This year is said to be the year of the smartwatch. While it has come to prominence in the past year, it is expected to truly take off as a mainstream consumer device this year. One of the biggest problems facing these smart companion devices is battery life. People are not willing to charge their watch on a daily basis. About a year ago, we read that Apple is having the same problem with their offering.
Now The New York Times reports that Cupertino is exploring new technologies to solve the problem. According to the Times’ sources, Apple is considering equipping the smartwatch’s screen with a solar-charging layer that would top up the battery when the device is worn in daylight, though such a solution is considered “years from becoming a reality.”
The Times report repeats the newspaper’s year-old claim that the watch will use a curved glass screen, and one anonymous source says that Apple has been testing wireless charging for the device. Apple hasn‘t included this technology in their smartphone range as of yet, so it would be a surprise if it makes it to the watch before the iPhone.
The Times also notes that Apple has hired battery engineers from the likes of Tesla and Toyota in recent years, and mentions the company’s numerous patents relating to technology such as flexible batteries and tiny components that generate power from external motion. We are taking these rumours with a grain of salt, but it would be great to see these innovations from Apple.
Source: The New York Times
