AppleInsider Staff
A report on Thursday claims the upcoming Apple Watch boasts a mysterious data connection port, previously undisclosed by Apple, that is currently being used for diagnostics and testing.
According to TechCrunch, the port features six brass contact dots and is positioned inside the bottom groove designed to accept Apple's aftermarket straps. Technically, a six-contact connector is similar to Apple's Lightning protocol, which currently uses six of its eight leads for charging and data transfer.
It is not clear if the port will be included when Apple Watch hits store shelves, but sources inside Apple have confirmed its existence on what the publication believes are shipping versions of the device.
A source said the port currently plays a role in diagnostics, but points out that it could be used as a connection point for accessories in the future. TechCrunch speculates that such a data port could be used as a means to facilitate feature expansion, perhaps "smart bands" that extend battery life or tack on GPS and other sensing capabilities.
Smartwatch maker Pebble recently revealed a similar program for its new Pebble Time series. Dubbed "smartstraps," the initiative is an open platform that will let accessory makers build hardware like GPS or heart rate monitoring.
There are currently no rumors suggesting Apple plans to market such accessories, but the port's existence hints at interesting expansion possibilities, assuming it ships as part of Apple's final design. For example, an expansion port could extend the Watch's lifecycle by offering users a road to upgrade features instead of purchasing a new device every year. This would be especially helpful for buyers looking at expensive gold Apple Watch Edition models.
Apple is expected to reveal more details about Apple Watch at a special event on March 9. AppleInsider will be on hand in San Francisco with live coverage.
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37 Comments
It's a tiny hypodermic needle that can inject nano bots.
9to5Mac claims that this port is used for diagnostic purposes for pre-production units and the port will not be present in the final shipping version.
http://************/2015/03/05/apple-watch-has-a-lightning-port-for-development-but-wont-when-it-ships/
That makes sense. Apple generally does not include diagnostic ports in their equipment. They probably have some sort of design philosophy that states that ports must be usable by the end user.
Also, a diagnostic port implies that the manufacturer expects a certain frequency of failure, again a highly foreign stance to Apple.
In the same way, Apple products generally do not have hardware-based reset buttons. The AirPort base stations seem to be one of the few exceptions, but that makes sense since a misconfigured router might be unreachable to any device.
Oh Apple... that is so clever !
9to5Mac claims that this port is used for diagnostic purposes for pre-production units and the port will not be present in the shipping version.
http://************/2015/03/05/apple-watch-has-a-lightning-port-for-development-but-wont-when-it-ships/
That makes sense. Apple generally does not include diagnostic ports in their equipment. They probably have some sort of design philosophy that states that ports must be usable by the end user.
Also, a diagnostic port implies that the manufacturer expects a certain frequency of failure, again a highly foreign stance to Apple.
In the same way, Apple products generally do not have hardware-based reset buttons. The AirPort base stations seem to be one of the few exceptions, but that makes sense since a misconfigured router might be unreachable to any device
Just because they call it a diagnostic port doesn't mean anything.. at.. all
I think the blogs are being stupid.. They should say, "Reports claim Apple Watch has a, what looks like, a Lighting port compatible interface being used for Diagnostics".. because, you know, it could be used for more than that...
I bet it stays and is part of an expansion path..
Apple is so goddamned clever! According to Gruber, the opposite groove has the legally binding marking of "Assembled in China - Designed by Apple in California." What a great way to hide this otherwise obtrusive statement on such a small device. So does this mean that the Apple Watch can't be packaged with the bands already in place, since they would obstruct the wording? That kind of throws some water on my theory that they will all ship with preinstalled white polycarbonate bands. (I thought they'd all have the white band's both for simplicity sake, and also because white is the iconic Apple tone.) Seems like a hassle to separately package the bands though, unless Apple is expecting the vast majority to buy in store, with the strap installed in store. Either way, I'm starting out with the white band.