# So what's the advantage of integrated lugs on optional Apple watch bands?



## bigvatch (Sep 25, 2007)

Just curious. Every experience I have had with optional proprietary bands with integrated lugs, just made the strap 2-3 times more costly than it should be.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

They look really easy to replace with adapters to allow regular watch bands.


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## watchvaultnyc (Jun 5, 2014)

Advantage to Apple. Leave it to them to make even watch bands proprietary


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

broudie said:


> Advantage to Apple. Leave it to them to make even watch bands proprietary





BarracksSi said:


> They look really easy to replace with adapters to allow regular watch bands.


I'm sure that there are strap makers (Hirsch, H-R, etc) and small startups just itching to get detailed specs on the attachment pieces so people can use their springbar-attached straps. And if they're not, they're&#8230; well, they're just stupid.


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## MrDagon007 (Sep 24, 2012)

They allow for the perfect connection to the case for every variant of strap/bracelet. I like the idea, and I must say that I like their straps and bracelets a LOT. They have shown more innovation in their straps and bracelets than anything I've seen in a long while in traditional straps and bracelets. For example the bracelet that you can size without tools. The magnetic closure, the way the sporty strap hides the unused part under the other side of the strap - something from Ikepod to be fair, it is no surprise that Mark Newsom now works partly at Apple.
I expect generic strap adapters, but try as I might, I cannot imagine traditional straps with an adapter to look as good on this smartwatch as the Apple supplied ones. It is a very different device, I am not sure that for example a flieger like strap would look good on it.


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## empty86 (Oct 14, 2014)

Not going to get the Apple Watch, but I'm interested to see which third party manufacturers are going to make straps and what designs they'll come up with. I'd be personally hoping for what BarracksSi said above and allow for normal straps as well.


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## testpilot (Apr 28, 2007)

BarracksSi said:


> I'm sure that there are strap makers (Hirsch, H-R, etc) and small startups just itching to get detailed specs on the attachment pieces so people can use their springbar-attached straps. And if they're not, they're&#8230; well, they're just stupid.


Apple will probably embed a RFID chip in the band and disable the watch if a licensed official Apple chip isn't present. They did that to their charging cables, it make 'em more fragile so you have to buy more. Sometimes I think Apple is becoming the next Sony.


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## etagloh (Feb 8, 2014)

MrDagon007 said:


> I must say that I like their straps and bracelets a LOT. They have shown more innovation in their straps and bracelets than anything I've seen in a long while in traditional straps and bracelets. For example the bracelet that you can size without tools. The magnetic closure, the way the sporty strap hides the unused part under the other side of the strap - something from Ikepod to be fair, it is no surprise that Mark Newsom now works partly at Apple.


Agreed. There are lots of things about the watch itself that aren't solved problems (battery life, sheer heft) but for the bands and closures, there's plenty of genuine innovation that taps into watch history and builds on it.


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