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Tuesday 5 August 2014

LG fixing G Watch corrosion problem through software update



Smartwatches just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to power. Their compact construction affords little room for anything close to phone-sized batteries, forcing users to recharge their wearables with nearly daily frequency. And even then, we’ve seen problems with the charging interfaces themselves, like the issues Samsung’s had with the charging adapter for the Gear Live. Now it’s LG’s turn to tackle a power-related problem for its own smartwatch, as the company delivers an update to address corrosion issues with the G Watch’s charging contacts.

Corrosion? What could software do about corrosion? Well, first you have to understand the nature of the problem here: G Watch owners have been reporting discoloration and the appearance of residue on the metal contacts grouped on the wearable’s backside. Normally these are accessed by spring-loaded pins in LG’s charging cradle, but the corrosion had been impairing some users’ ability to successfully get their watches to charge.

The problem, as Google explained in a statement, is that there was a small current present across some of those exposed contacts. Apparently, the combination of that (harmless) current and the salts present in human sweat created an electrochemical reaction that resulted in this very corrosion. With the installation of the update, the G Watch will only power those contacts while the watch is docked.

If your G Watch has the corrosion already, don’t panic, as Google calls it “completely safe and unlikely to affect charging.”

Source: Android Police
Via: The Verge
Image: Ariel Ruff

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