Back of Watch fell off

Yes, but it was only a few weeks shy of one year. Ironically, I received my original watch order in May 2015 but the pink modern buckle strap was much too big. Turns out the sizing on the pink modern buckle was different than the sports bands and many people had this problem. I was told over the phone to go to a store for a trade but then I found out the store could not just replace the strap, because they had no pink modern buckle straps in stock at the store yet, So, I bought a white sport strap and the manager gave me a card so I could return to the store in June to get a new pink strap. When I arrived to pick up my replacement pink strap in June, the store rep said they could not just trade the pink strap. Instead, they took my watch and refunded the cost and sold me a new watch with a pink modern buckle strap. I was surprised because my first watch was a $750 stainless steel in perfect condition and if they took it, the watch could not be resold as new. However, they insisted that they could not sell or trade pink modern buckle straps separately and they had to replace my watch. As to my current problem, I am still wondering if it was my charger that was defective. The watch was still working properly even after the back detached. My friends' watch stopped charging correctly this week, so she bought a new charger and now it charges perfectly again. Much cheaper solution to replace a $16 charger than to replace melted expensive watches.

I spoke to an AppleCare rep in regards to if she heard this being a common theme with the AppleWatch and I was suprised to hear that she hasn't. This concerned me to the fact that although it is good to have discussions and forums in regards to the issues that we have with our products the information may not be getting back to the manufacturer. She recommended for me to go to the product feedback website to make sure that I can voice my concerns and that they are heard. The idea is that the more reports of the same issue to the site should result in an investigation into the defect.

I urge to everyone on this thread that if you have not done so to go to http://www.apple.com/feedback/ and report the issue.

YYes, definitely send feedback. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt; it's quite possible she hasn't seen or heard of the problem. You can get a misleading impression of how common a problem is from support forums; users who have experienced an issue are likely to post about it, but millions of people who haven't experienced it rarely post and say "the back of my watch hasn't come off." (Mine hasn't, knock wood.) Apple doesn't use these forums as a source of information about issues, but they do track feedback, Apple Care calls and chats, and Apple Store visits.

I had this happen previously about 5 months ago. Like you, I wear the watch normally, take it off for showers, moderate exercise. It has just happened again yesterday. The last time, as with you, the watch had to be sent out to be repaired/replaced. I will be going to the Apple store today and hoping to get this process started. Not only is it inconvenient to have to send the watch in, there were no appointments at my local store until late Tuesday. It is disconcerting for a company that usually places such high priority on design quality. I'm wondering if it is exacerbated by charging stands that don't support the watch and rely on the magnet to hold it in place. The magnet on my watch band will pull the back off now.

Update (again): I posted my experience on the feedback site provided by Aaronious. Thank you! I'll let you know if I receive a response. In the meantime, I am cleaning off all lotions and sunscreen off my wrist before I put on my watch in the morning. (easy to do with my suntan line) I also am now cleaning the back of the watch with a dry towel before I place it on the charger at night. Last night, I took it off the charger when I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom since the watch was already 100% charged. No need to keep it on the charger any more than necessary. Paranoid? You bet! 😝

I know exactly what you mean. I find myself babying my watch in hopes that I won't have another incident.

In regards to waiting for a response from the product feedback website I don't believe that you will get one. If I remember correctly it does say something during the submission process that you won't get a response back from Apple but they will go through the information provided.

The same thing happened to me this morning and I scheduled a service request at a local Apple store. (Thanking my lucky stars they had an opening at the Genius bar for tomorrow). I wear my Apple watch daily like most, and place it on the charger each night. When I went to grab the watch off the stand like I do every morning, the back of the watch came right off. I exercise regularly and am concerned with moisture getting into the watch. I hope that they not only replace the watch, but consider a general recall since it seems this is not a "rare" occurrence (based on this forum thread). My Apple Care expires in 1 year and I have concerns with this incident happening again outside of the warranty. 😟

It has happened to me TWICE now. I never get my watch wet and take excellent care of it. However, when it was approx. 4 months old. the back fell off as I separated the watch from the charger. Apple allowed me to ship it back for free, and apple replaced it for free. I had my new watch in about a week. Yet 9 months later, the back has fallen off again, as I was separating the watch from the charger. Crappy design. I can only hope apple will continue to replace the defective watch until they come up with a design that works.

I cannot update my previous post so let me repost here with a disappointing revision:

It has happened to me TWICE now. I never get my watch wet and take excellent care of it. However, when it was approx. 4 months old. the back fell off as I separated the watch from the charger. Apple allowed me to ship it back for free, and apple replaced it for free. I had my new watch in about a week. Yet 9 months later, the back has fallen off again, as I was separating the watch from the charger. Crappy design.

Apple tech support has told me that this $650 watch is outside of warranty, even though this is clearly a design flaw, and if I want it repaired, I must pay $329. Note that is more than half the value of the watch just to repair a flaw that is apple's fault. This is obviously bigger than just one person getting a bad watch.

And although I loved my apple watch, I guess I am going back to a fitbit or pebble or some such device that is more reliable.

My watch is currently being sent away for repair/replacement. I also posted feedback to Apple on the link above. The genius at Fashion Island said he'd never heard of this (the back coming off on the magnetic charger) happening before, but I was in the same store a few months ago with the same problem, so either he's new or they don't have much "inter-genius" communication. It's frustrating to have to make an appointment (in my case, the soonest one was three days out) and then have to wait another 5-7 days to get the watch back. Although to be fair, one sales person took pity on me in spite of my crankiness and shoehorned me in so I could get the watch sent off.

Like all of you, I hope this is not just replaced, but the problem is addressed in the design process. It is very "un-Apple" in terms of brand narrative (my day job). It also opens the door for potential Android devices that offer similar features (but whose back stays put). Short of keeping my watch in a box, I couldn't take better care of it. It would be nice if we could hear what breaks down the seal so we could take preventative action (i.e. wiping the back with alcohol to remove body oil? or NOT?) I have had a different but potentially related issue with the Milanese band, which discolors after a few days of wear. It comes off, mostly, with silver polish. When I pointed it out to the Apple genius, he told me to not wear lotions or sunscreens. Awkward choice in So. Cal esp. when walking outside---discolored watch or skin cancer. Apple - you can do better at communicating and designing. (And I'm an "Apple person" so I say this with love).

Well stated!

I was also asked to pay $329 but I refused. I cannot imagine that anyone on this earth would find it reasonable to pay such a hefty amount to fix an obvious product flaw after owning the product for only one year. And if these are indeed very rare incidents, then why aren’t they replacing them or repairing them as a sign of goodwill? I ended up bringing my watch to a watchmaker and he charged me $10 for reattaching the internal connector and re-sealing the watch with silicone adhesive. Now why wouldn't Apple offer that to its customers? I am an admitted Apple fanboy but this entire experience was such a turn off for me, I have decided to try out Android when I have to replace my iphone later this year.

Well guess what - it happened to me again this morning. The back came off when I removed it from the charger. This is my third watch since purchasing in April 2015. Seriously - if I call them today, I predict I'll hear for the FOURTH time that they are surprised and have never heard of such a thing, and that this must be extremely rare. They then ask what did I do wrong....?

I get that they have to ask what happened for warranty verification purposes. But really? Even after I explain it, there's still this disbelief that I'm telling the truth. For the record like most of you, I don't do anything extraordinary but wear it. I don't even exercise with it other than walking - I use a Polar watch and heart monitor for serious exercising. I work in an office all day. It doesn't matter if it is summer (heat) or winter. None of these watches were dropped or submerged. I use only Apple OEM chargers purchased from Apple. Believe me - I've been grilled each time like a criminal. But I am glad I bought the warranty. It does help shorten the conversation a little but not the frustration.

Yes - I resigned myself to that same notion. Being the early adopter comes with risk but with Apple I thought the risk would be low. 😟