A messy account switch for families

Google has been moving Fitbit users away from old Fitbit accounts and onto Google accounts for some time. For adults, that process may be annoying, but it is at least fairly straightforward in most cases. For families with children using Fitbit devices, the switch can get more complicated.

A recent user report highlights a specific problem. The parent says their children already have Google accounts, but those accounts sit under Family Link supervision. That is the key detail. According to the report, the Fitbit migration cannot continue unless the child accounts are no longer supervised.

That leaves the devices in an odd middle ground. The accounts ask to move over, but the migration does not complete while supervision remains in place. The parent says removing supervision is not an acceptable workaround, partly because support could not guarantee that it could be added back afterwards.

Why this is more than a login issue

The awkward part here is that Google owns both sides of the problem. Fitbit is now part of Google’s account system and Family Link is also Google’s parental control framework. In theory, these two pieces should fit together. In practice, at least for some users, the overlap seems to be creating a dead end.

A parent may be comfortable with a child using a Fitbit tracker, but not comfortable removing supervision from the Google account tied to that child’s phone. Asking a family to loosen account controls just to keep a fitness watch working is not a great look.

Fitbit’s legacy account shutdown has already created plenty of irritation among long-time users who dislike being pushed into Google’s system. Add child accounts into the mix and the migration becomes more than a brand transition. It becomes a practical support problem for families who bought into Fitbit before this account change existed.

As far as workarounds, they may not be simple. Creating a fresh Google account might sound like an easy fix, but once a migration has started or an email address has already been tied to the Fitbit account, the parent may not have a clean way out.

Google needs a cleaner route for child accounts

The fix should not require parents to choose between a working Fitbit and account supervision. A cleaner route would allow a supervised child account to migrate into the Google Fitbit system while preserving Family Link controls. That seems like the obvious target.

Google also needs clearer messaging inside the migration flow. If a supervised child account cannot complete the process, the app should explain that before the account gets stuck. It should also show parents exactly what they can do next, rather than pushing them toward support chats or forum threads.

The post Fitbit migration leaves some kids watches stuck appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The watch starts at CNY 1299 for the Vitality Edition, which is around $191. Other versions rise to CNY 1699, depending on colour and strap choice. The range includes Shadow Black, Racing Gray, Twilight Brown and Flying Blue.

The battery is the main hook

The headline spec is the 1000mAh battery. Honor says the Watch 6 Plus can run for up to 17 days in standard Bluetooth mode, or up to 35 days in its long battery mode.

That puts it in a different place from Wear OS watches and other full smartwatches that need charging every day or two. Real-world use will, of course, depend on GPS, notifications, screen settings and health tracking. But the capacity itself is large for this category.

The display is a 1.46-inch AMOLED panel with a 464 x 464 resolution. Honor also claims up to 3000 nits peak brightness, which should help with outdoor visibility.

Dual-band GPS and 120 plus sport modes

The Watch 6 Plus supports dual-band L1 plus L5 GPS. It also works with GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS and NavIC, so the positioning setup looks strong on paper.

Honor is also pushing the sports side harder than usual. The timepiece supports more than 120 sport modes, with more detailed reports for running, badminton and football.

Badminton gets some of the more unusual tracking. Honor says the watch can measure swing count, swing speed, hitting power and shot distribution. That is more specific than the generic indoor workout modes we usually see on watches in this price range.

Running also gets extra attention. The watch includes AI Coach and AI running posture analysis, which suggests Honor wants this to be seen as more than a lifestyle wearable with a few training modes attached.

Health features need careful wording

Honor is making fairly big health claims with the Watch 6 Plus. The watch tracks heart rate, blood pressure risk, sleep apnea risk and broader cardiac indicators.

A feature we have not seen before on a smartwatch is Heart Rate Reduction. Honor says this metric can help evaluate sudden cardiac arrest risk in real time. That sounds serious, so it needs to be treated carefully. This is still a smartwatch, not a diagnostic medical device.

The watch can also provide proactive reports and high-risk prompts. Some of this may be tied closely to China-specific services, so it may not arrive in the same form if Honor launches the watch globally.

Sensor support includes an accelerometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, PPG heart-rate sensor, ambient light sensor and barometric pressure sensor. There is also a speaker and microphone for Bluetooth calls.

MagicOS, DeepSeek and IP69 protection

The Watch 6 Plus runs MagicOS and includes Honor’s YOYO voice assistant, with DeepSeek LLM support. It also has NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, voice recording and support for video watch faces.

The hardware looks solid for the price. Honor lists 5ATM water resistance and IP69 dust and water protection, which gives the watch a stronger spec sheet than many basic smartwatches.

A strong spec sheet for the price

The Honor Watch 6 Plus looks like a lot of watch for the money. It brings a bright AMOLED display, large battery, dual-band GPS, IP69 protection, Bluetooth calling and a heavier health-tracking pitch than expected at this price.

The main question is how much of this package leaves China. DeepSeek support, YOYO, health reports and expert follow-up features may stay local or change heavily for other markets.

For now, the Watch 6 Plus is another sign that the mid-range smartwatch category is getting more aggressive. Long battery life is no longer enough on its own, so Honor is adding sport-specific data, AI coaching and stronger health claims around it.

The post Honor Watch 6 Plus brings a big battery and serious health tracking claims appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

BioCharge gets a broader rethink

Zepp app 10.4.0 introduces HybridCharge as the new version of BioCharge. The app describes it as a daily energy score that combines training and recovery data to assess how ready you are for the day.

The interesting bit is not just the new name. HybridCharge brings subjective inputs into the mix through LifeLoad and RPE. That means Zepp Health is no longer relying only on sleep, heart rate, activity and recovery data. It also wants to know what happened in your actual day.

That is a sensible direction. Wearables can estimate plenty from the wrist, but they still miss context. A watch might see decent sleep and a normal resting heart rate, but it does not automatically know you feel sick, sore, stressed, mentally drained or unusually motivated.

LifeLoad gives the score more context

The new LifeLoad log lets users record daily factors that could affect recovery and readiness. The screenshots show options such as feeling sick, muscle soreness, joint pain, injury, feeling fatigued and feeling energized. Each can be marked as low, medium or high impact.

There is also a chat-style logging option, which could make the feature easier to use if Zepp Health keeps it simple. It might be easier than manual logs whichoften sound useful at launch, then quietly disappear from people’s routines after a week.

Still, the thinking is solid. HybridCharge tries to combine objective signals from the watch with subjective context from the user. That should give the score a better chance of matching how someone actually feels.

Training Focus adds a practical layer

Training Focus is the other useful part of this update. Rather than treating readiness as a single daily score, Zepp Health is now trying to steer users toward the type of training that best fits their recent load.

The app breaks the past seven days into endurance and strength work, with a goal marker showing the intended balance. That should make it easier to spot when training has become too one-sided, especially for users mixing running, gym work and hybrid events.

The Zepp app 10.4.0 notes also mention a HYROX Training Library and HYROX Race Analysis. The Training Library promises structured workouts for different fitness levels and goals, while Race Analysis is designed to review race performance and highlight strengths and weaknesses.

Still early, but worth watching

The rollout still feels unfinished. HybridCharge now appears in the app, but some watches still show BioCharge. That is not a major issue, but it does suggest Zepp Health is changing the app first and will probably clean up the device wording later.

The bigger question is whether users will keep logging LifeLoad events. If they do, HybridCharge could become more useful than BioCharge. If they do not, it may end up as a cleaner name wrapped around a familiar readiness score.

The post Zepp app 10.4.0 replaces BioCharge with HybridCharge appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The HRV detail changes things

When the Smart Band 11 specs leak first appeared online, it was difficult to know what to make of it. Some of the specs sounded realistic, while others felt a bit too ambitious for Xiaomi’s regular fitness band line.

The important detail was HRV. The leak claimed Smart Band 11 would add Heart Rate Variability tracking alongside more advanced recovery analysis. At the time, that felt uncertain because Xiaomi had never really pushed HRV on its Smart Bands.

But Smart Band 10 Pro changes the picture. Xiaomi has now officially added HRV to that device, which suddenly makes the same Smart Band 11 claim feel much less random.

That does not mean the leak is definitely real. But it now lines up much more closely with Xiaomi’s current direction.

A brighter display with slimmer borders

The design claims are more specific than they first look. Smart Band 11 is said to move to a 1.78-inch display with an 8% higher screen-to-body ratio, which suggests Xiaomi may be shrinking the black border around the screen rather than making the tracker itself much bigger.

The leak also mentions 2200 nits peak brightness, Outdoor Strong Light Adaptive Mode and smoother font edges. That would make the display easier to read outdoors and help messages and sports data fit more cleanly on the small screen.

The body may slim down too. The leak points to an 8.99mm thin metal frame, while the weight stays at 15.95g, matching Smart Band 10 without the strap.

The strap changes are also notable. The leaked Konger leather magnetic strap and half-chain option make Smart Band 11 sound less like a pure fitness tracker and more like an everyday wearable.

Here is a render we put together of what Smart Band 11 may look like based on the leaked specs.

More sensors, more recovery

The leak mentions a three-axis magnetometer and barometric altitude dual sensor. That would help Smart Band 11 record climbing height and give it better outdoor tracking context.

It also mentions a new body temperature sensor and electrodermal activity monitoring. If accurate, those additions would push the band further into stress, sleep and recovery tracking, rather than just basic fitness logging.

The menstrual cycle prediction claim also fits that direction. The leak says the band could monitor night-time body temperature fluctuations to provide earlier period warnings.

Sports and charging get a boost

Reportedly, the new device will have 200+ sports modes, up from the 150+ modes on Smart Band 10. It also mentions AI Motion Correction and Post-Workout Recovery Scoring, with HIIT and Pilates called out as new examples.

That sounds like Xiaomi wants to give the band more guidance after exercise, not just record the session and move on. Recovery scoring would also fit with HRV if Xiaomi decides to build a broader readiness-style feature around it.

Battery life is listed at up to 10 days with heavy use. The more interesting claim is magnetic fast charging, with 10 minutes of charging giving up to three days of use.

What this probably means

If all of this accurate, Smart Band 11 could be one of the more ambitious updates in Xiaomi’s regular band line. Not because it changes the whole design, but because it may bring the standard model closer to recovery tracking, better outdoor use and more polished everyday wear. It would actually bring it close to the likes of Fitbit Charge 6 – at least in terms of the sensor hardware.

For now, this still belongs in the leak bucket. The Pro model has shown where Xiaomi is heading, and Smart Band 11 may be the device that brings more of that direction to the regular band.

As far as a possible launch date, we usually get the next gen Smart Band in May or early June. There’s no reason to think this year will be any different.

Tech specs comparison – Smart Band 11 (leak) vs Smart Band 10

Source of original leak: Chinese forums via Reddit

The post Xiaomi Smart Band 11 could bring a brighter screen and HRV appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

Why this is useful

Most wearables still lean heavily on cardiovascular effort. That works well for running, cycling and endurance training, but it misses a big part of the picture in the gym. Lifting places stress on muscles, joints, bones and connective tissue, even when heart rate looks fairly controlled.

WHOOP’s approach is to combine cardiovascular load with muscular load. The user enters exercises, weights, reps and sets, while the device uses wrist-based motion data from the accelerometer and gyroscope. The system then applies different movement profiles, because a back squat clearly places a different demand on the body than a calf raise.

That is the bit that makes this more interesting than a glorified workout diary. WHOOP is not only asking what you lifted. It is trying to understand how much of the body a movement involves and how much stress that session added overall.

It still needs proper logging

There is a catch, of course. Strength Trainer works best when users log workouts properly. You can build a workout in advance, select a pre-built option or add Strength Trainer data to an activity after the session.

That makes sense for serious gym users, but it also adds a complication. Runners can usually press start and go. Strength training still needs structure, because the device cannot magically know the weight on the bar or the difference between a warm-up set and a working set.

WHOOP also says the feature currently needs wrist-based wear. That is important, because WHOOP Body apparel placements will not give the same movement data for this feature. So if you normally wear the sensor in clothing during workouts, Strength Trainer may require a habit change. The same applies to upper arm bands.

WHOOP AI joins the gym side too

The feature also plugs into WHOOP AI. Users can ask it to build strength workouts around goals, equipment, muscle groups or limitations. That could be useful for travel, minimal equipment sessions or training around injury, although the quality will depend on how sensible the generated workout actually is.

WHOOP is also adding Exercise Trends, which shows volume, history and personal records for individual exercises. That gives the feature a more practical angle. Instead of only seeing a single Strain number, users can track whether they are progressing on specific lifts over time.

For WHOOP, this feels like a necessary move. Recovery wearables have spent years explaining endurance load in great detail, while treating strength work as a secondary category. Strength Trainer gives lifting a clearer place inside the WHOOP system, and that should make the platform more useful for people who split their training between cardio and the gym.

The bigger question is whether users will stick with the logging. If they do, this could make WHOOP’s recovery guidance feel more realistic after heavy lifting blocks. If they do not, it risks becoming another clever feature that only the most disciplined users bother to feed with enough data.

The post WHOOP wants to make gym strain less of a guessing game appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The company has, reportedly, filed a draft registration statement with the SEC. The details remain private, though. There is no listing date, no price range and no share count yet. Oura says the IPO would happen after the SEC review process, subject to market conditions.

The timing makes sense

The numbers speak volumes. It seems the company is on track to pass five million paid members this quarter. It was valued at $11 billion in October after a $900 million Series E round, and revenue has grown fourfold over the past two fiscal years.

That gives Oura a strong story to tell. It is no longer just a sleep ring with a loyal following. It is a hardware and subscription business with enough scale to test public market interest in smart rings.

The company has also said it could reach close to $2 billion in sales in 2026. That is a big number for a wearable that still sits outside the normal smartwatch lane.

Users may not love every part of this

Investors will probably like the subscription angle. But some users may feel differently.

Oura already sells expensive hardware and then charges monthly for the better part of the experience. That works if the app keeps improving and the insights feel worth paying for. It becomes harder to defend if prices rise, support slips or more features move behind higher tiers.

That is the risk with going public. Oura will need to grow, but it cannot make existing users feel squeezed. Health wearables run on trust, and trust disappears quickly when people feel they are paying more for access to their own data.

Oura’s strongest argument remains the ring itself. It is discreet, easy to wear overnight and still has a clearer purpose than many wrist-based wearables.

That edge will matter more now. Samsung is already in smart rings along with a few other subscription-free alternatives. Whoop owns a chunk of recovery tracking, Garmin is strong in fitness and Google has moved further into screenless tracking with Fitbit Air.

Oura still has the brand lead. The question is whether it can keep improving the product without turning the app into a maze of paid extras.

We will soon find out

The IPO filing gives smart rings a bigger spotlight. It could also help Oura stay independent rather than being swallowed by a larger platform.

But the hard part starts now. Oura has to prove that a smart ring can support a serious public company without annoying the people who made it successful.

That means better health insights, clearer value from the subscription and less vague wellness language. Oura has already shown that people will wear a ring for health tracking. Now it has to show that the business model can grow without making the product feel worse.

There is also the Ring 5 angle in the background. A recent leak points to a possible May 28 announcement and June 4 release, which could help explain why Oura may want IPO momentum building alongside a new hardware cycle.

The post Oura files for IPO after massive membership growth appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The key addition is a database column called screenlessDeviceCapable. The new APK also includes references such as SCREENLESS_DEVICE_CAPABLE, isScreenlessCapable and LimitedUI handler started for device.

That points to Garmin Connect being able to identify whether a device has no screen, or only a very limited interface. Some LimitedUI code existed before, but this update appears to tie it more directly to device capability handling.

The CIRQA link is possible but not confirmed

This will naturally raise questions about CIRQA. Garmin filed the CIRQA trademark earlier this year, with wording around stress recovery, alertness and performance. That already made it look like something different from a normal sports watch.

Now let’s be clear here – the APK does not include the word CIRQA. So there is no direct confirmation here.

But the new screenlessDeviceCapable flag fits the idea of a recovery band, discreet tracker or sensor-led Garmin device. It also fits a product that depends more heavily on Garmin Connect for setup, feedback and controls.

Garmin is using broader device wording

The APK also changes some wording from “watch” to “device”. That is a small change, but it fits the same direction.

A screenless Garmin product would not be a watch. It would still need to collect health and recovery data, but Garmin Connect would need to describe it in broader terms.

That does not mean Garmin is moving away from watches. It suggests Connect is being prepared for more types of hardware.

Connect Plus offers are also taking shape

The APK also adds more complete Garmin Connect Plus offer screens. New references include Exclusive Offers, Reveal Code, Hidden Code, No codes remaining and GC+ Required.

The text suggests annual subscribers, or users with at least six consecutive months of paid subscription, may get access to discount codes for selected Garmin devices and accessories. It also appears users may be able to generate up to two codes within a 180-day period.

That gives Connect Plus a more practical benefit. It turns the subscription into more than extra insights and premium software features.

Breathwork and meditation get new live-session files

Beyond that, Garmin has also added new breathwork and meditation files. These include structured live-session layouts and animation assets.

New strings include Breathe In, Breathe Out and Hold Breath. There are also new LiveActivitySessionService references, which point to more real-time session handling inside Garmin Connect.

That could help existing watches. It could also support a future screenless device where the phone app becomes the main interface during guided sessions.

Workout control is moving further into Connect

The APK adds wording around starting workouts in Garmin Connect, selecting a device to record workout data and sending a workout to a device.

This could simply improve multi-device handling. But it also makes sense if Garmin is preparing for devices that need more phone-side control.

A screenless tracker cannot offer the same on-device workout controls as a watch. Garmin Connect would need to do more of that work.

What this means

Garmin Connect 5.25 does not confirm CIRQA. But it does add a clear screenless device capability flag, and that is the part worth watching.

The safest read is that Garmin is preparing Connect for a device without a normal display. That could be a recovery band, a discreet health tracker or another sensor-led product. But given everything we know, don’t be surprised if CIRQA does drop in the weeks head.

The post Garmin Connect APK hints at screenless hardware amid CIRQA buzz appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

This is an annual event where Apple lays out its new software across iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro and its wider developer ecosystem. This year, the software story feels unusually loaded because Apple still has unfinished business with the smarter Siri experience it first previewed back in 2024.

The keynote is now locked in

The public-facing keynote takes place on June 8 at 10 a.m. PT, which works out as 6 p.m. in the UK. That is the one most users will care about, as it should bring the first proper look at iOS 27, watchOS 27, macOS 27, iPadOS 27, visionOS 27 and the next round of Apple Intelligence features.

Apple will follow that with the Platforms State of the Union at 1 p.m. PT. That session usually goes deeper into the tools and platform changes developers need to know about, so it tends to be more technical and less polished for a mainstream audience.

The wider WWDC week will include more than 100 session videos, live online group labs, Apple Developer Forums, one-on-one appointments and community events. Apple is also using the event to highlight the 2026 Apple Design Award finalists, which gives the week its usual mix of software, developer tools and app design recognition.

The Siri question is hard to avoid

The more interesting part is the tease. Apple’s “Coming Bright Up” wording, paired with a glowing WWDC graphic, feels like the sort of vague Apple hint that can mean several things at once.

The obvious read is Siri. Apple has delayed the more personal version of Siri that was supposed to understand context, work across apps and act more like a useful assistant than a voice command layer. WWDC 2026 now looks like the obvious place for Apple to explain where that work stands.

That does not mean Apple will suddenly solve everything in one keynote. But the company needs to show clear progress, especially after Google, OpenAI and others have moved quickly in consumer AI. Apple’s angle will almost certainly lean on privacy, on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute, but it also needs to show users something practical.

For Apple Watch users, that could be especially interesting. Siri still feels underused on the wrist, despite the watch being one of the most natural places for quick voice interactions. A smarter Siri could make watchOS more useful for health queries, workout context, reminders and app actions, provided Apple gives it enough access to do real work.

The risk is that Apple keeps things too cautious. If Siri only gains a refreshed look and a few controlled demos, WWDC 2026 may feel like another promise-heavy update. If Apple shows deeper app actions and proper context awareness, this could be the first sign of a more useful software layer across its devices.

A free online event with plenty for developers

Apple is keeping WWDC online and free, which has become the standard format in recent years. Developers can follow sessions through the Apple Developer app and Apple Developer YouTube channel, then join group labs and forum sessions through the week.

That format works well because the keynote is only the surface layer. The real detail usually arrives later, when developers start digging through APIs, beta software and session videos. That is also when the more practical changes become clear, including what new features actually require newer hardware.

For users, the main thing to know is simple. June 8 is when Apple shows the direction of its next software cycle, and this year the pressure sits squarely on AI. The company has teased enough, delayed enough and watched enough competitors move ahead. WWDC 2026 now needs to show whether Apple’s slower approach can still produce something more useful.

The post Apple sets WWDC 2026 keynote date as Siri comeback looms appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

The device feels like a throwback to the original Pebble era, when smartwatch design was still more about practicality than loading a wrist with apps and sensors. The focus here is simple: an always-visible E Ink display, extremely low power draw and a watch that tries to avoid the charger for as long as possible.

The trick is cutting everything back

The project is based on the same broad idea as Watchy, the open source E Paper watch platform. The difference is that LightInk goes much harder on power optimisation, using specific hardware choices to reduce the small background drains that usually make ESP32 wearables difficult for long battery life.

The headline claim is around 2uA consumption when the watch is just updating the time. With a 200mAh battery, similar to Watchy, the developer estimates roughly 400 days of battery life before solar top-ups are even counted. The project target is below 0.5mAh per day, which is the sort of number that makes normal smartwatch charging cycles look a bit silly.

LightInk uses a TPS63900 power setup with selectable 2.6V and 2.9V output, enough to power the ESP32, RTC, E Ink display and WiFi when needed. It also drops the accelerometer, because even when disabled it reportedly consumes around 1uA. On most watches that would barely register. Here, it is big enough to remove.

There are still some smart features

This is not just a solar clock with a strap. LightInk includes capacitive touch instead of buttons, a piezo speaker, vibration, an LED light for viewing the screen in the dark, WiFi time sync, alarms, battery tracking and power saving modes.

LoRa and GPS support are also listed, but these are clearly occasional-use tools rather than always-on features. Treat GPS like you would on a sports watch and the 400-day battery story falls apart very quickly. That does not make the claim useless, but it does show what kind of device this really is.

The battery figure only works because LightInk spends most of its life doing very little. E Ink helps because it mainly consumes power when the screen updates, not while the image sits there. The project also avoids showing seconds, because refreshing the display every second would defeat the whole point.

It looks rough because it is built for function

The design will split people. The current version has a blocky case, a visible solar strip and a layout that looks closer to an electronic shelf label than a polished smartwatch. A solar rim or cleaner case would probably look better, but that would also move the project away from the practical off-the-shelf approach that makes it possible.

That roughness might actually be part of the appeal. LightInk is not trying to be an Apple Watch alternative, a Garmin rival or even a Pebble replacement in any normal sense. It is a maker project that asks how much battery life you can squeeze from E Ink, solar, careful firmware work and ruthless hardware choices.

The solar claim also needs context. If the watch keeps topping itself up from light, then “single charge” is not quite the same as running untouched in a drawer for more than a year. The more useful way to read it is that the baseline power draw is low enough for a small solar cell to make a real difference.

A useful reminder for wearables

LightInk probably will not become a mass-market product in this form. The project itself notes that building a unit requires a lot of soldering, and the plan is mainly to keep developing and fixing a personal unit. That makes sense. This is open-source maker hardware, not something most buyers will assemble over a weekend.

Still, the project is a neat reminder that wearable design does not always have to mean brighter screens, more sensors and shorter battery life. Strip away the constant background drains, use E Ink properly and make solar part of the core design. Suddenly, a watch that can run for months does not sound so strange.

Source: Github via NotebookCheck

The post LightInk solar E Ink watch claims around 400 days of battery life appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.

EnergyLink Gen 2 is a new Kickstarter project built around a simple idea: put an Apple Watch charger inside the band, so the cable is no longer the thing you forget. The second-generation version promises 4.8W charging, a slimmer module, a more secure strap design and September 2026 shipping for backers.

Charging built into the band

Apple Watch battery life has improved over the years, but it still has one awkward habit. You need to think about charging it, especially if you use sleep tracking, workouts, navigation, cellular features or long days away from a desk.

EnergyLink Gen 2 tries to solve that from the strap itself. Instead of carrying a separate Apple Watch puck, the band has a hidden magnetic wireless charger built into the design. Fold the band into position, align the charging area with the back of the watch and connect the band through USB-C.

What’s important to note – the band does not appear to carry a large battery inside the strap itself. Instead, it turns the strap into the charging interface, using a universal USB-C input so you can power the watch from a wall charger, laptop, phone charger or power bank.

The pitch is aimed at people who do not want to carry another proprietary Apple Watch cable. It also makes sense for travel, gym bags and long work days, where a standard USB-C cable is usually easier to find than an Apple Watch charger.

Faster than the first version

The Gen 2 model claims 4.8W rapid charging, which the creator says makes it 30% faster than the original EnergyLink. For Apple Watch Series 10, the campaign says the band can take the watch from 20% to 80% in around 38 minutes.

This means a short top-up before a run, flight or night of sleep tracking could be enough to avoid the usual low-battery scramble. It is not trying to turn the Apple Watch into a multi-day device, but it could reduce the number of times you have to think about the charger.

The creator also says the charging module has been reduced by 30%, which should make the strap less bulky than the first version. That detail is important because on-wrist charging accessories often run into the same problem. They solve battery anxiety, but then add bulk or stiffness to a device people wear all day.

EnergyLink Gen 2 also comes with a 5000mAh charging power bank and storage case. That gives the whole setup a second use case, because the case can act as a travel dock and external power source when the band itself needs to be stored or topped up.

Standard and titanium versions

EnergyLink Gen 2 comes in standard and titanium editions. The standard model uses stainless steel hardware, while the higher-tier titanium version upgrades the metal parts to Grade 5 titanium.

There’s a dual-locking system onboard that combines a magnetic quick-release buckle with a reinforced Velcro strap. The idea is to keep the convenience of a magnetic closure while adding a more secure backup during workouts.

Colour choices include Lunar Ash and Terra Coffee. The strap also comes in two connector sizes, covering smaller Apple Watch models and larger 44mm to 49mm cases. The whole thing supports Apple Watch Series 1 to 10, SE and Ultra models.

A neat idea with the usual Kickstarter caveats

EnergyLink Gen 2 is already in pre-production, according to the campaign. The creator says mass production will begin after the campaign ends, with shipping scheduled for September 2026.

The original EnergyLink achieved a 100% fulfilment rate and reached more than 2,000 backers. That helps, because hardware Kickstarter projects always carry extra risk. Even so, rewards are not guaranteed in the same way as buying a finished product from a shop.

Price: $49 and up

Raised: $46,800 of $4,000 goal

Estimated delivery: September 2026
28 days to go before campaign closes

View on:

The post EnergyLink Gen 2 adds faster Apple Watch charging to the band itself appeared first on Gadgets & Wearables.