Report: Apple Eyeing Solar & Wireless Charging for Unannounced Smartwatch

[Alex Co]

Report: Apple Eyeing Solar & Wireless Charging for Unannounced Smartwatch

Apple is reportedly looking into inductive and solar energy for its rumored smartwatch.

In a report by The New York Times, it states that Apple is looking into new technological avenues to charge its devices. While the company's rumored smartwatch has yet to be revealed, unnamed sources have said that Apple is looking to implement solar and wireless charging for its still-unnamed timepiece.

Wireless charging -- or inductive charging -- which shot to the limelight last year with Google's Nexus 4 and Nokia's 920 line supporting the tech, is still an advancement not embraced by Apple's line of devices. As for the alleged smartwatch currently in development, sources are saying that it will have a curved screen, and that the Cupertino company is looking into equipping it with a screen with a solar-charging layer built in that will charge the unit when worn in daylight.

If the report rings true, don't expect it anytime soon, as it's quite a long away from hitting the consumer market, with one source saying, "experiments are years from becoming a reality."

Smartwatches that charge without cables? The prospect is certainly enticing, let's hope developers can catch up to the tech soon.

In other Apple news, the company sold 51 million iPhones and 26 million iPads in the last quarter alone, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/131729-Even-Record-Apple-Profits-Dont-Please-Analysts] but it's still not enough to please analysts.

Note: Image shown is a concept of Apple's smartwatch and not an actual image of the device.

Source: Engadget [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/03/technology/building-a-better-battery.html?_r=0]

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[Parasondox]

The Apple iWatch, starting from £900 ($1475)

When did "smart watches" become such a big thing?

*looks to my left at Google with the Glass*

What next, the Smart Belt or Neckless? But hey I still like how tech is advancing though... in a way.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I'll never buy a watch as long as I have a phone. Who is the audience for this "smart" watch?

 

[DalekJaas]

Looks awesome I will buy.

 

[Stormtyrant]

As a Brit I'm not sure the idea of a solar charged watch is a great idea.

It'd be quite useful to be able to check the time between November and March.

 

[uchytjes]

Why are smart watches things now? Seriously, why?

 

[Kahani]

I'm a bit worried about this. If Apple invent the idea of a watch that doesn't need charging, they might sue me for having had one for the last decade or so.

Joking aside, I don't see this helping much. A small solar cell is enough to keep a regular watch running pretty much indefinitely, but it will never be able to keep up with a something this power hungry. And while inductive charging is kind of neat, you're still going to regularly have to take the watch off and leave it in one place to charge, so there's no real benefit over just plugging it in. At least with a phone you gain some convenience since you don't have to constantly strap it on and off and it's just a matter of putting it down in a specific place.

When did "smart watches" become such a big thing?

They didn't. Some people keep trying to pretend they have, but no-one is actually buying them because they're so obviously pointless. A watch that can't last a day, or a smart device that requires you to have a much better smart device with you in order to do anything. No-one wants one and no-one is buying the ones that area already available, but that won't stop some people constantly touting them as the next big thing.

 

[Pyrian]

I want one, they just aren't any good yet.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Didn't another company make a watch that charged off your own movements(wrist, not bowel) over a decade ago? And since is wasn't dry cell battery powered it cost too much to be worth it.

I would never buy a watch that cost more than $50 since the damn things fall apart before the battery gives out. I would definitely never buy one from a computer company even if it was touted to last for years. Their short warranties and the company's roots in planned obsolescence should raise flags for anyone with money sense.

I'll never buy a watch as long as I have a phone. Who is the audience for this "smart" watch?

The audience is all those Apple fanbois that wait out in nasty weather to be the first to buy the latest iphone to replace the most recent model they just bought a few months ago. It will probably make enough revenue to continue making new iwatch models since there's enough idiots blindly loyal to one company in this world.

 

[Strazdas]

i was going to say solar power collectors we have aren't powerful at all but its a watch and that one doesn't need much electricity. Thought if it goes into smartphone category with "Watch games" it wont be enough. wireless charging - now that i would love to have.

I'll never buy a watch as long as I have a phone. Who is the audience for this "smart" watch?

i always have a phone with me and i bought a watch, a waterproof one at that. because looking at your watch is much more simpler and could easily be done in theater without annoying people. using phone as a watch is terrible experience when actual watch is so much more comfortable. to each his own of course, but there IS an audience for it.

As a Brit I'm not sure the idea of a solar charged watch is a great idea.

It'd be quite useful to be able to check the time between November and March.

the same way solar batteries are a bad idea on pocket calculators? except that they are not. it does not need direct solar contact to charge, what it needs is daylight. and im sure you do have daylight in britain right?

Didn't another company make a watch that charged off your own movements(wrist, not bowel) over a decade ago? And since is wasn't dry cell battery powered it cost too much to be worth it.

yes, there are plenty of things charging from kinetic energy. watches, flashlights, even hybrid busses that use the stoppping energy and converts it into electricity to start driving again, thus saving fuel. thing is, it really works only as long as you move the thing enough to generate it, and if you sit at your desk all day its not charging.

The audience is all those Apple fanbois that wait out in nasty weather to be the first to buy the latest iphone to replace the most recent model they just bought a few months ago. It will probably make enough revenue to continue making new iwatch models since there's enough idiots blindly loyal to one company in this world.

nasty rain is not an issue for them they will just use the last model for that

Spoiler: large image