Tim Cook on Apple Watch: 'You're Going to Wind Up Charging It Daily' - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Tim Cook on Apple Watch: 'You're Going to Wind Up Charging It Daily'

Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage today at the WSJ.D conference in Laguna Beach, California, where he commented on an array of topics including the Apple Watch, Apple Pay, Apple TV, and more.

Unsurprisingly, Cook said that Apple is "excited" about the upcoming launch of the Apple Watch, and he's impressed that Jony Ive and his team had the foresight to understand that "something you wear has to be personal" and that it can't be "geeky."

applewatch1
Cook divulged some new information on the Apple Watch's battery, which has previously gone unmentioned by Apple. Cook says that people will use it so much that it will need to be charged on a daily basis. "You're going to wind up charging it daily," he said, declining to provide a specific battery life for the device as Apple is still examining how people use it.

Battery life on the Apple Watch has been in question since long before the device launched, with early reports suggesting Apple was having trouble getting the device to last longer than a day. While the company was originally aiming to have the Apple Watch last three to four days, it appears that battery life may be closer to the iPhone's battery life, requiring a charge on a nightly basis. Apple employees have also suggested that the device may only last for a full day of usage, which is why Apple designed an easy charging system.

The Apple Watch connects to a magnetic charger that's much like the MagSafe chargers supplied with the Mac, snapping easily to the back of the device. High-end versions of the Apple Watch even ship in a luxury box that doubles as a charging stand. Apple likely has not commented officially on the Apple Watch battery as it is continuing to finalize the software for the device ahead of its early 2015 launch.


An official rough transcript of Cook's comments during the interview, which also covered the Mac, the iPhone, Apple's taxes in Ireland, plans for a low cost iPhone, and Cook's thoughts on Carl Icahn, can be found over at The Wall Street Journal, and a second comprehensive live blog from Fast Company's Harry McCracken also has details on exactly what Cook shared during the conversation.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Apple Business hero

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:53 am PDT by
Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...

Top Rated Comments

149 months ago
oh jony

"Since the Apple Watch requires daily charge cycles, users are given a more intimate experience of sitting down with their Apple Watch and waiting for it. iPhone users familiar with this feature would be pleased to know that charging their Apple Watch will work seamlessly through their daily routines. Consciously checking on the remaining battery life often allows users to gain a personal connection with their Apple Watch."



#
Score: 105 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BenTrovato Avatar
149 months ago
They can't make the battery TOO good otherwise there won't be enough incentive to buy Apple Watch 2 :apple:
Score: 63 Votes (Like | Disagree)
149 months ago
"Wind up"

Interesting choice of words
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
149 months ago
And nobody asked him about the mess he made with the macmini
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bpeeps Avatar
149 months ago
"Since the Apple Watch requires daily charge cycles, users are given a more intimate experience of sitting down with their Apple Watch and waiting for it. iPhone users familiar with this feature would be pleased to know that charging their Apple Watch will work seamlessly through their daily routines. Consciously checking on the remaining battery life often allows users to gain a personal connection with their Apple Watch."

Image (http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/1671131-poster-1280-jony-ive.jpg)

#

I read this in his voice.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
149 months ago
Not surprised and not bothered, either. The Apple Watch is going to be awesome, so I'll be using it quite a bit. Getting a full day out of it is enough for me! Can't wait for pre-orders. :apple:
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)