'Reserve Strap' Debuts New Design Focusing on Apple Watch Diagnostic Port

[Dd5577]

Really?

I've been thinking about this some more. Imagine for example this strap does have a connector which recesses into the strap when you plug and unplug it; I can see that it would be quite flimsy and prone to breaking. I expect you would need to keep removing it in order to charge the strap (charge the watch in the usual way) otherwise you would need yet more ports on it somewhere to charge the strap itself. Constant removing of the strap would fatigue the mechanism and over time the connector would work loose, not make proper contact and causing problems. I also doubt it would do the watch's own strap mechanism much good either.

The engineers figured out that they can use the 6 pin diagnostic port to charge the watch. Since it is a diagnostic port, similar to let's say the Lightning port or a USB, signals (including electric current) can travel both ways. I would think that the engineers also know that the watch can also be used to charge the band. Obviously there is more to it than that, but that's the basic idea. It's really no different than a cell phone. The battery in the phone powers the phone, but the battery is also charged by the phone. They are just adding additional battery.

 

[Dd5577]

But how do we know this is legit, safe and won't be shut down by Apple? That port is covered for a reason. Even if it eventually gets opened up Apple will control what it can be used and there will be some sort of MFI like program associated with it. There's no way I would spend money on something that might not work, might not be safe and most likely will get shut down by Apple in a hurry.

Actually Apple has started an MFi program. Made For Apple Watch, or Made For Watch. Anyway, Apple made it clear that they will not certify ANY battery extender bands or anything. One reason is that the Watch sits directly on your skin, and when charging any device there is a certain amount of heat that is created and will destroy skin cells and cause burning. Also because of the water resistant certification that Apple has, charging through the diagnostic port can cause electricity to transfer to the wearer if they come in contact with water while wearing a charging band.

Yes, this company can make this. They can make it work and make it work well. But, Apple will never certify it, or any other battery band from any other company. If you buy one, you will do so at your own risk, and if your watch gets ruined... Tough cookies.

 

[/V\acpower]

I wonder if all of the people who have posted "if you don't like the Apple watch then don't buy it" will apply the same logic here. For those saying one day battery is enough (funny how that attitude is now prevalent) surely you can understand how some people might want to extend that to two or three days, right?

Even if you need to extend it to a few days for some reason, a simple usb battery pack would do the trick, assuming that you still need to sleep from time to time...

 

[ItzAris]

My best guess is, they determined they didn't need them. As someone who has been using the watch for several days now, I'm using it constantly and have yet been able to deplete the battery before going to bed.

I'd much rather take a nice looking or comfy strap than a bulky one to solve a problem that I don't have.

I've had the watch for 3 weeks now. Does the battery last all day? ONLY IF YOU DONT WORKOUT. For those of us who are fitness enthusiast, you will need more battery. I enter the gym at around 7pm after taking my watch off the charger at 9am. I get to the gym with 65% battery (give or take) after 1.5 hours in the gym.. I'm at 20%. Let's hope that not being active doesn't create problems for you that you don't have , yet....

 

[Wannabe Actuary]

I've had the watch for 3 weeks now. Does the battery last all day? ONLY IF YOU DONT WORKOUT. For those of us who are fitness enthusiast, you will need more battery. I enter the gym at around 7pm after taking my watch off the charger at 9am. I get to the gym with 65% battery (give or take) after 1.5 hours in the gym.. I'm at 20%. Let's hope that not being active doesn't create problems for you that you don't have , yet....

This is the real reason you need the extra battery. Starting any "workout" on the watch turns on constant heart rate monitoring and drains the battery. My watch died mid marathon on me as a result...
Normal days are ok, so for me this band at 250 is overpriced for the few days a year I would need it (aiming for 2-3 full marathons a year and each one would have maybe 2-3 really long training runs that might push the battery limit).

 

[xiggy4ever]

I dunno. It looks like (hideous) styling to me.

Booger face Person, I'm Pretty sure that the idea of this wrist strap is to be "Functional" which it appears to be, we are not talking about making a wrist strap from "Dolche & Freggin' Gabbana".
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I take it these people are aware that having batteries in a watch band is something Apple has patented.

Perhaps they will include the "power band" in the Apple watch v2.0, including a nominal fee obviously