The Apple Watch Series 7 models lack a diagnostic port under the band, which means Apple has to use another means to troubleshoot and restore Apple Watches that come in for repair.
Apple Watch Series 7 models are equipped with a module that enables 60.5GHz wireless data transfer as we discovered in FCC documents in September, with that data transfer capability designed to be used with a proprietary magnetic dock.
The dock was mentioned in one of the FCC filings, but we didn't have a clear visual of it until now. Brazilian regulatory agency Anatel has approved the Apple Watch Series 7 models and provided photos of the dock that Apple is using internally, with the information shared by Brazilian site MacMagazine.
The Apple Watch Series 7 dock is clearly designed for diagnostics, and it has a two piece construction. An Apple Watch charging puck fits into the bottom piece, and then a second piece housing the Apple Watch itself fits over that and aligns with bolts.
Prior to the Apple Watch Series 7, Apple included a diagnostic port on Apple Watch models, with the port hidden under the band. It's not clear why Apple has shifted to wireless diagnostics, and it's also not known how fast the wireless data transfer is. It likely uses USB 2.0 with speeds up to 480Mb/s.
The diagnostic port on Apple Watch Series 6 models and older
There is no word on whether the wireless data module added to the Apple Watch Series 7 could ever have a consumer-facing application, but for now, it's for Apple's internal use only.
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update.
Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September.
Below, we recap the key...
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues.
We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!
iPhone 17 ...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
Apple TV+ is currently available at a much lower price than usual, but time is running out if you want to take advantage of the offer.
In the U.S., new and qualified returning customers can subscribe to Apple TV+ for just $2.99 per month, for three months. Afterwards, regular pricing of $9.99 per month applies. The offer is available in the Apple TV app, and at tv.apple.com, through April...
Overdone as in, alignment, for instance, the top part is where the Watch would go in, it could be done in a much-simplified design, as in, you don't need the top part, just add alignment to the base.
It's overdone.
Eh, it looks like it's designed to get sub-millimeter-accurate placement, and to hold the Watch in that position for long periods of time without moving, to be quick and secure to set up accurately without any fiddling (thus the tapered pins), and to withstand hundreds or thousands of uses without that accuracy degrading. I see something a bit over-designed, but intended to stand up to a lot of use, without wasting employee time ("oh, the transfer failed partway through because the watch got bumped").
It also looks like you could potentially have one base and multiple top parts, so multiple watches could be secured into top parts while waiting their turn to be hooked up to the computer that's connected to the bottom part. It's designed to be able to quickly take one top part out and drop the next top part in, without a lot of alignment needed.
If it were more fiddly, if it took more time to align, or occasionally let the watch slip out of alignment during the procedure, or lost accuracy to wear of adjoining surfaces over time, that would lead to it, on average, taking longer to repair any given watch, meaning either a larger backlog of watches to repair, or having to build more testing rigs and hire more technicians to repair the same number of watches. I don't think it's overdone, I see a nice tool. Maybe not the way I would have designed it, but well designed for the intended purpose, nonetheless.
That’s their problem. As long as they have figured out a way to diagnose and repair the watches on their end, it’s all good. I never pay any attention to these ports anyway.
I want to wear the Apple Watch into water and have it withstand chinchilla dust baths, so I’m glad for the advances that help make that happen.
(I don’t actually have a chinchilla. But I have to empty my bagless vacuum canister at least twice a week and that’s about as dusty as being around a chinchilla taking a dust bath. Nobody wants to hear about my vacuum cleaner struggles. But I think we all can appreciate a chinchilla enjoying a good dust bath.)
