Hidden Port

Early this month I reported that accessory makers were planning on tapping into the Apple Watch’s hidden port for battery straps and faster charging. Not only would that allow companies to avoid having to design a solution with the magnetic, inductive charging system Apple is using, it also meant they wouldn’t have to workaround the sensors on the back of the watch.

Now, the company that first announced plans to use the hidden port, Reserve Strap, has posted a video showing faster charging using the port vs Apple’s charger:
Expand
Expanding
Close

photo credit: iFixit

This weekend, my colleague Jordan Kahn broke the news that “accessory makers plan to tap Apple Watch’s hidden port for battery straps and faster charging,” which is entirely true based on already-expressed developer interest. There is indeed a six-pin port nestled inside one of the watch band recesses, completely covered with a metal panel to obscure its functionality. Unfortunately, Jordan’s story has been picked up elsewhere to support the claim that the hidden port will be “a goldmine for accessory makers.” I hate to take issue with these reports, as the concept — exploiting a hidden port to make new accessories — is exciting, but I have one word for people who are planning to build or buy accessories reliant upon that port:

Stop.

Stop before you spend $250 to order an accessory that might never arrive or work properly. Stop before you spend $250,000 to build an accessory that might never ship, or might ship and then stop working.

The Apple Watch is not the first Apple product with an undocumented connector. There’s a very good reason the hidden port is there — and it’s not for accessories. I’ll explain below…

Expand
Expanding
Close