Retail Apple Watches Still Have a Hidden Diagnostic Port [Updated]

[charlituna]

How do we know they're using retail models?

store displays always do.

Don't really understand why this is such a big reveal. They have to have some way to trouble shoot the watches. doing it by wifi or bluetooth won't work if one of those is the issue so they need a way to plug in. and they don't particularly want store staff to have to open the whole thing up to get a connection

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The ones in store sync with the iPad screens based on what screen you are on on the watch for education purposes.

That's only for the hands on demos. the ones in the case and the ones for try on could be totally the same as the retail units

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In case no one has figured it out yet, the watches in the stores that everyone is playing with are not necessarily production models. Remember that you cannot buy one yet and it could very well be that these are late-production prototypes.

Just sayin'

Even my boyfriend's mid sized store has like 50 watches between the case, 4 sets of try ons and 3 try on cases. times that by like 260 stores just in the US. You really think they had that many prototypes

 

[fs454]

The displays are battery powered and portable. I saw an employee slide one across the try on table and there was a charging port on the back with nothing plugged in while it was running. Looked like lightning, micro usb, or usb-c.

Right, but the question is how does power flow from the display housing into the watch? It's gotta be that port, because there's no magnetic charging puck shoved under the watch.

It's the screen of a retina ipad mini and it's powered by a macbook battery. there's a magsafe 2 port on the bottom and they're used for charging. there's a lightning port on the back for manual data sync to update the firmware of the watch while on display... theyre stored in a charging case overnight and we have enough to swap them out if the battery gets too low.

A Macbook battery? That's interesting. Is this the only display case that's made like this?

And again, what about the watch itself? How is it receiving power?

 

[ricci]

Depends on what it can be used for.

- Power? Then you could have flexible battery wrist straps that extend the life of the watch up a week or two.

- Data? Perhaps add a strap that measures blood pressure, or in the future, glucose levels via visual means. Or a GPS in a strap. Or a cellular connection in a strap.

- Debugging? Could be a way to jailbreak the device to add software features that Apple won't do themselves.

Etc. In other words, imagine your iPhone or iPad with and without its connector port at the bottom.

Ok,ok,ok,!!! Scratch what I said!! THIS IS AWESOME!!!! Just think of all the possibilities this port can have!!! Glad I thought of it!!

 

[BeyondtheTech]

The hidden port's actual use has finally been discovered.

 

[Soccertess]

This is very interesting. I mean, ''smart bands'' would be a way to let the apple watch go two years without an update. Although, smart bands could backfire if you've paid $449 for a link bracelet.

my thoughts exactly!

 

[Coma2nd]

I guess they use it for the demo watches in store that run the actual OS and are attached this board with display that reacts to the action you do with the watch (like these: http://cdn.iphonehacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/watch-live-demo.jpg).

These watches don't seem to have an inductive charger attached and they probably need some data to be send to the display which will probably be done by the port and the fixed "bracelet" on that board.

 

[SlipSlidinAwa]

Waterproof

The port itself could be water proof. It's just exposed connections that could be concealed. Also the 3GS was only 3rd generation.

You can see the port and cover could not be watertight if immersed or subject to heavy rain so is useless for normal use let alone sports. It really is a toy.

3GS was in fact the 4th iPhone model but a very significant improvement over the iPhone 3 to warrant calling 4th generation.

 

[rdlink]

How did they get a hold of an apple watch for retail? The only ones currently available are the demo ones in store, which of course aren't retail since those ones aren't being sold. The ones in store sync with the iPad screens based on what screen you are on on the watch for education purposes. None of that suggests that the versions sold for retail would have it.

Though if they don't, will make it much harder to diagnose issues when people bring them in for repair, as it will require geniuses to open them up completely.

Apple can now get diagnostic information from my iPhone without ever physically connecting to it. So I would assume they'd be able to do the same with the watch.

 

[Michael CM1]

Anybody else find the fascination over a physical port kind of weird or absurd (maybe not the best words) when the whole point of this device is wireless connectivity? It's probably a proprietary port for doing software reloads if something goes wrong just like you would with the tiny Apple TV USB port. That thing has existed for four or so years with no other purpose. If charging is going to happen, it will require use of the MagSafe connection.

 

[stu.h]

In my pics I took at the Bullring the other day (search: bullring) you can clearly see the puck chargers connected to the bottom of the watches.

 

[EldonChew]

OH. And hmm, what's this? An entry for:

APPLE WATCH MAGNETIC CHARGING BRACELET
MODEL NUMBER: A1626

View attachment 540189

That's a bit different looking. Can't tell if that's a side view, top view or what it is. It also has an unusually small version above the larger more readable one.

The "Apple Confidential" is unusual for this document type, too. This is extra odd.

And why is it called a "BRACELET" ? Is it for store displays? For consumer use? Any guesses?

Moving on.

 

[kdarling]

Moving on.

I just woke up, about to suggest the same thing.

Could be the label for the base unit for these... assuming that non-salable store displays need FCC approval, which I'm not sure they do. Anyone know?

Yet still not sure if the label diagram shape might not be something else.

Thanks, in any case! Sure seems to go with "bracelet".

 

[Arsenikdote]

3GS was in fact the 4th iPhone model but a very significant improvement over the iPhone 3 to warrant calling 4th generation.

Aside from the fact that I owned each model of the iPhone since launch and can disagree with you, many articles on the internet will also disagree with you. The iPhone3G "S" was the third model.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone#Model_comparison

Also, your assumptions about what can and can't be watertight is very strange. Most people would not have thought, in fact most people highly doubted Apple could produce a smartwatch with all day battery life. However, they did. So if they could tackle putting a full blown computer onto my wrist with all day battery, I am sure they can handle making sure a port in a nook of the watch won't fry it when/if moisture gets near it. Oh wait, unless you are suggesting that they just forgot to think of that

 

[Cardo]

You can see the port and cover could not be watertight if immersed or subject to heavy rain so is useless for normal use let alone sports. It really is a toy.

Apart from the fact both my Pebble and Suunto dive computer are waterproof down to 50m and 150m respectively, and they both have exposed pins for power and data transfer.

But let's not let details get in the way of some good nay saying!

 

[AppleMark]

Anybody else find the fascination over a physical port kind of weird or absurd (maybe not the best words) when the whole point of this device is wireless connectivity? It's probably a proprietary port for doing software reloads if something goes wrong just like you would with the tiny Apple TV USB port. That thing has existed for four or so years with no other purpose. If charging is going to happen, it will require use of the MagSafe connection.

Question to the sentence in bold.

Why, where is your evidence that this is the only way to charge it?

 

[SlipSlidinAwa]

I didn't know that

Apart from the fact both my Pebble and Suunto dive computer are waterproof down to 50m and 150m respectively, and they both have exposed pins for power and data transfer.

But let's not let details get in the way of some good nay saying!

So you learn something every day. They must be electrically isolated, either minute current due to a high resistance, or there is an internal opto-coupler. The fact remains Apple are selling a so called Sports Watch which is only Water Resistant makes it a joke. I'll stick with my analogue Seiko Kinetic watch good for 50m and my digital Swimovate swimming watch also good for 50m and use my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Retina Pro for everything else. I look forward to Apple getting it right by the 4th generation. By then it should be as thin as a normal watch, not fatter than the new MacBook.

 

[Tech198]

I wonder what else this port can be used for.

 

[cjbryce]

By then it should be as thin as a normal watch

OK, clearly everyone will have their own view on what constitutes "thin" in the context of a watch as it really is a personal preference thing. There is a trend in the watch market for chunkier, which has been going on for several years. There are also some very thin watches available - it's like bootcut vs straight leg jeans, dictated by preference and fashion.

I already have several "normal" watches which are just about the same size as the 42mm Apple Watch, and, in two cases, they are thicker than the Apple Watch.

I suspect that by "as thin as a normal watch" you really mean "as thin as other watches I like"?

 

[tmoerel]

Confirms the Apple Watch is a toy, that cover does not look watertight so what happens if rain get on to those connectors will they short circuit and if it is sweat on the sports version the gold will corrode. Saw this watch in the Glasgow, Braehead store. It is bulky and very definitely 1st generation. I'll wait for the 4th generation when they will have fixed all the problems. Just like the iPhone 3GS, and iPad 4.

Water on the connectors does not have to cause a short circuit.

I have been using many scuba diving computers over the years and several of these had exposed connectors used to download dive data. And these devices can be used under water, under pressure and great depth without any short circuits happening.

As long as the electronics behind the connector detect any form of short and then shutdown the port, nothing will happen!!!

 

[Brian Y]

store displays always do.

No, they don't. It's been said about 4 times in this thread alone.

Several devices have been in the store that have not been retail. Like the 32GB iPhone 6, and the GSM iPhone 5/5S with no SIM tray.

 

[Ekuk]

Cool, perhaps and add on next year, camera or additional sensor that slots into the current strap slot on the watch, presumably with a strap slot at the other end so any strap can attach to the other end, as long as the add on bit is a cm or less could work nicely

 

[blackcrayon]

Don't get your hopes up boys for a smart band, they have invested lots on all these wrist bands and they wouldn't put so much effort if smart bands were around the corner.

Depends how long after they planned on introducing them. 6-9 months down the road customers might see it as potential value added. There have been other late additions to functionality before. Like the original iPad supporting HDMI output but not getting it until the adapter came out with the iPad 2.

 

[Glideslope]

Definitely a diagnostics ports but could be utilise by bands in the future. Although I suspect it will be covered in the final version to add to the overall water resistance of the product.

A physical connection to the internal micro is required in order to update low level firmware and interrogate the device without requiring a wireless link. There's not many, if any, specialized micro's with built-in wireless therefore the external wireless chip needs to be controlled by a stable, self-contained micro.

"A Stable, Self Contained Micro?" You wouldn't happen to have one I could use for my Mother in Law would you?

 

[mdelvecchio]

This is very interesting. I mean, ''smart bands'' would be a way to let the apple watch go two years without an update. Although, smart bands could backfire if you've paid $449 for a link bracelet.

why? people who pay for a link bracelet are paying for a very high quality metal band. it's an esthetic, personal choice.

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You can see the port and cover could not be watertight if immersed or subject to heavy rain so is useless for normal use let alone sports. It really is a toy.

the AW can be worn in the rain. it is not water proof, probably due to the mic and speaker. it is not a toy, since waterproofing is not a set requirement of not being a toy. it took Rolex 21 years to devise a waterproof model, it was not s toy either. ray are both tools. the usefulness of the tool is dependent on the user.

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I look forward to Apple getting it right by the 4th generation. By then it should be as thin as a normal watch, not fatter than the new MacBook.

I'd bet you haven't seen one in person. I did yesterday, and they are much smaller in person than the photos make it seem. much. they are as small and smaller than many of the watches I see men wear, from fashion to sport.

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Don't get your hopes up boys for a smart band, they have invested lots on all these wrist bands and they wouldn't put so much effort if smart bands were around the corner.

that they spent a lot producing the current crop of traditional bands really has no logical bearing on whether and when they'll produce additional bands.

 

[Drag'nGT]

This may have been covered already but how are we going to do software updates on the watch?