Apple releases USB-C charging cable for Apple Watch

As the new iPhone XR comes out, so does a single accessory — but it's not for the phone. Instead, it's for connecting your Watch to a USB-C port instead of the regular USB-A one.

The Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB-C Cable is 0.3 meters long (1 foot) and costs $29. As with the original Watch charging cable, it has a round, magnetic inductive charger that you place the Apple Watch against.

The Apple Watch has always used USB-A, the type of socket and plug most people think of when they say USB at all. However, apart from the current MacBook Air, all present models of MacBook charge using USB-C.

Consequently, this new cable means that you can pack one USB-C mains plug and use it to charge either your MacBook or your Apple Watch.

Detail from Apple Store page for new Apple Watch USB-C cable

USB-C protocols can carry more power than USB-A, but in this case charging is not impacted as the induction charger that snaps onto the back of your Watch is unaltered.

It's rumored that Apple will move to USB-C for its forthcoming iPads, expected to be announced at the company's October 30 event.

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13 Comments

wood1208 2932 comments · 10 Years

About 6 years ago

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

macapfel 575 comments · 15 Years

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

aknabi 211 comments · 13 Years

macapfel said:

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

That'll be cool until you need to charge somewhere remote and can't and miss an important meeting/job interview/date/Tinder hookup as a result... and bolt to Android because Apple's arrogance cost you money/a job/possible future wife/night of wildness... (not to mentioning don't know if wireless will be able to fast charge like a cable in a pinch).

But of course the folks in Cupertino never deal with these realities (add real cold weather or a bike based life looking at some of their design decisions).

kidrock2199 143 comments · 10 Years

Oh geez, here we go again. So if the iPad coming this month will in fact move to USB-C, then you can pretty much guarantee next years iPhones will switch, too. This is just SOP for Apple. That’s how they keep you upgrading every year even when you don’t want to. So if you just got the new XS and were looking to upgrade your iPad this year, hopefully you weren’t thinking about keeping that XS for more than a year because you’re not gonna want two different cables to charge those two different devices.

It was completely possible for them to include USB-C in the iPhone THIS year and then the iPad a month later. But of course....why do that when you can offset the introduction of it and guarantee that extra sale next year?

As for the USB-C for MacBook, I don’t like that. The magnetic cable was perfect! You know how often people trip over those cords and no one else had that! That was a brilliant invention, and they kill it.

aknabi said:

macapfel said:

wood1208 said:

Is this indication Apple slowly but surely moving to USB-C ? Apple's Oct 30 event will indicate if iPad Pro supports it.

It could be even more interesting: AppleWatch – USB-C; For iPad, USB-C also makes sense, as you might want to connect it to your e.g., computer, and it needs charging. But now think of the iPhone: with wireless Charging – what for do you need a port? Nothing. I think, yes, apple moves towards USB-C – and will completely ditch the iPhone port in the next 1-2 years, maybe keeping/adding a smart connector for servicing etc.

That'll be cool until you need to charge somewhere remote and can't and miss an important meeting/job interview/date/Tinder hookup as a result... and bolt to Android because Apple's arrogance cost you money/a job/possible future wife/night of wildness... (not to mentioning don't know if wireless will be able to fast charge like a cable in a pinch).

But of course the folks in Cupertino never deal with these realities (add real cold weather or a bike based life looking at some of their design decisions).

Well, after we'll be informed on 30. October that the Smart Connector can also be used for charging, this problem vanishes. Also, in 1-2 years, Qi charges will be more common everywhere. We have a restaurant around the corner, where Qi-charges are part of the each table. They're not expensive – but a great service. I don't see a problem here.