Apple watch buyer BEWARE!!!

[Silver78]

Apple watch buyer BEWARE!!!

I own an apple watch series 0 a watch that came out same year as iphone 6 or 7 plus!!

Imagine if apple turned of basic functions and connection options for those phones!!!

That is what apple just did!!! Turned off basic functions for my otherwise working and mint condition series 0 apple watch.

It is not supported in ios 16.1 !!!.. i got a new phone and after automatic installing ios 16.1.1 basic functions on old apple watches is no longer working..

Basically everything that require connection to the phone is no longer working!!! Fitness sync. Notifications, weather complications and other complications etc. basically everything that also uses the watch app on phone.

So they more or less “bricked” my watch at the push of a button!!! Why!!!

Its the first time i have seen an apple product become completely useless after 7 years.. and they choose to do it on a watch!!!

The watch was working just fine before the update.. yes it did not have the new functions but it was just fine.

I called support and after a long chat they decided to compensate me!!! With a link to recycle the watch.. so they “brick” my watch and sent me a link to recycle the watch!!! After that they semt me a link to apple store watch page so i could buy a new one .. at Full price!!!

What is going on here? Can apple just do that!!!?

In my ears it sound crazy that they can just do that!!!

As from what i can read it affects watch up to series 3 !!!

So basic functions and connection to phone is no longer working!!!

Apple watch 3 is from 2018 so 4 years old!!! Is no useless!!

So Beware.. you watch will be useless after 4 years only.. we are not talking no updates or no 3rd party apps .. we are talking no connection .. useless!!!

Please help!

 

[jeffg819]

So go back to iOS 15?

 

[Shirasaki]

Uh, what? Apple Watch series 0 is barely useable in the first place. Apple watch series 3 has so little storage and so old design that anyone Buying them after initial release just looks bad.

Also, what do you want? Series 0 has WatchOS support from 1.0 to 4.3. Series 3 has watchOS support from 3.0 to 8.7.1. Apple’s first gen products almost always have short support span because of the immature hardware. I dunno what you expect from Apple. And, you manage to squeeze your series 0 for SEVEN years. If someone else was you he’d/she’d be immensely impressed how long his Watch lasts.

And, something else to keep in mind. Apple Watch pairing is somewhat tied to the iPhone release. You can’t really use later iPhone with an earlier watch if two has too much of a generation gap. Series 0 can’t work forever, same as series 3. And my series 4, despite running smoothly on WatchOS 9, can’t work forever either and I’d need to upgrade in due time regardless. That’s just how it works.

Im sorry to see you just realise the eventual obsolescence of tech products.

 

[Silver78]

I use my watch 0 just fine .. i dont need any other functions than basic ones.. watch is fast enough for me.. now it just useless. .. i imagine people own a series 3 watch must be sad .. only 4 years old.
We are not talking no updates .. we are talking bricked watch here .. would you buy a 1000$ ultra for 4 years of life only?

 

[Silver78]

Someone talk obsolescence.. what do you think would happen if apple bricked all iphones 6 plus or older? To the point of useless?
Its a simple connection block.. its not obsolescence more than apple choose to do.
Some said go back to ios 15.. well you can not. An why would i? My 15 year old fitbit works and connect just fine. Hiw can you brick a watch only 7-4 years old !!!?
If you are okay with that you are simply too young or too much an apple fanboy for sure

 

[AppleB]

My 2015 Series 0 syncs and connected just fine with my 14 PM iOS 16.1.1
I stopped using it years ago. I thought it was dead because it wouldn’t charge.
I recently got a Series 8 and used it’s charging cable on the Series 0 and it started charging and it paired after a update and is listed in my Watch list.

 

[Silver78]

My 2015 Series 0 syncs and connected just fine with my 14 PM iOS 16.1.1
I stopped using it years ago. I thought it was dead because it wouldn’t charge.
I recently got a Series 8 and used it’s charging cable on the Series 0 and it started charging and it paired after a update and is listed in my Watch list.

Just wait.. it will drop parring. I am not making this up.
My series 0 is just fine physically and i changed the battery a few years ago.
It did music control, fitness tracking. Weather complication etc just fine. Yea no new updates and many 3rd party apps not too good but the basic functions were just fine.
If you cant sync your watch to the phone it becomes so useless.
Again its the first time i have ever seen apple brick a product after only 4 years.
It connects to bluetooth but software does not work.
Tell one other product from apple where its bricked after 4 years only?

 

[ndouglas]

.. would you buy a 1000$ ultra for 4 years of life only?

Yes, most people on this site would buy that for 4 years or much less. Granted they probably sell or give the old one way to family/friends.

I do agree with you in principle, but being surprised or shocked about this ended for me back in 2007 with the first iphone, I didn’t get one and I forget how much it was, but it was a lot. And really even before that, around 2002-2004 I was similarly indignant how PC laptops wouldn’t last or work well after a few months or years, hence eventually making me take the plunge to more expensive and longer-lasting Apple stuff.

Anyway, sorry to hear about your Watch, I agree it‘s disappointing, however in the real world we’re in today (and for many years now) it shoudn‘t surprise you. If you‘re genuinely that miffed and sincerely need/want to continue the use of your Series 0, it wouldn’t be that expensive to get an SE model watch and with care you’d get a good several years out of it.
….

Also you keep saying “only 4 years,” didn’t the Series 0 come out in early 2015, i.e. >7.5 years ago?

 

[chrfr]

Also you keep saying “only 4 years,” didn’t the Series 0 come out in early 2015, i.e. >7.5 years ago?

The Series 0 was released in April 2015 and discontinued in September 2016, so yeah, it’d be at least 6 years old, not 4.

 

[ndouglas]

Also wait just a sec… tell us more about your 15 (?!) year old Fitbit that still works fine? My experience with Fitbit is they start breaking down after 6,12, maybe 18 months max… I went through many (3-4, I forget exactly) in just a few years before taking the Apple watch plunge…

 

[Silver78]

Yes, most people on this site would buy that for 4 years or much less. Granted they probably sell or give the old one way to family/friends.

I do agree with you in principle, but being surprised or shocked about this ended for me back in 2007 with the first iphone, I didn’t get one and I forget how much it was, but it was a lot. And really even before that, around 2002-2004 I was similarly indignant how PC laptops wouldn’t last or work well after a few months or years, hence eventually making me take the plunge to more expensive and longer-lasting Apple stuff.

Anyway, sorry to hear about your Watch, I agree it‘s disappointing, however in the real world we’re in today (and for many years now) it shoudn‘t surprise you. If you‘re genuinely that miffed and sincerely need/want to continue the use of your Series 0, it wouldn’t be that expensive to get an SE model watch and with care you’d get a good several years out of it.
….

Also you keep saying “only 4 years,” didn’t the Series 0 come out in early 2015, i.e. >7.5 years ago?

Those family members or friend would feel cheated since the watch is now an expensive paperweight.. and a bad one at that.
I have never seen apple brick a product after only 4 years.. my father is still using his ipad 3 as tv in the bedroom just fine. People all over the world are using 7 plus and older just fine even no more updates.
To kill something as a watch after only 4 years.. a watch that worked just fime for most people just yesterday.
I accept no updates or features. I accept that eventually the watch will die. I accept no 3rd party apps workimg .. but basic functions feom apple should still work. There is no reason for those not to work!!!
The functions are still there .. watch even connect to phone with bluetooth. But the watch app no longer support the watch!
If you can find one apple product that stop working after 4 years please tell me

 

[Shirasaki]

I use my watch 0 just fine .. i dont need any other functions than basic ones.. watch is fast enough for me.. now it just useless. .. i imagine people own a series 3 watch must be sad .. only 4 years old.
We are not talking no updates .. we are talking bricked watch here .. would you buy a 1000$ ultra for 4 years of life only?

I’m glad to see your needs are extremely basic. But that’s not how tech works, otherwise everyone would still be using Apple 1 (yeah, a computer that only has 256 Byte of ROM and machine code programmer). Sooner or later everyone gets pushed to newer tech whether they want or not, it is what it is.

Series 3 user already got pissed off for a full year of watchOS 8 thanks to its inability to install update without resetting the Watch for those using 8GB model. Yes, their watch still connect, still download software, but with the huge hassle attached to it, those supported watches are just as bricked as your watch series 0.

And, we Have no idea if Apple Watch ultra would become obsolete after 4 years, but the software support would more than likely not gonna end after 4 years, longer life wise. We will see.

 

[GMShadow]

1. It's not after 4 years. They stopped selling that watch six years ago.
2. Others are pointing out theirs work fine. My guess is you are doing something to cause the issue.

 

[Silver78]

1. It's not after 4 years. They stopped selling that watch six years ago.
2. Others are pointing out theirs work fine. My guess is you are doing something to cause the issue.

Series 3 is from september 2017.. but it does not matter. Even basic functions on iphone 1 still works if you get past some obstacles.
Apple support confirm that watches before watch os 9 will not work in ios 16!

 

[GMShadow]

Even basic functions on iphone 1 still works if you get past some obstacles.

Sure. You can load music. The phone won't work as 2G networks have been shut down. Accessing the App Store is basically impossible even on iOS 5 - let alone 3 or 4. Most apps are lucky to support as far back as iOS 11.

Not being able to connect to cellular networks anymore applies to all models before the iPhone 6 as well, at least for many carriers, as they didn't support VoLTE.

Stuff gets old. Move on, or go back to a traditional watch.

 

[Silver78]

I’m glad to see your needs are extremely basic. But that’s not how tech works, otherwise everyone would still be using Apple 1 (yeah, a computer that only has 256 Byte of ROM and machine code programmer). Sooner or later everyone gets pushed to newer tech whether they want or not, it is what it is.

Series 3 user already got pissed off for a full year of watchOS 8 thanks to its inability to install update without resetting the Watch for those using 8GB model. Yes, their watch still connect, still download software, but with the huge hassle attached to it, those supported watches are just as bricked as your watch series 0.

And, we Have no idea if Apple Watch ultra would become obsolete after 4 years, but the software support would more than likely not gonna end after 4 years, longer life wise. We will see.

It is how tech works.. the watch is just fine.. i understand no more updates.
Its a choice from apple not a hardware limitation. I dont ask for much here.. just the basic functions the watch was sold with.
Music control and basic complications

 

[boswald]

Sorry you feel that way. Not to rub salt in the wound, but my S3 works just fine with iOS 16 and the latest watchOS version (8.7 I think). Maybe you could find a refurbished S3 online for cheap if you're not willing to shell out the cash for the newest version?

 

[Shirasaki]

Those family members or friend would feel cheated since the watch is now an expensive paperweight.. and a bad one at that.
I have never seen apple brick a product after only 4 years.. my father is still using his ipad 3 as tv in the bedroom just fine. People all over the world are using 7 plus and older just fine even no more updates.
To kill something as a watch after only 4 years.. a watch that worked just fime for most people just yesterday.
I accept no updates or features. I accept that eventually the watch will die. I accept no 3rd party apps workimg .. but basic functions feom apple should still work. There is no reason for those not to work!!!

If a family member feels cheated because of that Watch not working after an update, she/he should not accept it in the first place, and id guess she/he is educated Enough to know what’s worth and whats not.
Apple Watch series 0 is designed to work with and only with iPhone In the first place, only recently Apple start to make Apple Watch a bit more independent than before. apple Watch series 3 is a bit more independent with cellular but still not quite there, also have a 32-bit processor. Series 4 is where Apple Watch starts to shine as a primitive substitute to iPhone for kids and whatnot.
Either way, I’d like to argue only a small set of users only use Apple Watch as a pocket watch. For them, other simpler and cheaper devices suites better.

And, you are mad that you’re 7.5 years old (!) Apple Watch series 0 no longer works. Id like to bring you the attention of Apple watch edition Series 0, same as Apple Watch series 0 but cost $10000 at launch. They are also as useless as yours now. What gives?

 

[Silver78]

Mention any other product more or less bricked after only few years?

 

[Shirasaki]

It is how tech works.. the watch is just fine.. i understand no more updates.
Its a choice from apple not a hardware limitation. I dont ask for much here.. just the basic functions the watch was sold with.
Music control and basic complications

It’s NOT how tech works. Yes, apple may Choose to “brick” it as you‘d like to call the entire time, but a line must be drawn somewhere, and some people are bound to be left behind. Sad, but also the reality.

 

[Silver78]

Sorry you feel that way. Not to rub salt in the wound, but my S3 works just fine with iOS 16 and the latest watchOS version (8.7 I think). Maybe you could find a refurbished S3 online for cheap if you're not willing to shell out the cash for the newest version?

I have a physically mint condition watch here doing the basic functions i need just fine.
I am not asking for miracles here!
I would never buy an apple watch again if 4-7 years and its useless. Its a calculated choice from apple not a hardware limitation.

 

[Shirasaki]

Mention any other product more or less bricked after only few years?

iPhone 4s. iPhone 4, iPad mini, iPad 3 (I know your dad is using it but still). More recent releases don’t really get bricked much if at all after a few years. They just die out naturally.

 

[Silver78]

It’s NOT how tech works. Yes, apple may Choose to “brick” it as you‘d like to call the entire time, but a line must be drawn somewhere, and some people are bound to be left behind. Sad, but also the reality.

I think you are to young to understand .. if the younger generation accept this kind of behavior from a billion dollar company.. you guys a scre..d.
mention any other product apple did this with?

 

[joshmcx]

Buyer beware, unlike most wearables, Apple Watch build quality is so good, the watch may last 7.5 years or more.

Thanks OP, useful warning.

 

[Shirasaki]

I have a physically mint condition watch here doing the basic functions i need just fine.
I am not asking for miracles here!
I would never buy an apple watch again if 4-7 years and its useless. Its a calculated choice from apple not a hardware limitation.

You kind of are, asking apple to continue to support your Apple Watch on iOS side for more than 6 years.
Just another tidbit. Apple ends support of iTunes 12.6.5.3 on macOS, a version with ability to download app packages, in High Sierra. That’s 4 years ago. Mac only user as a result can no longer easily manage app Libraries locally Without third party software.
Apple has been very aggressive in cutting out support in the industry when they see fit.