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Why didn't apple just use the lightning cable for the watch?

It seems like the only thing the OP is upset about is having to buy a different kind of cable. The inductive charging thing is easier than a cable, helps protect the watch, and is just plain cool. I really don't see what the problem is. I can't believe anyone is complaining about it, to be honest. What's next? "My sapphire screen is too scratch-resistant?"
 
Appl3FTW said:
I was merely suggesting it. I'm sure apple could develop a better cover than plastic.
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Thank God they don't have to!!!!

You know, because.... it's not a problem that needs to be solved, because it's not a problem that exists, because they decided to go with a MUCH better, more elegant solution.

These MagSafe style chargers are SO far superior to lightning, it's silly.
Wouldn't you prefer never having to plug in your phone again... just setting it atop a nickel sized charger??
That would rock! We obviously aren't ready to ditch the lightning port on iPhone yet, because of occasions when you need the data throughput, but it makes magnificent sense on the Watch. Also, looking at the lightning port & circuitry on an iPhone motherboard... it looks about a fourth the size of all of the S1 package, so probably not even a viable idea.
Lastly, Apple DEFINITELY doesn't create charging solutions just "to make money". They kept the og 30 pin around for 11 years. 11 years!!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure that's a tech eternity. They obviously enjoy the ubiquitous nature of something they create and include with products sold in extremely high volumes.
It looks like lightning may be usurped by usb c.... & if that happens, I think I'm cool with just that & this magnet as my two chargers.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Not exactly practical to flip open the water-resistant flap in order to plug in the lightning cable and close it when you remove it. Suggesting a worse implementation than the magport isn't ingenuity.
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Says you... I bet there are engineers whou could identify better which is practical for the mass and what is not.

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Tycho24 said:
Thank God they don't have to!!!!

You know, because.... it's not a problem that needs to be solved, because it's not a problem that exists, because they decided to go with a MUCH better, more elegant solution.

These MagSafe style chargers are SO far superior to lightning, it's silly.
Wouldn't you prefer never having to plug in your phone again... just setting it atop a nickel sized charger??
That would rock! We obviously aren't ready to ditch the lightning port on iPhone yet, because of occasions when you need the data throughput, but it makes magnificent sense on the Watch. Also, looking at the lightning port & circuitry on an iPhone motherboard... it looks about a fourth the size of all of the S1 package, so probably not even a viable idea.
Lastly, Apple DEFINITELY doesn't create charging solutions just "to make money". They kept the og 30 pin around for 11 years. 11 years!!!!!!!!! I'm pretty sure that's a tech eternity. They obviously enjoy the ubiquitous nature of something they create and include with products sold in extremely high volumes.
It looks like lightning may be usurped by usb c.... & if that happens, I think I'm cool with just that & this magnet as my two chargers.
Click to expand...

I'm all up for advancement in technology... Lightning port is better than 30 in all aspects. All I'm saying is that Im not a fan of changing over my cables if a new one does come out again.
 
Julien said:
:apple:Watch Lightning port = water entrance.
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While I definitely wouldn't want a lightning port on the watch, doesn't the water resistance come from encasing the components in a waterproof shell? No doubt the main case is resistant too, but they made a point of telling us that the S1 is water resistant all on its lonesome in the intro video.
 
dotnet said:
Power transmission through air coils is very limited because it requires physically large coils. Remember, there is no permeable core to carry the magnetic flux. It is adequate for relatively low-power applications, like charging tooth brushes or watches, but may bring about big, unwieldy charge pods for things like laptops. In those cases a simple plug is much more preferable.
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You mean like how the Macbook used to be charged?
 
Julien said:
No, the :apple:Watch is the first Apple product (I believe) to use wireless charging. MacBook's just used MagSafe.
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The confusion was probably that the watch and the MagSafe connectors use magnets to secure the charging cable to the device. However, the MacBook still uses a plug and socket whereas the watch uses inductive charging.

What do we call the disk that attaches to the bottom of the watch? Do we call it the "connector" is there another name?
 
So, what I've not seen addressed is why the cable for the charger seems to be permanently attached. If anything happens to it we are SOL. Why not use a lightning cable for *that*?

Many of us have many (lol) and that would cut down perhaps on cable clutter when traveling (although you usually want to charge both the phone and watch at the same time).

Think this was to keep the cost down?
 
leesweet said:
So, what I've not seen addressed is why the cable for the charger seems to be permanently attached. If anything happens to it we are SOL. Why not use a lightning cable for *that*?

Many of us have many (lol) and that would cut down perhaps on cable clutter when traveling (although you usually want to charge both the phone and watch at the same time).

Think this was to keep the cost down?
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No, I would say it was to keep the simplicity up.
 
I think it was just a size/space issue. Clearly there isn't a mm to spare inside that little case, so having to build in a cavity + frame to be able to accept a lightning port would have been impossible. Thats why they switched to lightning in the first place and did away with the 30pin. To save space inside the actual device.
 
Julien said:
What is completely water resistant????? There is no such thing as a completely water resistant watch. Given enough depth/pressure EVRERY watch will fail.
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3900 metres under water is my benchmark :p in my books thay is completely water proof .
 
MH01 said:
3900 metres under water is my benchmark :p in my books thay is completely water proof .
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I can see you've never been diving on Ganymede...

A salty ocean is lurking beneath the surface of Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have found.

The ocean on Ganymede — which is buried under a thick crust of ice — could actually harbor more water than all of Earth's surface water combined, according to NASA officials. Scientists think the ocean is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) thick, 10 times the depth of Earth's oceans, NASA added.
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I'm curious where the OP thinks there is room in the device for lightening port? Apple's solution seems much more elegant.
 
Unless Apple figured out a magical way to have the port open and close automatically and still have good enough seal for it to be water resistant, the magnet charger seems to be a better choice. Plus, this may be the first Apple device that runs via inductive charging! (correct me if I'm wrong.)
 
VSMacOne said:
I'm not sure we're going to see this type of charging on the iPhone. It would render cases completely useless. Unless they figured out how to make it work with a case.
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My wife and I used wireless charging on our nexus 5s when we had them for almost a full year. She used a case. It worked fine. There is a certain amount of allowable gap. It was such a nice feature. Not the fastest, but who cares over night. I also kept one at my work desk because that phone had such a ****** battery I took every opportunity to charge it.
 
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