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Apple Watch diagnostic port: a goldmine for accessory makers

Long before it officially existed, there were rumors that the Apple Watch had disappointing battery life. It wasn't long afterward that we started to hear companies were preparing to build external power packs to compensate. Thankfully, the folks over at Reserve Strap have discovered that you don't have to sacrifice style in favor of usefulness, thanks to the six-pin "diagnostic" port found on the bottom of the watch case. It turns out that the feature doesn't just transmit data, but can receive power at far faster rates than the magnetic inductive charging panel on the underside.

As Reserve Strap says, it means that accessory makers can now build more elegant straps that look a lot closer to the originals than a janky external case. It also makes us hopeful that, much like Pebble Time's connected accessory port, companies could build straps with functions that run beyond just recharging the device. Of course, Apple won't be happy with any of this, and will probably do everything it can in its power to hamper their progress -- after all, Jonathan Ive doesn't believe there's even a need for you to own a battery case.

[Image Credit: Reserve Strap]