Apple Watch SE2 stuck on recovery mode after watchOS11.3. Apple Support says hardware issue. Was working fine before update.

[aakashddd]

Hi,

I am able to get into recovery mode and complete the full cycle where there's an apple logo in the middle and recovery is in progress. IT takes about an hour for it to complete, however, the watch restarts and comes back into recovery mode post that.

It's a 2 year old watch with no issues prior. One day I was updating it to watchOS 11.3 and it is stuck since then. I have taken it to an Apple Support service where they told me it had hardware issue and I will need to go for a paid service (the cost of a new watch it self).

I'm thinking how can a hardware issue arise out of the blue. To me, apple's OS update bricked my watch and Apple isn't taking any responsibility of it.

I've searched potential fixes. I don't have access to IBUS or third party solution providers in the city I am located at. But, I'd like to see if there's anything that I can do to fix it.

 

[Apple8and6]

Hi!
I suggest factory resetting.

 

[doogm]

There is very little diagnostic tools available to end-users for Apple Watch and watchOS. And, sure, hardware failure can happen out of the blue - it happens all the time. It's possible that there is a failure with the solid state storage that happened coincidentally with the update; but there is nothing that you can do to tell for sure. Apple technicians have diagnostic tools that we have no access to, so I'd suspect that what the Apple technician told you is right-on. Time for a new watch.