Level 1

50 points

WatchOS7 update problems

My series 3 completed an auto update overnight to Watch OS7. Today it has shut itself down at least 3 times, locked itself while on my wrist about 4 times, failed to load complications on multiple faces (weather, activity rings, date etc), disconnected from my phone at least twice. It has also dropped to less than 50% battery in about 8 hours, normally it is still in the 80’s. Is anyone else having these issues? This has been the buggiest upgrade I have seen.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Apple Watch

Posted on Sep 18, 2020 10:42 PM

Top-ranking reply

RealNickHamner

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Oct 5, 2020 7:41 AM

Here's another update to my Series 3 OS7 issues & troubleshooting. I'm having the frequent reset issues like others on here, using an xR and a Series 3 Nike Edition on OS7.

Did a phone-free reset (set watch on charger, hold side button until power options appear, hold crown until "factory reset" options appear), and after resetting I set the watch up as new device. It loaded with OS7 and then had to update to 7.0.1 again. After doing this, I was able to go 24 hours+ without the apple logo appearing.
Changed the watch face from the default, which for some reason was the last Activity face, the one that's predominantly text-based, to a simpler Numerals face with no additional complications added to it. That has seemingly increased stability as well.

By clearing out anything hung up in the watch (phone-free reset with new device setup) and by removing any additional stressors on the hardware (no complications, simple display) I've increased device stability. The more I play with it and observe responses, I think the Series 3 is running into hardware limitations that Apple doesn't want to disclose/didn't properly account for. I say that based on the following observations:

These aren't full-on hard resets. The numeric passcode is never required. It's almost as if the watch is resetting a smaller component and throws the apple logo up while it does it. Maybe it's just clearing the cache repeatedly?
My xR is on iOS 14 and—simultaneous to the numerous watchOS7 issues—I noticed my phone was having bluetooth issues. It would show a connection to other devices, but it would not allow any interaction. So, it would show a connection to my earbuds but audio would play through the phone speaker. It showed a connection to my Echo Auto, but audio would come through the phone speaker only and the Echo Auto could not detect the phone. Had to unpair/disconnect everything and reconnect to restore. I wonder if the watch doesn't offload/dump some memory overflow/processing tasks to the phone when busy, and is having difficulty syncing to the phone via bluetooth, and that's causing the apple logos?
I have hit the side button several times to find the same group of apps (Messaging, Music, Activity) running in the background, even though I've never activated them. If it's pulling default apps to run in the background, that could be unnecessarily tasking the watch and causing memory issues.

I'm not so sure that what we're experiencing isn't due to syncing issues and/or hardware limitations & memory issues that Apple doesn't want to admit to.

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695 replies

Tjay64 Author

Level 1

50 points

Sep 20, 2020 1:12 PM in response to mnow

Know, there is no blood pressure option under privacy in the watch app. Maybe you have a later model watch than the series 3. There is only the heart rate option, which needs to operate as part of the activity/ fitness applications (one of the reasons for owning the watch)

Hero1979

Level 1

5 points

Sep 21, 2020 4:03 AM in response to Tjay64

I have completely the same issue since upgraded to OS7 on Series3. Delayed weather update, request passcodes when I wear the watch, restarted 1x already. Every time I decide to wait for the first correction update, but now made a mistake, not wait. :-(

Sep 21, 2020 5:47 AM in response to Tjay64

I haven’t noticed any issues with it powering off; however, I no longer get all my text messages in my watch series 3 after updating to os7. I only get the messages from iPhone users. I was getting all texts even from Android users until this update. Anyone have this issue?

psideras

Level 1

10 points

Sep 21, 2020 8:03 AM in response to Tjay64

Same problem here. By the time I have updated my Apple Watch series 3 to watchOS 7 started rebooting several times over the day. I had no problem until the update and unfortunately I am out of warranty by a couple of months now. I am very disappointed and I hope that Apple is aware of the issue and give us solution soon

MerlinPK

Level 1

9 points

Sep 21, 2020 9:21 AM in response to Tim-Fin

I have all the same problems and indeed this is the worst Watch OS release I have ever seen.

Apple deteriorated instead of improving. If it continues like this we will switch back with everything from MAC. Am really getting excited about all kinds of problems with tons of updates.

Sep 21, 2020 10:39 AM in response to Tjay64

My watch is not liking the Watch os7 update. It is three months old and had zero problems until I updated. Now it randomly resets itself whilst I’m wearing it, the battery barely lasts a day, when I do a run or walk workout it no longer plots the route on the map only the start point and it won’t unlock my MacBook. Why did I upgrade???

Sep 21, 2020 11:04 AM in response to Tjay64

watch os7 is having many bugs. When i started my watch after many days (was not wearing for few days), phone asked to reset watch and pair again with update option. and in the process, while setting pin for watch, the keyboard of watch was not working. unable to type the keys, it's responsive was gone.

somehow it got updated and paired. Now watch face is unable to change. in my watch app, the faces library some time blanks out in new face section. and some time settings of any face. and as soon as i add the face, it gets crashed.

So much bugs. Did they tested.

Device info-

watch series 4 (40mm)

iphone 8 with iOS14

tien107

Level 1

4 points

Sep 21, 2020 6:26 PM in response to Tjay64

Same problem here. I don't know if this problem is a software issue or a hardware issue. I love the fact that my watch operates faster, but I hate it how it just randomly shuts off during the day.

[Edited by Moderator]

MerlinPK

Level 1

9 points

Sep 22, 2020 4:33 AM in response to Jcbeckner

I think Apple is doing to make their New watch sell better, are typical bad pranks. If they continue to work like this, many of their customers will get tired of this or maybe already are. I already think that if it doesn't improve Apple will say goodbye!

Petervdq

Level 1

4 points

Sep 22, 2020 5:44 AM in response to Tjay64

Same problems here with the series 3, me and my wife have both the same issues since the latest update.Schutting down,input in watch app on iPhone doesn’t make the changes on the watch,.....probably a nice try for buying a new one😬😬

linbmcd

Level 1

12 points

Sep 22, 2020 3:05 PM in response to Tjay64

I have also had the same Apple Watch issues since updating my Series 3 to Watch OS7. It spontaneously reboots or just shuts down throughout the day, is VERY slow to load the Activity watch face, and it doesn’t respond to taps on watch faces for a long period of time.

i hope a fix comes out for this very soon. This has been the worst watch update so far.

Tjay64 Author

Level 1

50 points

Sep 23, 2020 12:51 AM in response to Tjay64

So a few days in and with no update my watch seems to have settled in to WatchOS7, the issues I was experiencing over the first couple of days appear to now have resolved without further intervention. I can’t explain this, but it seems to be working fine....just have to wait and see.

MerlinPK

Level 1

9 points

Sep 24, 2020 9:05 AM in response to linbmcd

Apple knows the problem, but when will a solution be given? Releasing updates with more problems cannot be the intention. Updates are released to correct the problems. Updates are apparently deployed without testing "PERFECT".

clutes71

Level 1

9 points

Sep 25, 2020 8:13 AM in response to Jawbreaker335

Not at all! So frustrating, I am debating canceling my Apple Watch 6 order through Target as it still shows preorder.

I wish Apple would give an option to go back to Watch OS 6 as I never had a problem.

MerlinPK

Level 1

9 points

Sep 26, 2020 4:19 AM in response to Tjay64

Indeed same problem here. A lot of apps stop working or display complications on the watch. Unlocking the MacBook or iMac with the watch no longer works either! No communication possible with the watch, the system displays. Philips Hue impossible to connect and so much more. Which dreamer brought about this update?

APPLE DO SOMETHING HERE!

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WatchOS7 update problems