Watch this space: Apple offers free repairs for the self-bricking Apple Watch SE and Series 5 wearables
- Reference: 1613478733
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/02/16/apple_launches_service_program_for/
- Source link:
Per Apple's own documentation, the issue affects "a small number of customers" (we note it [2]said a similar thing with the Butterfly Keyboard service programme , so take from that what you will) with devices running watchOS 7.2 and 7.3.
[3]
Those whose devices are affected were encouraged by the tech giant to place their watch on its usual charger for at least 30 minutes to see if the issue resolves itself. Failing that, Apple said to contact support to request a mail-in repair.
The issue comes from a software glitch, which has since been resolved with the release of watchOS 7.3.1. It goes without saying that if your Apple Watch has completely drained its battery and refuses to charge, updating the software is a non-starter.
[4]
At last! Apple admits its MacBook Pro butterfly keyboards utterly suck, offers free replacements [5]READ MORE
Several irate Apple Watch owners have taken to the company's support forums to complain about the issue.
"I recently purchased an Apple Watch and it was working fine. It paired with my phone and everything, then it just went into power reserve a week ago. I can't get it to charge, nor can I get it to restart," [6]moaned user Carlislelc .
"I have done everything to get my Apple Watch out of power save mode and nothing is working," [7]said Magsfrye24 . "I cannot get my Apple Watch to be turned on [sic] and can’t turn off power save mode. It's also been charging non-stop."
Power Reserve mode is the Apple Watch's low-power mode, which typically switches on when its battery drops below 10 per cent. The feature deactivates virtually all of the device's features, save for the always-on display that shows the time, in order to conserve battery life.
That long-awaited, super-hyped Apple launch: Watches, iPads... and one more thing. Oh, actually that's it [8]READ MORE
That's not just handy; it’s also necessary. Pretty much all versions of the Apple Watch offer around 18 hours of battery stamina – which Cupertino describes as "all day." For comparison, [9]Huawei's Watch GT 2 Pro lasts around six days with normal use, while the WearOS-based [10]Oppo Watch runs around 30 hours between charges.
Released in 2019, the Apple Watch 5 has since been discontinued in [11]favour of the newer Apple Watch Series 6 , and can only be bought refurbished, or via third-party resellers.
The current-generation Apple Watch SE is a different kettle of fish however, and was [12]released with the latest crop of pricey wearables in September . Positioned as a plucky mid-ranger, the SE version retails at £269 and has the same fitness features as its pricier brethren, but without the always-on display.
[13]
Cheaper still is [14]the Casio W-86-1VQES , which retails at £16.99. While it lacks almost all of the features of the Apple Watch, for example the ability to pay for things with the flick or your wrist or the ability to [15]identify atrial fibrillation through its built-in ECG monitor , it's also highly unlikely to spontaneously decide to brick itself. It'll also leave with you with enough change from a £20 note for a Tesco meal deal. We know which we’d pick. ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212180
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2018/06/23/apple_macbook_keyboard_replacement_free/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YCv6KKErvEW6mhDpfr8sPAAAANA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YCv6KKErvEW6mhDpfr8sPAAAANA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2018/06/23/apple_macbook_keyboard_replacement_free/
[6] https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252434934
[7] https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252434620
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/15/apple_launch_watches_ipads/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2018/10/16/huawei_wearable_os/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2020/03/06/oppo_watch/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/22/apple_watch_series_6_teardown/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/15/apple_launch_watches_ipads/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_personal_tech/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YCv6KKErvEW6mhDpfr8sPAAAANA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casio-Collection-Mens-Watch-W-86-1VQES/dp/B002U0KHPG/
[15] https://www.theafibclinic.com/2019/02/my-apple-watch-told-me-i-have-afib/
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Hah
Casio F91-W can be had for under a tenner; its only "water resistant to 30m"* instead of 50, and the backlight isn't as good.
* I would not recommend swimming with this, or even putting it in 20cm of water. Fine for the shower though.
Re: Hah
Seiko SNE095P2, all the things the apple watch is not, and sometimes that's a good thing.
Luckily
I've always hated watches. So that's £20 for a good bottle of wine, or a wine cellar if we're talking the apple version :)
nor can I get it to restart
I'm assuming you can't just wind it up, then?
Wind it up?
Easy
"Your an overpriced piece of tat bought by fan boys"
That should do it
Re: Wind it up?
Upvoted for the comment. Downvoted for the "your" instead of "you're". So status quo.
Re: Wind it up?
At the moment you have 1 upvote and 1 downvote, which is also nicely balanced. I'm guessing you were upvoted for your downvote and downvoted for your upvote, so perhaps it's more counter-balanced.
I love
my brick!
Re: I love
Fed up with breeeeeeeek
SmartWatch?
Since just about eveyone has a mobile which shows the time with little or no effort (OK, maybe you have to reach into your pocket and take out your phone, what a chore) could I take that £20, ignore the watch and upgrade myself to an M&S meal or is that being a snob?
Small number of customers...
"Per Apple's own documentation, the issue affects "a small number of customers" (we note it said a similar thing with the Butterfly Keyboard service programme, so take from that what you will) with devices running watchOS 7.2 and 7.3.'
I recently noticed that my work laptop has the butterfly keyboard.
Never have an issue with them, mind you that *might* be cause I pretty much exclusively use an external keyboard. I should probably put a dust cover over them, but the touch-ID is kinda useful.
I use my iPhone for watch-related functions. I don't see the point of a separate wrist watch.
Wrist watches are useful, when I am biking or kayaking I can just glance at my watch for a number of functions. My phone is waterproof to the point that ai can take pics down to a metre and a half below the surface with it but why risk it falling out of a mount into the sea or off my bike at 100+ KPH when I can glance at my wrist.
Also handy when half way up a climb on a rock face.
They've got form for this. The old (white plastic) MacBooks would quite happily trash their own batteries if left for a few days with a low charge. Apart from the fix for that was to tell you to fuck off and buy a new battery.
Generally I'm fairly happy with Apple kit, that was an obvious exception.
First to say:
You're wearing it wrong!
"while the WearOS-based Oppo Watch runs around 30 hours between charges"
No it doesn't; not even close. Both my App and my AW are what you could consider 'all-day' watches (in that they both realistically need to be charged every night), however only my Apple Watch will consistently continue to work until around lunchtime on day 2; early evening with light usage. The Oppo is invariably dead before breakfast.
Why do apple customers keep tolerating stuff like this?
Do they give you a free glass of LSD the first time you buy an Apple product? If so I never got mine, maybe because I was a minor when I bought my old and small Ipod nano.
Hah
That there Casio comparison at the end made I chuckle a lot!