Apple confirms Watch battery is replaceable

Apple Watch battery empty

Although Apple did not mention it during yesterday’s “Spring Forward” media event, the Apple Watch has a completely replaceable battery, an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch.

That’s about all we know as the publication couldn’t determine how much it will cost to send in your Watch to Apple and have it returned with a new battery in place.

As stated on Apple’s website, with moderate use owners of the Watch can count on eighteen hours of battery life between charges, which entails checking the time 90 times per day, checking out up to 90 notifications, spending 45 minutes in apps and doing a 30-minute workout with music playback from the Watch to Bluetooth-enabled headphones.

Apple’s standard one-year warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery and the company offers an out-of-warranty battery replacement for notebooks and mobile devices, for a fee.

That being said, it’s an encouraging sign that the battery is replaceable as owners will be able to extend their Watch’s lifespan, at least when it comes to battery.

The biggest unknown left concerns the innards of the device.

The Watch’s electronics are integrated on Apple’s in-house designed system-in-a-package chip dubbed the S1. Sadly, the company did not say whether or not it would offer an upgrade path for owners to replace the S1 processor with a next-generation variant.

If you ask me, that won’t happen because future-generation Watches may, and probably will, sport an updated design and include new dedicated sensors.

The Apple Watch goes on pre-order beginning April 10 and is scheduled to ship in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and United Kingdom on April 24.

Image top of post via The Poke.

Source: TechCrunch