What if Apple Partnered with Seiko?

[parseckadet]

Not sure if this has been discussed already, but the idea just occurred to me that Apple should either license from, or flat out partner with, Seiko to use their Kinetic technology. Hell, Apple could just flat out buy Seiko.

For those who are unfamiliar, Seiko Kinetic watches are quartz based. However, instead of using a normal watch battery they convert the mechanical movement of the watch while on the wrist into electrical energy. The energy is stored in a battery, so the watch continues to function once taken off. I believe it's enough to keep the watch going even while sitting in a drawer for a few months.

I would think Apple would be able to find a way to use this technology to extend the battery life of the Apple Watch. I doubt it would be several months given the power demands, but if it was enough to add even just half a day I think that would be a big win.

 

[fousfous]

No, there are no many energy with this system and the Watch will consume many more energy.

 

[0007776]

The Apple watch will take way too much power for that kind of charging to have a noticeable increase in battery life. My guess is at most you'd get a couple minutes extra each day if that.

 

[Technodynamic]

good thought, and I'm sure Apple engineers experimented with it already most likely. It would add bulk and not much 'juice' to what the Apple watch needs most likely.

Perhaps an entrepreneur could make a kinetic + solar strap as an add on wrist band. That might be slick. Kinetic part could live on the bottom of the band.

 

[Exile714]

The extreme difference in power consumption notwithstanding, there's another problem with Seiko's self-winding watches: they don't last long.

My Seiko died three ago, after being worn for five. The capacitor stopped holding a charge. This is not tech that is ready for regular watches, let alone power-sucking wrist-computers.

 

[Tanegashima]

There's nothing to it.

It's just a generator that trickle-charges a battery or capacitor.

 

[b0fh666]

citizen has it's eco-drive (solar cell) going for 20 or more years now... could be a viable alternative to change the entire bezel to a solar panel

 

[Piggie]

The human body generates so much power from such small amounts of food.
You just think what a body can generate movement wise with just say 1 bar of chocolate. It's a shame this super efficient engine cannot be drawn upon to power a wearable device.

 

[dukebound85]

The extreme difference in power consumption notwithstanding, there's another problem with Seiko's self-winding watches: they don't last long.

My Seiko died three ago, after being worn for five. The capacitor stopped holding a charge. This is not tech that is ready for regular watches, let alone power-sucking wrist-computers.

THIS. same happened to me. You think you never need a battery.....well you just need a new capacitor

 

[DannyBres]

http://techdistortion.com/podcasts/pragmatic/episode-38-watch-this-time-and-space

Check out this episode of pragmatic....

 

[Vundu]

The extreme difference in power consumption notwithstanding, there's another problem with Seiko's self-winding watches: they don't last long.

My Seiko died three ago, after being worn for five. The capacitor stopped holding a charge. This is not tech that is ready for regular watches, let alone power-sucking wrist-computers.

Self winding and Kinetic are two different things.

 

[Julien]

1) The amount of power produced by a kinetic system would only be a negligible supplement to the power requirements of a smart watch.

2) The space required for the mechanics would significantly increase the depth of any smart watch used in.

3) Apple is a pure electronics compony and won't use kludgy mechanical systems in there products.

 

[Piggie]

3) Apple is a pure electronics compony and won't use kludgy mechanical systems in there products.

Well, it's now 2015.

Wonder why Apple STILL fits mechanical hard drives in iMacs ?
Then charges customers double the market value to have a SSD instead.

2015 Apple need to get with the times, and scrap spinning mechanical system hard drives in their iMac computers.

Hell, I don't have one hard drive in my PC anymore.