Clearly we need MicroUSB-C /s

A usb-c port would be a large percentage of the volume of your standard wearable. Percentage that could be used for battery

Most wearable chargers are a few flat contacts or a tiny qi charger coil

Because the port and the associated internal hardware would take up a huge amount of space.

It's not much space to a smartphone, but to a device the size of a watch, the USB-C port would end up being the largest internal component.

Wireless charging is the answer for most watches, though it means cases can't be all metal and glass.

And yet, I literally have one on my wrist now. It's not noticeably bigger than the Pixel 3 watch.

Here's a video of it in action - https://tube.tchncs.de/w/vYTnG6eKghnicdNj5nkhVx

I wrote the post above. So far, the USB-C watch has lasted over 3 days and still has over 50% battery power.

Obviously, at that price it isn't running a cellular radio or GPS. BLE is amazingly efficient - as are the built in sensors.

My spoon USB-C port is too big

eta: JFC, who wrote this?

Here is a modern smartwatch with USB C

Picture of a fucking brick with straps

Seriously, none of those "examples" are anything I would consider wearing, and I have clubs for hands

Galaxy watch is not technically Qi but WPC compatible and I've ised a number of qi chargers that have worked with it. Also charges directly off my phone via power share.
I would prefer cramming more battery into the thing rather than cramming a USB port into it.

This is confirmation bias, you know it’s possible so you’re discounting downsides.

Yes, a connector can fit in the watch, but the internal footprint of the connector is comparatively huge. All the other components of the watch would need to be designed to fit around a large connector essentially directly in the middle of the device internals.

If that’s really important to you, more power to you. I don’t have an issue with it existing. I do have a bit of a problem with pretending that compromises aren’t being made in features to accommodate it.

A standardized magnetic pogo pin connector would meet my needs quite a bit better, personally.

I have a Garmin watch. Lasts 2+ weeks on a charge depending on how I use it.

I have an almost new pebble time steel in a box on a shelf. When they did the Kickstarter and then basically shut down right after I couldn't bring myself to part with it. It's probably worth a few bucks.

oh quit that bs. There was waterproof (not resistant) micro usb more than a literal decade ago. If anything they should have gottn better.

My OG pebble lives on, albeit with a 3 day battery life. I've preordered the new one and hope that it'll last even longer

Nice, let us know how that goes!!

Ive heard it works with solar too? Does it stop working after a certain timeperiod of just go into low power mode until it gets enough sun?

Eww, micro usb. I get the shakes just thinking about it.

A standardized magnetic pogo pin connector

That's something I hadn't considered before. What a neat idea.

3 Days is great!

And that requires more space than a typical port. In a compact device that is difficult.

And that requires more space than a typical port. In a compact device that is difficult. A flashlight is literally one of the simplest electronic devices there is and bulk is often a plus for comfort.

I don't know about the lesser Garmin models but I have a Fenix 6 Pro Solar and there isn't enough panel surface area on it to indefinitely power the watch. Garmin only state that it "extends" the battery life by a few days. I haven't tested it to see if you power the thing off completely if it will refill the battery from dead by any meaningful amount but I suspect not.

Not all of them have the solar option. In fact, very few of their lineup do.

Also: Garmin recently enshittified by simultaneously adding an AI slop component that works by taking all of your recorded fitness and location data and doing gods know what with it, as well as a paid subscription tier to their obligatory smartphone app -- the latter after explicitly promising for many years that they wouldn't. So not only is their hardware expensive (and their owners are now rightly pissed), they're also liars. I would not give them any money until they shape up, if I were you. Assuming they ever do...