Apple is reportedly thinking about developing a wearable battery module that will charge the Apple Watch while in use. According to the patent application titled “Charging apparatus for wearable electronic device“, the Apple Watch addition will use an inductive element (a coil) to transmit power to the watch. The report which first appeared on AppleInsider last week says magnets are disposed in the battery pack’s charging plate to boost efficiency of the inductive coils.
Notably there are two ways Apple wants to achieve this and they are;
But this changes everything including design and how the proposed module could be sold eventually. The Wristband option means Apple can completely embed a charging device into the wristband and can be sold separately as an accessory while the second option is a straightforward one that leaves a consumer with little choice seeing as the module will be embedded just underneath the Watch itself. But this in itself calls for design changes because the existing battery design works well with the biometric sensors underneath the Watch hence the call for apertures or translucent windows to be formed in the inductive head unit to allow for the passage of light.
That said, how feasible is it for you to wear on something that generates that much heat to function properly or how can heat sensitive sensors co-exist with such a design? The answer is that there will circuitry designs to regulate the flow of power during use.
As with other patents, we don’t know if this will ever see the light of day but this also means that Appel is seeking other solutions to battery life challenges and in the era of increased wearables drive, this is needed.
Last year the makers of the PowerWatch unveiled a smartwatch that uses your body heat to generate power. The technology runs on thermoelectric generator technology which means that the temperature gradient causes electrons in the watch to flow, creating an electric current.
These technologies just mean the future of the smartwatch is never battery off one.
Paul Balo is the founder of TechBooky and a highly skilled wireless communications professional with a strong background in cloud computing, offering extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing wireless communication systems.
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