Mysteriously Bricked Apple Watches

[fredlom]

I'm still grieving from the death of my Apple Series 7 Watch which lived for just over 2 years. I don't know exactly what happened but I believe my battery life was badly impacted after an upgrade to WatchOS 10.2, where the watch would only last about 4-5 hours after a full charge. This continued for about 10 days, and then I woke up one morning having left the watch charging overnight to find out that it was completely dead. Nothing could be done to revive it, even with best efforts from Apple Store technicians. I took perfect care of the watch, and was shocked to see that Apple refused to offer any sort of compensation or even a small discount with the purchase of a new watch as a token gesture.

I have since heard of many stories of others with similar experiences, and I've started compiling data to write a report on this issue. If your Apple watch has been bricked for no apparent reason, I would love to hear from you. I'm looking for the following data:

- Watch Series
- OS version
- Date of first use
- Date stopped working
- Did Apple provide any compensation or a replacement? If so, did you accept it?
- Was the cause known?

Hopefully with enough data to demonstrate patterns related to WatchOS upgrades, we can get to a fairer outcome.

Many thanks,
Fred

 

[arc of the universe]

you bought a device from apple or from a friend or off the net, and did not buy apple care.
the device failed outside of the warranty period.

the time to have gone into an apple store was before it "mysteriously" "bricked", "for no apparent reason".
in other words, in the period when it had only "4 to 5 hours" a day "on a full charge", if, that was unusual for your watch.
at least they could have detected if the battery capacity was like below 50% or something else really strange.

dont look for apple to be sympathetic to someone claiming that their watch died because of updating the OS to the newest one.

 

[fredlom]

Point taken. I actually booked an appointment when the battery was still semi-functioning (and they have this on record), but unfortunately had to postpone.

Anyway, call me stubborn but I still believe that with enough empirical data from users that demonstrates a flaw with a particular OS/Watch combo, it will be hard to ignore/hide.

 

[BenGoren]

Anyway, call me stubborn but I still believe that with enough empirical data from users that demonstrates a flaw with a particular OS/Watch combo, it will be hard to ignore/hide.

That’s an excellent point.

Indeed, it deserves to be considered from the other direction, too.

That is, if there was a flaw with a particular OS/Watch combo, since it would be hard to ignore/hide … we would expect there to be copious reports about that particular OS/Watch combo, what with it being hard to ignore/hide and all.

Yet, instead, we have a total of n=1 such reports.

To be sure, we get lots and lots and lots of people complaining about battery life taking a hit after an OS update. This is known and expected: for a day or three after an update, the watch does lots of background “optimization” that uses lots of CPU cycles and thus lots of battery. Once it finishes, though, it’s back to normal (and we even get a few reports here and there of battery life actually improving above the previous baseline once the optimization is done).

And, of course, it’s also very well documented that batteries decline with age and / or damage. And it’s not uncommon for very aged (and especially) damaged batteries to behave as you describe: after a long, steady decline, they suddenly take a sharp turn for the worse before dying completely. Then again, this has been a well-known failure mode of rechargeable batteries since their invention.

Especially given the unknown provenance of your watch, I see nothing remarkable whatsoever about your experience. Unfortunate, yes, of course — and arc of the universe already addressed the ways that you could have protected yourself.

So, while maybe there’s enough as-yet-uncovered empirical data of a flaw that exactly matches your condition that will someday turn out to be hard to ignore … my money is on “nothing to see here.”

Cheers,

b&

 

[bob_zz123]

Here's some empirical data for you!

- Watch Series - SE 1st Generation
- OS version - 10.4
- Date of first use - Sep 2020
- Date stopped working - Still working perfectly
- Did Apple provide any compensation or a replacement? If so, did you accept it? - No need, working perfectly
- Was the cause known? No need, still working perfectly

 

[Howard2k]

I think cut your losses and consider AppleCare next time. Or if you choose not to purchase it then you're on your own if it fails and you're outside of warranty, recalls, or other consumer protection options.

That's the root cause of the thread right? Didn't buy AppleCare, device failed, Apple didn't extend the warranty for you.

 

[fredlom]

Appreciate the responses and glad that some saw the funny side

The thing is Apple's own website has several reports of people with the same issue, however there's no way for me to DM them. Also, after my watch stopped working, I took it to an independent specialist repair shop and they said the CPU was fried. Perhaps this was due to a bit too much of the background optimization @BenGoren refers to in his reply - I don't know, but the fact that a WatchOS upgrade beats the c*ap out of my battery, and then ends up frying the CPU does not seem right. Also, I have a Series 4 Watch which is 3 years older, went through the same daily routines before my wife took it over and still works perfectly fine. Even AppleCare would not have helped as this occurred just over 25 months after purchase.

 

[BenGoren]

Software updates do not fry CPUs, and AppleCare+ is available for devices well past the two-year mark.

(The ongoing option for AppleCare+ is relatively new; it’s not an option for your S4, for example. And I’m sure there’re restrictions about adding it for a device already out of coverage. But, those sorts of caveats aside, if you keep paying the monthly fee, you can have AppleCare+ for as long as you own the device.)

b&

 

[Nodnerb]

All you can most likely do is stop buying a product. I had a galaxy watch 4 for under a year, still under warranty. Samsung put out a software update for it which I installed. That was the last time that watch turned on. Samsung publicly acknowledged the issue and that people were having their watches bricked. Samsung sent me to my local repair center....who said they don't repair watches. After weeks of run around, many calls and online support tickets with samsung, it was clear they weren't going to honor the warranty or offer anything for compensation. I was out of luck despite the fact that they publicly addressed on their website that their update is bricked watches. I honestly don't know how companies can do this. Seems flat out illegal and we have no recourse what so ever. Warranty means absolutely nothing.

I've since gotten rid of(sold) every samsung product I own. At least I may have stopped them from getting new sales that way. I have not nor will I ever buy another samsung product, nor will anyone in my family. And I do my best to talk anyone out of buying samsung products as well. It pains me that some of the apple hardware may be from samsung, but there's only so much one can do.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Software updates do not fry CPUs, and AppleCare+ is available for devices well past the two-year mark.

A runaway process or the CPU getting stuck at max speed can absolutely cause a device to fry itself from heat. That would also explain the crappy battery life.

 

[mikelets456]

Software updates do not fry CPUs, and AppleCare+ is available for devices well past the two-year mark.

(The ongoing option for AppleCare+ is relatively new; it’s not an option for your S4, for example. And I’m sure there’re restrictions about adding it for a device already out of coverage. But, those sorts of caveats aside, if you keep paying the monthly fee, you can have AppleCare+ for as long as you own the device.)

b&

If you do a simple search iPhones and Apple watches have been bricked by updates beta and standard...it happens. This guy comes on here to try and compile data and you all get on his case. He simply was asking and I don't blame him If he found out that others had a similar problem he could make a case and take it further.

I have to admit, since Watch OS 10.2 my battery life is horrible on my Apple watch 7. I have seen many complaints about horrible battery life and it is frustrating especially dropping $300 and then having a watch that lasts 3-4 hours. But I digress...

We come on to these forums to get help and direction when we can't resolve the problem. I prefer to see threads like this trying to figure out and help others that MIGHT have a similar problem.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I'm still grieving from the death of my Apple Series 7 Watch which lived for just over 2 years. I don't know exactly what happened but I believe my battery life was badly impacted after an upgrade to WatchOS 10.2, where the watch would only last about 4-5 hours after a full charge. This continued for about 10 days, and then I woke up one morning having left the watch charging overnight to find out that it was completely dead. Nothing could be done to revive it, even with best efforts from Apple Store technicians. I took perfect care of the watch, and was shocked to see that Apple refused to offer any sort of compensation or even a small discount with the purchase of a new watch as a token gesture.

I have since heard of many stories of others with similar experiences, and I've started compiling data to write a report on this issue. If your Apple watch has been bricked for no apparent reason, I would love to hear from you. I'm looking for the following data:

- Watch Series
- OS version
- Date of first use
- Date stopped working
- Did Apple provide any compensation or a replacement? If so, did you accept it?
- Was the cause known?

Hopefully with enough data to demonstrate patterns related to WatchOS upgrades, we can get to a fairer outcome.

Many thanks,
Fred

Sorry for your experience. My S7, bought on launch day is still running perfectly... battery health is still at 97%. I've been using the optimized battery charging setting as soon as they added it in iOS 13.

But with that said, Apple fulfilled their obligation, and I don't see how they owe you anything more. If you had added/continued Apple Care+, it would have been covered. Yes, I still have AC+ on my S7. Small price to pay for peace of mind.

 

[BenGoren]

A runaway process or the CPU getting stuck at max speed can absolutely cause a device to fry itself from heat. That would also explain the crappy battery life.

Modern devices include thermal management which will, amongst other things, slow the CPU or even halt the system well before the device gets hot enough for it to damage itself. Anybody who’s ever used a dashboard-mounted iPhone in Arizona in the summer is quite familiar with the fact.

Of course, if the device is already damaged in such a way that hinders the thermal management system, it would hardly be surprising if something like that proved to be the proverbial straw breaking the camel’s back.

But, even if the CPU actually did terminally overheat while installing the software update, that still doesn’t mean that the software update fried the CPU. The damage that incapacitated the thermal management would be responsible in that case, not the software update.

Everybody likes a car analogy.

Almost all cars on the road include speed limiters that restrict the fuel flow (etc.) when the car reaches a factory-set maximum speed. Lots of bad things can happen to cars if driven significantly beyond such a limit, with two obvious mechanical examples: tires can fail catastrophically at excessive speed, and the engine can over-rev, again leading to catastrophic failure.

If the speed limiter is disabled (for whatever reason) and the car is driven at excessive speed and something really bad happens, it’s not because the car was going too fast. It’s because all sorts of other stupid things happened that got the car up to that speed in the first place.

b&

 

[fredlom]

Re CPU frying - it occurred 10 days after the software update, during which time the battery was severely impacted. Whether or not it was because thermal management was hindered, I don't know but at the end of the day I think it's fair of me to expect a premium Apple device to last more than 2 years if it was well taken care of. Sure, there is nothing I can do and Apple is legally in the right. However sometimes it's not just about strictly adhering to warranty terms. Going above and beyond these terms is what differentiate the great brands from the average ones, hence why I would expect Apple to do this. For premium products, customers expect not only superior quality but also ethical business practices. Standing by a product even after the warranty has expired shows a commitment to ethical standards and responsibility towards the customer. Honoring warranties post-expiration should serve as a testament to the manufacturer’s confidence in the durability and quality of their products. It demonstrates that the company stands by its products and is committed to customer satisfaction, even beyond the contractual obligations. I could go on...

 

[Bichon]

If you were a week or two past the end of your warranty, I would agree that Apple ought to make an exception and comp you the repair. That's not the situation here -- you're more than a year past the end of your original warranty. If Apple routinely comped repairs to people in your situation, nobody in their right mind would buy AppleCare+.

 

[dotzero123]

I'm sorry for your loss,,, losing a watch sucks. I did have a SS7 that cracked while on the nightstand - not moved or bumped in any way. Fortunately, I had AC so I never really found out if it was a battery issue or not. The AC is worth it. The few instances I've needed to use it saved me a good deal of money and aggravation.

 

[fredlom]

Thanks all, I concede and agree that AC+ wins overall. However, I am still keen to hear from anyone who experienced a bricked Apple Watch, so that I can add their data to my report. If this applies to you, would be great if you can DM me the details and I will share the report once it has sufficient data.

 

[Bruno de Malaisie]

I'm still grieving from the death of my Apple Series 7 Watch which lived for just over 2 years. I don't know exactly what happened but I believe my battery life was badly impacted after an upgrade to WatchOS 10.2, where the watch would only last about 4-5 hours after a full charge. This continued for about 10 days, and then I woke up one morning having left the watch charging overnight to find out that it was completely dead. Nothing could be done to revive it, even with best efforts from Apple Store technicians. I took perfect care of the watch, and was shocked to see that Apple refused to offer any sort of compensation or even a small discount with the purchase of a new watch as a token gesture.

I have since heard of many stories of others with similar experiences, and I've started compiling data to write a report on this issue. If your Apple watch has been bricked for no apparent reason, I would love to hear from you. I'm looking for the following data:

- Watch Series
- OS version
- Date of first use
- Date stopped working
- Did Apple provide any compensation or a replacement? If so, did you accept it?
- Was the cause known?

Hopefully with enough data to demonstrate patterns related to WatchOS upgrades, we can get to a fairer outcome.

Many thanks,
Fred

My Watch 4 didn’t accept watchOS 7 I'f not mistaken... Watch was very hot and I think it killed the watch very fast. I wanted to buy another regular watch afterwards, but I couldn’t use a watch which would only give me the time. Therefore I bought an Watch 5 (the Watch 6 was launched already but I wasn't interested at the time)
I’m now using an Watch Ultra 1 which works perfectly so far...