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Photos Reveal Secrets Behind Apple Watch Retail Display Units

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In its retail stores, Apple uses special Apple Watch display units to allow customers to test the Apple Watch ahead of making a purchase. The units, which have been available in stores since try-on appointments began on April 10, combine a functional Apple Watch (secured to prevent theft) with an iPad mini that gives details on various aspects of the device.

Apple-Watch-Demo.png
Most of us probably haven't stopped to wonder about how these units work, but new Brazilian regulatory documents and images shared by Blog do iPhone [Google Translate] give us a fascinating inside look at how Apple engineered the display units.

According to BlogdoiPhone, Apple Watches inside the display cases have special bands that incorporate a Lightning cable, which plug into the case to connect to the iPad. When an app is opened on the Apple Watch, this connection relays data to the iPad on what's being viewed, letting the screen display additional information about each feature.

applewatchlightningband.jpg
The specialized Lightning port band connects to the hidden 6-pin diagnostic port on the Apple Watch, using it to establish a connection between the watch and the case. It is not clear if the diagnostic port connection also allows the Apple Watch to charge, either through the iPad or through a battery built into the unit, but such a function would explain how the Apple Watches manage to stay powered through a full day of continual usage by customers.

applewatchdisplayunitunderneath.jpg
One side of the unit also includes a USB-Type C port or a Lightning port, which we have previously heard is used to charge the entire unit on a nightly basis, so it's possible there's a built-in battery that powers both the iPad display and the Apple Watch during the day.

displayunitusb.jpg
It is not known if the Apple Watches used in the display units are identical to retail Apple Watches aside from the bands or if they are custom built with extra functionality, but there has been speculation that the Apple Watch can charge through the diagnostic port. Specifically, the engineers behind the Reserve Strap accessory in the works for the Apple Watch have said they have confirmed the port can be used for charging.

Apple recently introduced band design guidelines for third-party accessory manufacturers, and while the guidelines say bands must not integrate magnetic chargers, there's no mention of the diagnostic port, leaving its full capabilities largely a mystery. On watches delivered to consumers, the 6-pin diagnostic port is hidden behind a cover that resembles the SIM slot on an iPhone 6.

The Brazilian Agency of Telecommunications (or Anatel), where the documents and images originated, has approved the Apple Watch and the in-store display units, suggesting Apple is gearing up to begin selling the Apple Watch in additional countries in the near future.

Article Link: Photos Reveal Secrets Behind Apple Watch Retail Display Units
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/05/20/apple-watch-display-unit-disassembled/
I wonder how many teens go into the stores and try to shoot YouTube videos of themselves bending these display units.
 
Apple definitely still hasn't shown their full hand with Apple Watch.

I think we can expect to see more significant developments this year.
 
Santabean2000 said:
Apple definitely still hasn't shown their full hand with Apple Watch.

I think we can expect to see more significant developments this year.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Future generations will be bigger with less features, worse battery life, and a black & white screen.
 
Really interesting actually.
Also its looks like a magsafe 2 charger at the top of the bottom of the device :D
 
JCrz said:
I disagree. Future generations will be bigger with less features, worse battery life, and a black & white screen.
Click to expand...

I agree. I hear the original iPhone design with hardware specs will be the latest trend in 2017. :D


On a more serious note, it's nice to hear more info on the diagnostics port. It's definitely a power intake and an information bus, but that leaves the question, how much information can be communicated to the watch and how much information can the watch communicate?
 
The-Pro said:
Really interesting actually.
Also its looks like a magsafe 2 charger at the top of the bottom of the device :D
Click to expand...

At first I was confused by what you meant, but now I see it! That silver underside of the stand, in the top of the picture, does look like a magsafe 2 port!
 
Cyberpower678 said:
I agree. I hear the original iPhone design with hardware specs will be the latest trend in 2017. :D
Click to expand...

If AT&T's network will still be compatible with it in 2017, I will definitely rock my iPhone 2G on June 29, 2017 to mark the 10 year anniversary of it's release. As of this day, it's still completely functional with good battery life and still activates when you put a SIM card in, although I have to use an adapter. Hopefully it stays that way for roughly another 2 years. I'm sure the phone will still work, it's the network I'm concerned about.
 
Fantastic! 'Secret Behind Apple Watch Retail Display Units' was 5th on my scavenger hunt of incredibly mundane things!
 
Its not a diagnostics port

Everything article keeps calling this a diagnostics port. I can tell you from first hand experience that its not. My watch was experiencing issues with the gyro. When I took it to the genius bar, the Apple Genius connected my phone to the store wifi, entered something into his iPad, and all of a sudden my watch started running diagnostics through the store wireless. After seeing this, I believe that port was designed from the start simply for use in the store displays using that special band.
 
Cleareyes- if Apple only had the port there because of a few hundred display demo units, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be included in millions of retail units because they were too lazy to take it out.
 
bwillwall said:
At first I was confused by what you meant, but now I see it! That silver underside of the stand, in the top of the picture, does look like a magsafe 2 port!
Click to expand...

It is, and it's the primary means of charging. The Lightning port is for updates and troubleshooting.
 
cleareyes said:
Everything article keeps calling this a diagnostics port. I can tell you from first hand experience that its not. My watch was experiencing issues with the gyro. When I took it to the genius bar, the Apple Genius connected my phone to the store wifi, entered something into his iPad, and all of a sudden my watch started running diagnostics through the store wireless. After seeing this, I believe that port was designed from the start simply for use in the store displays using that special band.
Click to expand...

It's been known that it's not used for day to day diagnostics, but wifi is pretty useless if you have a bricked watch that can't connect to wifi. You always need a physical connection available.
 
Most of us probably haven't stopped to wonder about how these units work
Click to expand...

I certainly did. In fact, I found the setup more fascinating than the Watch itself. The iPad wasn't simply mirroring the Watch interface; it knew what I was doing on the Watch and fed me more information about my actions. It has some pretty clever software engineering at work.
 
Doesn't Apple use special software and cables during their keynote to display the iPad and iPhone on the screen? I'm pretty sure that port on the Apple Watch allows mirroring as well which only Apple can access.
 
It wasn't until last Friday that I was able to see the Apple Watch in person. I wondered if the displays used iPad Minis but thought it might just be a display. Pretty neat that it connects directly to the iPad.

Since the Apple Watch battery is so small it would be neat if we could use an iPad or iPhone to charge it.

I think eventually the port will be used for specialized bands. I'm just not sure how long Apple will wait to open up official access. There's just no reason to have that on millions of units without a purpose.
 
This look good, but it may be one thing that the diagnostic port on the watch can be used as a charging port, but the question is "will it*

So all the media is wrong about this being a special port ? I doubt that... It's not possible.
 
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And thus we see how industrial espionage works...

...a piece here, a piece there, and soon, you have all the pieces you need to make your own diagnostic port watch band.

(and no, I'm not saying this is industrial espionage. It was a regulatory filing that had to be done, but enterprising minds are already looking at these...)
 
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