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Apple stops developers from leveraging 'secret' Watch repair port
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MacNN Staff
Join Date: Jul 2012
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A change in watchOS 2 has disabled a "secret" repair port that is located inside the band attachment slot in the Apple Watch, which has also killed off the business model of Reserve Strap, which offered a "battery pack" watch strap that could extend the battery life of the Watch by taking advantage of the port. The company has suspended shipments of the strap to customers who have upgraded, but is urging fans to encourage Apple to license such uses that take advantage of the port in a future MFi Apple Watch program.
The licensed accessory program, which is widely used for other iOS accessories, has not come to the Apple Watch yet, leaving most accessory makers unable to take advantage of some features, such as their own designs for the magnetic charger (some companies have simply included one of Apple's at their own expense). Apple has been awarded a patent for "functional band links for wearable devices," which could suggest it may someday take advantage of the port itself for something similar to the Reserve Strap, or perhaps develop bands with additional sensors that would draw power and report results using the "secret" port.
"For the time being, Apple has suspended use of this port until they unveil an official MFi program for Watch," Reserve Strap said in a statement, holding out hope that it would be allowed to start selling the Reserve Strap again if Apple initiates a Watch-based MFi program. The Reserve Strap continues to work for Apple Watches that have not been upgraded, and extends the (typical use) 18-hour lifespan of the Apple Watch battery by up to 50 percent.
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Last edited by NewsPoster; Apr 19, 2016 at 07:48 PM.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Apr 2007
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I'm not a fan of locking down ports on devices you own. You bought a computer, you can plug whatever you want into each and every port. For some reason, people let Apple get away with locking down iDevice ports. You own it, but they control it.
Imagine if the power company issued permission for plugging appliances in. The phone company (Ma Bell) used to, until they lost the carterphone court case.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2008
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No one is stopping anyone from plugging anything into this "secret" port.
Whether or not iOS will function with that plugged-in device is a completely different thing altogether. And I can't see a situation where Apple would be forced to make iOS operate with 3rd party devices connected to the port.
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