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Apple starts up 'Made for Apple Watch' program for third-party straps

Strap in

Apple starts up 'Made for Apple Watch' program for third-party straps
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Strap

Don't fancy paying 500 bucks for a wrist band? You're in luck - Apple has launched a program, called Made for Apple Watch, which will let accessory makers build Apple-certified straps for the smartwatch.

Right now, manufacturers can download design guidelines and Apple Watch schematics from the website, but Apple says it will start supplying official lugs - the magnetic doodads that link bands to the watch face - soon.

Predictably, Apple is gonna be strict about which straps pass muster. They'll need to meet environmental standards, they cannot charge the watch through a battery pack, and they must be tight enough for the heart rate sensor to work.

Plus, "bands and lugs should pass a 72 hour salt mist test as specified in ASTM B117 with no visible corrosion". So, get that mist ready.

Many manufacturers will ignore all this and just make unofficial watch straps. You can already buy them on Amazon and the like. But if you want a strap you can trust, you'll have to wait for the first accessories to come out of this program.

Mark Brown
Mark Brown
Mark Brown is editor at large of Pocket Gamer