$249 Reserve Strap Gives Apple Watch 30-Hour Battery Boost
Apple Watch owners who want to significantly extend the battery life of their wearable will have to ask themselves how much they're willing to pay for the convenience. And by "significantly," we mean more than 30 additional hours, the amount of time the developers of the Reserve Strap claim their accessory will add to Apple's already pricey smartwatch.
That works out to a factor of 2.7 times, or 167 percent more usage. Real world results will depend on a number of factors, but if a person typically achieves Apple's rated 18 hours of Apple Watch functionality, the Reserve Strap will up the ante to 48 hours, or two full days. That's pretty amazing.
"The Reserve Strap promises to be the most indispensable Apple Watch accessory ever. It is the first and only band that charges Apple Watch while you wear it," the developers explain. "We've been blown away by the interest and support we've gotten from the Apple Watch enthusiasts all over the world since we announced this concept. We've been hard at work creating a product that will allow you to get maximum utility and performance from your Apple Watch."
What they've come up with for the final design features and technical specifications is a pair of watch bands to support both 38mm and 42mm Apple Watches. Both versions have a strap width of 25mm, strap thickness of 3-9mm, weight 65g, and are water resistant.
They're made of specialized Thermoset Elastomer silicon rubber and contain three Lithium Polymer cells. The built-in cells deliver a charge to the Apple Watch accessory port using Reserve Strap's proprietary overmolded connect design, and according to the designers, this method actually charges the watch faster than Apple's inductive method.
That works out to a factor of 2.7 times, or 167 percent more usage. Real world results will depend on a number of factors, but if a person typically achieves Apple's rated 18 hours of Apple Watch functionality, the Reserve Strap will up the ante to 48 hours, or two full days. That's pretty amazing.
"The Reserve Strap promises to be the most indispensable Apple Watch accessory ever. It is the first and only band that charges Apple Watch while you wear it," the developers explain. "We've been blown away by the interest and support we've gotten from the Apple Watch enthusiasts all over the world since we announced this concept. We've been hard at work creating a product that will allow you to get maximum utility and performance from your Apple Watch."
What they've come up with for the final design features and technical specifications is a pair of watch bands to support both 38mm and 42mm Apple Watches. Both versions have a strap width of 25mm, strap thickness of 3-9mm, weight 65g, and are water resistant.
They're made of specialized Thermoset Elastomer silicon rubber and contain three Lithium Polymer cells. The built-in cells deliver a charge to the Apple Watch accessory port using Reserve Strap's proprietary overmolded connect design, and according to the designers, this method actually charges the watch faster than Apple's inductive method.
Once installed, Reserve Strap owners can initiate charging by pressing the power button while continuing to use the Apple Watch. Top off charging takes about 60-75 minutes, after which a user can press the power button again to save the rest of Reserve Strap for another time, or leave it alone to keep the Apple Watch at 100 percent power until the Reserve Strap is depleted (there's an LED indicator that lets users know how much juice is remaining). The Reserve Strap can then be recharged via micro USB, while still attached to the Apple Watch.
Sounds groovy, right? We think so, though whether it's worth the $249 asking price is something that Apple Watch owners will have to decide for themselves. Those who believe it is can pre-order one today with shipping expected on November 3, 2015.
Sounds groovy, right? We think so, though whether it's worth the $249 asking price is something that Apple Watch owners will have to decide for themselves. Those who believe it is can pre-order one today with shipping expected on November 3, 2015.
