Apple closes charging strap loophole

Accessory makers for quite some time now were able to create special bands for the Apple watch that would allow them to connect to the watches hidden port to add more battery life to the watch. Now, apple is closing the loophole, rendering the accessories useless.

The most popular band that used the hidden port was called the Reserve Strap, which was a band that could charge the watch, extending the time between charges by reportedly 150%. Now, with Apple's most recent update to the Apple Watch, WatchOS 2.0.1, the loophole has been closed, the band will no longer work. More specifically, the update changed the Apple External Battery Protocol that "disabled the functionality of the Reserve Strap." The company has since suspended any additional shipments to customers who have ordered the band and updated their watch.

According to a quote from the Reserve Strap team, "For the time being, Apple has suspended use of this port until they unveil an official MFi program for Watch," The team later goes on to say that they urge their customers to reach out to Apple to create an official smart band accessory program. We will let you know if anything else happens.

Via: | The Verge | - Source: | Reserve Strap | - Image Credit: | Reserve Strap |

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