not matter what you ask, it can only tell you what time it is.
How do I get home? 2:31pm.
Is it going to rain? 2:31pm.
Call my friend? 2:31pm......
What did you expect!! It's a battery, they don't last forever, not even a rechargeable one. So yeah, spend mega bucks for a device where the battery only last a few charges, and yes 1,000 isn't that many considering the battery charge will only last you about half the day.
It you have to take the watch off and charge it at least twice a day, that means the battery only lasts apx 500 days. That only about a year and a half before needing a new one. The Apple watch may be a nice device but is a complete money pit. And I say again, it's essentially nothing more than an extended display to the iPhone that you have to carry around with you anyway just so most the features of the watch will work. IMO that is NOT worth the asking price.
----------
And how did we accomplish, "how do I get home, is it going to rain, call my friend" before the Apple Watch came along? Oh that's right, the iPhone that I have to carry around with me in order for those functions to even work with the watch. Yeah, I'll just not be a lazy azz and pull that out if my pocket instead !!
Without your iPhone, most of the features of the Apple Watch WILL NOT WORK as it requires your phones WiFi or cellular connection to do anything.
A $500 to $10,000 dollar device that almost completely dependent on another device just to use most of it's funtions. If you lose, damage your iPhone, or it gets stolen, that Apple Watch is nothing more than a brick on your wrist.
The jeweler does not adjust my Rolex for free. Not sure why this would be any different. It still cost, way more than $79, every time.
...What?
Someone that spent 10K is "royally screwed" by having to shell out less than a hundred bucks?
You realize they'll more likely be buying the new one anyway right?
Either replace the battery in years to come, or replace the Watch. And before you moan 'I have to buy a new watch every 3 years' - No. In 3 years the battery life will have improved considerably.
What about those spending $10,000 on the Edition? They can easily afford to replace the battery. Or, if they're the same people maintaining and refuelling Feraris, replace the watch.
----------
This is a great point. I intend to buy the Sport, and in a few years when the Watch is even better and I want to upgrade I will get the Stainless Steel.
What about those spending $10,000 on the Edition? They can easily afford to replace the battery. Or, if they're the same people maintaining and refuelling Feraris, replace the watch.
----------
This is a great point. I intend to buy the Sport, and in a few years when the Watch is even better and I want to upgrade I will get the Stainless Steel.
Based on my experience with lithium batteries, once they get to that 80% capacity they quickly go downhill very fast. All the cells are very close to dying at that point.
A mechanical watch also isn't that accurate. Here's Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson discussing why the iPhone has the most accurate time, even vs Android phones. Skip to 15:25 for that part. Watch earlier to hear why he chose an iPhone in general. He also says he's been using Macs since the '80s. If he doesn't get a free Watch, it would be a crime (and considering how popular he is now, would be a dumb move on Apple's part not to):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghLa9rwZQVI
----------
Without my iPhone, the Watch still does a lot more than a dumb watch.