Reserve Strap this week released the official design specifications of its battery-charging Apple Watch band accessory, confirming a shipping date for the $249.99 strap to be November 3, 2015. Since its debut in early March, the Reserve Strap has gone through two design iterations, with developers Lane Musgrave and John Arrow attempting to get the look -- and functionality -- just right.

The strap's finalized design comes in with a width of 25mm, a thickness of 3-9mm, and a total weight of 65g. The designers have also ditched the rubber and metallic combination design of the Reserve Strap's second iteration with a uniform Thermoset Elastomer Silicone band that's "as resistant to water as Apple Watch." Coming in both 38mm and 42mm casing sizes, the Reserve Strap promises to fit wrists ranging in size from 130mm to 210mm.

reserve-strap-change

The original Reserve Strap design (left), with the second design (middle) and the final one (right)

The design wasn't the only aspect of the strap to be overhauled, however, with the strap's developers noting a 167 percent increase in battery life, compared to the original design's 125 percent boost. Essentially, if the Reserve Strap is fully charged (via included micro-USB cable), users can expect an additional 30 hours of battery life for their Apple Watch. So, as the company notes on its website, a fully-charged Apple Watch can now expect a grand total battery life of 48 hours if both devices are topped off.

The company goes into the specifics in the new blog post on what users can expect with a day-to-day usage of the Reserve Strap, detailed below. It should be mentioned that the strap's access to the Apple Watch accessory port requires users to first remove the cover to the hidden port before using the Reserve Strap, a process detailed by creators Musgrave and Arrow in a how-to video on their YouTube channel.


How Reserve Strap Works

1. Reserve Strap will connect to the Apple Watch similar to Apple bands. It will slide in laterally then you’ll then push forward a small switch underneath the band to engage the accessory port connection to secure the Reserve Strap on the Watch.

2. At your discretion simply press the power button once to initiate charging. You can use the Watch as normal while it charges.

3. Once top-off charging is complete after 60-75 minutes, press the power button again to save the rest of Reserve Strap for another time. Or if you decide to leave Reserve Strap on, Apple Watch will use the Strap’s power to keep the Apple Watch at 100% power until the Reserve Strap is depleted.

4. Reserve Strap uses a minimal LED indicator to let you know how much charge you have left. When you turn the charge on or plug it in, the LED will glow either red, yellow or green indicating a high, medium, or low charge.

5. Recharging the Reserve Strap and Apple Watch is incredibly easy. You can leave your Strap on the Watch and simply plug it in via micro USB. This will charge the Apple Watch and Reserve Strap at the same time!

The Reserve Strap, which the developers promise fully complies with the Apple Watch Band Design Guidelines and "doesn't violate either AppleCare warranty or Apple Terms & Conditions," can be pre-ordered for $249.99 today from the company's official website. The final design can be purchased in white, grey, or black, its creators noting that only those who pre-ordered are guaranteed a strap on the November 3 launch date.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

ButteryScrollin Avatar
114 months ago

users can expect an additional 30 hours of battery life for their Apple Watch.
and unlimited ugly!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Z400Racer37 Avatar
114 months ago
Is it just me or is there not really a problem with battery life? I put it on at 7AM and take it off at like 9 or 10 pm an its still at 50%..

Will laugh if apple comes in with its own cheaper version. Just to teach the greedy a thing or two.
... What?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eorlas Avatar
114 months ago
People complained incessantly about the lack of 24 hour battery life in the Watch, and now that someone comes up with a solution there's complaint about what you don't like of it?

If Apple made a charge band, you'd be spending more than this. Perhaps this will encourage others to enter this market, and maybe the price will go down eventually.

As for look, it's not gorgeous but it's far from hideous. It's a simple rubber design.

$250 is more than I would spend specifically for that band, but it doesn't mean that the product itself doesn't have that value.

*shrug*
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Waxhead138 Avatar
114 months ago
Apple Watch: Starting at $349.99.

For the measley expense of roughly 70% of that, you can double the battery life!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lobbyist Avatar
114 months ago
and unlimited ugly!
The final design compared to the original one is like day and night. Very decent looking IMO. Will consider it.

But of course that's just me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GFbob Avatar
114 months ago
Is it just me or is there not really a problem with battery life? I put it on at 7AM and take it off at like 9 or 10 pm an its still at 50%..




... What?
I'm not having any issues with battery life either. I take it off around 9 PM, let it charge for an hour and put it back on before bed. I've never run out of battery charge and I've had it on during several 1 hour+ cycling rides (which are supposed to drain the battery doing heart rate checks).
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
apple wallet drivers license feature

Apple Said iPhone Driver's Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago

Thursday March 14, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
OLED iPad Air

iPad Air Next on Apple's OLED Tablet Roadmap Following iPad Pro

Friday March 15, 2024 3:30 am PDT by
The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec). "In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on...
Walmart MacBook Air M1

Walmart Begins Selling MacBook Air With M1 Chip for $699 in U.S.

Friday March 15, 2024 6:57 am PDT by
Walmart today announced that it has started selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in the U.S., with pricing set at a very reasonable $699. The laptop can be ordered now on Walmart.com, and it will be available soon at select Walmart stores. This is the first time that customers can purchase a Mac that is sold directly by Walmart, the company said in a press release. Some other retailers...