Apple Watch Has a Replaceable Battery

No matter what configuration you choose, buying an Apple Watch means a pretty significant cash investment, with the lowest-end model of the device costing a cool $349. Since the price of the Watch only grows from there – ranging from $399 all the way up to $17,000 – there’s no question that you’ll want to get the most from your investment. Fortunately, Apple confirmed today that the Watch’s battery is replaceable – though the means by which its replacement will come about is still a bit mysterious.

An Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch shortly after yesterday’s big event that the “battery is replaceable.” Since then, the post has been updated to add that the battery’s lifecycle is expected to last roughly three years.

Three years is certainly a decent amount of time for any gadget’s lifespan. However, considering how often Apple refreshes its hardware – once or twice a year, in the case of the iPhone – one has to wonder whether it will be a similar case with the Apple Watch. Since the iPhone itself does the bulk of the heavy lifting in terms of computation, with the Apple Watch be able to keep up with advances in hardware and software for more than a single year? Or will consumers be presented with a new, thinner, faster, better Apple Watch 2 this time in 2016? If that happens, what happens to the folks who shelled out a whopping thousand bucks for a watch that’s no longer on the cutting edge?

It’s great that the Apple Watch’s battery is replaceable, and it does seem to signal Apple’s commitment to this iteration of the device. But Apple is also constantly looking to reinvent and reconfigure its products. The Apple Watch probably won’t be any different – so even if you’re due for a battery replacement by March next year, you might simply rather buy the next Apple Watch instead.

[Source: TechCrunch]