nevsf

Q: Back of Watch fell off

This morning when I took my Apple Watch (sports version) off the charger, the back stayed on the charger while the rest of the watch came off, connected to the back through a small ribbon cable. The back just fell off.

 

I use the watch pretty normally - wear it during the day, charge at night, wear it running for an hour 3 times a week. Don't wear it in the shower or anything like that.

 

I can place the back on the watch but it eventually just falls off again, and I'm sure the moisture seal is shot.

 

Looks like the back is just glued on and prone to falling off. Even my relatively ugly Pebble Watch used screws and a rubber gasket. Apple just squirted a bit of glue around the edge, pushed the back on, and called it a day.


 


<Edited by Host>

Posted on Oct 13, 2015 7:26 AM

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Q: Back of Watch fell off

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  • by SteveGl,

    SteveGl SteveGl May 18, 2016 6:41 PM in response to john67
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 18, 2016 6:41 PM in response to john67

    I am surprised someone actually saw my original post instead of the ultra-short version posted above. The moderators of this forum removed the original one within minutes of me posting it because it “contained rants or complaints that weren’t constructive”. So here I am trying to be really constructive…  I agree with you that I should have a solid claim for the watch to be replaced or fixed but Apple’s position seems to be that warranty is warranty and that 12 months and 26 days is more than 12 month. I understand the limitation of warranties, but who buys a product with the reasonable expectation that its useful life ends when its warranty expires (try to tell this to the IRS).  At the end of the day, this is a business decision for Apple to make. In my particular case, I am not going to pay an extra $320 for a product that I’ve purchased just a year ago, but this experience has certainly cost Apple my loyalty as a customer.

  • by -Aaronious-,

    -Aaronious- -Aaronious- May 31, 2016 9:49 AM in response to SteveGl
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 31, 2016 9:49 AM in response to SteveGl

    Both my wife and I have purchased the apple watch 38mm and 42mm. I have the stainless steel apple watch and the sensor popped off of mine about 6 weeks ago when removing it from my charging stand. Apple was extremely speedy and cooperative in replacing the watch and I am currently satisfied except one concern that I will get to shortly.

    My wife woke up this morning and removed her watch from the charging stand and I am sure you know what happened... the sensor popped off. I am sure she will have no issues getting the watch replaced but my problem is that this is not a resolution. This solution truly sounds like a band aid until I no longer have warranty.

    I have a small watch collection and my expectation for durability and longevity is not the same from my apple watch as it is for a watch from my collection. I do have to say for the kind of money that was spent to purchase both of our watches and having the Apple name to back up that product my expectation is higher than how the product has served me. I really hope to see a recall and documented solution other than using glue that will have the same results.

  • by Cakemomjudge,

    Cakemomjudge Cakemomjudge May 31, 2016 11:09 PM in response to nevsf
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 31, 2016 11:09 PM in response to nevsf

    To Aaronious - The exact thing happened to me and on the same day!  Imagine my surprise this morning at 5:30 am when I pulled my watch off the charger after an overnight 6 hour charge and it completely opened because the black back cover was still stuck to the charger! A thin glue ring, like a thin rubber band was all that attached the two pieces. It's a stainless steel watch. I preordered soft pink modern buckle and received it June 2015, so it's almost 12 months old. I tried making a tech appointment but the next available date was more than 48 hours later, so I went to my local store where the wait was only 45 minutes. Apple replaced my charger and power adapter for free as I didn't want to use it again since it was connected to a surge protector which I had verified was turned on as this morning. I'm still in shock that this happened. I did nothing out of the ordinary yesterday. I did apply Neutragena spray sunscreen before a hike but I have done this many times before. I have AppleCare but still have to wait for my watch to be inspected somewhere else to determine if it will be repaired, replaced, free or require me to pay deductible. Truly seems like a defect not user error or accidental damage. Regardless, I'm seriously having withdrawals without my watch.  

  • by myrnapvb,

    myrnapvb myrnapvb Jun 2, 2016 1:39 PM in response to Cakemomjudge
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 2, 2016 1:39 PM in response to Cakemomjudge

    The same thing happened to me ! I wear my watch every day, it is the sports version with leather strap, less than a year

  • by Cakemomjudge,

    Cakemomjudge Cakemomjudge Jun 3, 2016 7:50 PM in response to Cakemomjudge
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 3, 2016 7:50 PM in response to Cakemomjudge

    Update: I received an email today that my watch was ready for pick up. No mention whether it would be free, need to pay Apple Care co-pay, new watch, refurbished or repaired my old watch, etc. Well, guess what? Apple came thru and gave me a new watch! Also, they charged no fee and I did not need to pay $79 Apple Care co-pay. They said it is a rare problem but they have seen it before. I'm sorry I could not get any more information than that to help explain whether it was the charger, the watch, a bad batch, glue weakness, etc. However, I am so pleased that I have a new watch only 72 hours after I dropped it off. Thank you Apple for your professional customer service!

  • by SteveGl,

    SteveGl SteveGl Jun 3, 2016 7:58 PM in response to Cakemomjudge
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 3, 2016 7:58 PM in response to Cakemomjudge

    Were you still in the 12 month window after you originally bought the watch?

  • by Cakemomjudge,

    Cakemomjudge Cakemomjudge Jun 3, 2016 9:10 PM in response to SteveGl
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 3, 2016 9:10 PM in response to SteveGl

    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.

  • by -Aaronious-,

    -Aaronious- -Aaronious- Jun 4, 2016 6:32 AM in response to Cakemomjudge
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 4, 2016 6:32 AM in response to Cakemomjudge

    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.

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Jun 4, 2016 6:55 AM in response to -Aaronious-
    Level 8 (37,876 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 4, 2016 6:55 AM in response to -Aaronious-

    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.

  • by mediashrink,

    mediashrink mediashrink Jun 5, 2016 10:47 AM in response to nevsf
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Jun 5, 2016 10:47 AM in response to nevsf

    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.

  • by Cakemomjudge,

    Cakemomjudge Cakemomjudge Jun 6, 2016 1:14 PM in response to -Aaronious-
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 6, 2016 1:14 PM in response to -Aaronious-

    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!

  • by -Aaronious-,

    -Aaronious- -Aaronious- Jun 6, 2016 4:04 PM in response to Cakemomjudge
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 6, 2016 4:04 PM in response to Cakemomjudge

    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.

  • by MACbutterfly12,

    MACbutterfly12 MACbutterfly12 Jun 7, 2016 8:35 AM in response to -Aaronious-
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 7, 2016 8:35 AM in response to -Aaronious-

    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.

  • by Coffee13,

    Coffee13 Coffee13 Jun 9, 2016 7:06 AM in response to nevsf
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 9, 2016 7:06 AM in response to nevsf

    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.

  • by Coffee13,

    Coffee13 Coffee13 Jun 9, 2016 7:30 AM in response to nevsf
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 9, 2016 7:30 AM in response to nevsf

    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.

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