apple watch sudden screen shatter

As a follow up, I'm attaching 2 pictures:

fig.1 The cracks were around the face and you can not find any impact mark from outside. I've seen many images of cracks made by outside impact, they are radial! None of them are round!

Fig.2 The app record what happened when the shatter happened. It haven't been touch for 2 hours and then it happened!

I know Apple is going to continue to deny that this is a problem, however, for what it's worth this happened to my wife today, approx 1:30PM 8/9/2018 while she was sitting at her desk. Sudden pop and she felt glass hit her face, looked down and the screen was completely shattered. My wife is the most careful person I know. The watch was purchased for her birthday in October 2017...less than 1 year old and she is quite sad as you would expect. It has never been dropped, stepped on, hit, knocked, or been subjected to any other form of impact. Add her name to the list that Apple is more than content to continue to ignore.

So you can add me to this list. First time was back in Feb this year (2018) when i looked down at my watch, the whole front face had "popped" off and was hanging by it's lead. Took it on the chin and paid the online repair/replacement fee and had a new/replacement sent out. 2 days ago, same thing happens but this time it is just shattered round the edge.

Series 1 - 42mm

Guess we can add my mom to the list. She saw the screen crack a bit while she was touching it and then it suddenly shattered across the entire perimeter of the display. last i checked my mom's fingers aren't made of carbide or diamond. I'm glad there hasn't been any reports of the batteries rupturing but this issue reminds me of when i charged my note 7 in a steel box before i could return it.

This just in:

Apple has determined that under certain conditions, some Apple Watch Series 2 devices may not power on or they may experience an expanded battery," wrote Apple, in an internal document distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers on Friday and subsequently obtained by MacRumors.

"Apple will service eligible devices free of charge," according to the document, numbered SN4534 in Apple's internal GSX portal. "Apple will authorize coverage for eligible devices for three years after the original date of purchase."

The policy was issued in at least the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe, so it is likely a worldwide initiative where service providers are available.

A swollen battery can prevent an Apple Watch from powering on or cause the display to burst open. Photos of the issue have been shared by customers in the Apple Support Communities and MacRumors forums in recent months, but the majority of the incidents are first-generation models released in 2015.

Eligibility is limited to any 42mm-sized Apple Watch Series 2 models, including Sport, Edition, Hermès, and Nike+ variants, pending a visual-mechanical inspection, according to a companion document numbered OP1977. The warranty status of the Apple Watch does not affect coverage, the document states.

This new policy does not apply to the original Apple Watch, Series 1 and Series 3 models, or any 38mm model. A few years ago, however, Apple enacted a similar policy for original Apple Watch models with swollen or expanded batteries that offers free repairs within three years of the original date of purchase.

Affected customers can visit the Contact Apple Support page, select Apple Watch -> Battery, Power, and Charging -> Bring in for Repair to schedule an appointment with the Genius Bar at an Apple Store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. There are also options to contact Apple advisors by phone or online chat. Battery replacements are completed at an off-site Apple Repair Center.

Apple advises customers inquiring about a refund for a previous Apple Watch Series 2 battery replacement to contact its support advisors.

Apple has not announced this policy publicly as it does with some of its other repair programs, but MacRumors has verified the internal document's authenticity with multiple sources. However, outside of our control, some Apple employees advise customers that no such policy exists. In these cases, our only advice is to keep trying or escalate the case to a senior advisor if possible.

Article Link: Apple Now Offering Free Repairs of 42mm Apple Watch Series 2 Models With Swollen Batteries

Won't help the Series 3 folks....but Series 2 is now eligible for a free fix! 3 will be next at some point I hope!

It‘s not a design fault, just simple engineering reality. Take a look at my comments apple watch sudden screen shatter and try to understand it is impossible to make a full feature smart device which will never break AND is acceptable to users. There will always be a weak point, or it will be too big, or too costly. The issue of Apple denying what sound like (from a one sided report) reasonable claims is something we can’t discuss within ASC rules, and certainly not without all the facts from both sides.

If you want to abandon Apple products I’m sure you will enjoy your data getting googlemined.

You are not addressing Apple here. This is a user to user support forum and Apple does not participate here. Use this link to provide them feedback about your experience. Feedback - Apple Watch - Apple

Some good news: https://support.apple.com/nl-nl/screen-replacement-program-apple-watch-series-2-3

Although they only seem to acknowledge the 'clean' crack around the side, not the brutal 1000 pieces shattering

And only series 2 and 3

My family
are loyalty apple customers we all use iphones from Iphone 3 to Iphone X,
ipads, Macbook for many years and seems this time we are very disappointed with
Apple. My son has medical needs, we bought this iwatch series 3 for him for
urgent calls only in case of medical emergencies. He only used that for one
month, then the screen suddenly cracked very badly on his wrist while he was
sitting in the airplane. To me, the biggest concern is “is that safe?”

I’ve walked to genius bar, the technician did not do any inspection and just said the
screen was not covered. So, I called apple support, and talked twice over the
phone with the apple support senior advisor, each call took about one and half
hour. I simply two questions, “what caused the cracking?” “after it repaired,
will that be safe?”

The advisor keeps repeating she feels so sorry to know that, and she is only a messenger and
cannot make any decision. She requested we mail the watch for an inspection,
and we did not how exactly the watch was inspected, generally, one week later, the
options came to us was:

1. Pay $283+tax to change screen

1. Return without repair
2. Apple help to recycle the product

I feel very tired in the whole communication process, I keep telling them this is can be a
serious safety issue, they need to read the customer posts from this apple
support community and do a better investigation. Seems apple does not want to
be acknowledged about their product may have safety problem.

After getting really exhausted with the communication, finally, I choose to have this
product returned without repair, this is because:

1. Apple should be responsible for the repair

2. Once this repaired will this happen again? I am more concerned this will bring risk
to my son (I read someone had the screen changed but the sudden cracking happened
second time)

Once again, there are hundreds of similar cases reported, how the customer rights can be
protected? Any recommendation, where should we report this to get apple really
taking action to care about their customer???

Ditto here too! I had my watch for 13 days(Series 3 42mm). I was sitting still and the screen just popped open on my wrist. So disappointed. Even more disappointed that Apple has disputed hundreds of these claims from loyal Apple supporters. I sent my watch off today to Apple repair via Geek Squad at Best Buy. The ladie told me she’s seen a handful of these same issues. We’ll see how it goes.

[Edited by Host]

My 5 month old Apple Watch (series 3) spontaneously shattered, undisturbed, last week. I was scrolling through a new text when it happened, spraying tiny shards of glass everywhere! My nightmare continued with a trip to the Apple Store, where I'm told that I would get my watch replaced faster if I just called in! I now have wasted several hours speaking with various Apple Support "Senior Advisors", and have taken many detailed photographs that were sent in for the "experts" to examine. My advisor informed me that they were seeing screens "popping off intact" on previous series when the battery became swollen, but they now use a stronger adhesive. So now, if the battery swells the display will stay glued down and shatter instead - just as all of us in this thread have experienced. Apple Support have informed me that they don't believe my story, despite any evidence of accidental damage, and that I will have to dish out $100 for an AppleCare+ replacement. My Case Number is ***.

Over the years we have purchased a MacBook, 7 iPads, 8 iPhones, 4 iPod Touchs, and a Time Machine. If this is how my story ends, my family's relationship with Apple has ended.... very badly!

It is strange to see some thing like this happening to such a famous brand. I am also on the list for series 3 GPS & cellular 42mm iwatch. It broke around the perimeter of the screen out of nowhere. Totally devastated as I have been taking due care of it. I will ring apple support tomorrow...

Had the same thing happen last thursday on an Apple Watch series 3 which was just over 4 weeks old. I was sitting on the couch, gently tapped the screen to check the time but then noticed it was cracked all around.

Made an appointment with a Genius Bar employee and he told me his opinion that there was no sign of impact and he was pretty sure it was probably due to battery swelling. But of course when the second opinion came they told me it was 'Cracked' (yeah of course it was) and I would have to pay to get it fixed.

I took these pictures at the Apple Store right before I handed it in for check:

I've never seen a report like that. You need to contact Apple about this. You can make an appointment at the Genius Bar of the nearest Apple store, or you can use the Contact Support link at the top right of every page here to make other arrangements, such as sending the device in to have it looked at. I believe the Genius Bar would be better, since you would have a better time explaining what exactly happened there. They would explain your options.

My wife had this same problem. No abuse, didn't drop, didn't hit, nothing. She was sitting at a table having lunch with her fellow coworkers and they heard something shatter. They were looking for a lightbulb, but all the lights were OK. She looked down at her watch and the screen had completely shattered with shards on the table. Thankfully they were all done eating. Spent four sessions on chat trying to resolve the issue and it would time out before being resolved. Finally called and talked to a senior advisor. They sent a box and shipped it to apple. They said it was damaged/abused. IT WAS NOT. This watch is only four months old. Got it for mothers day. At this point, not real happy with Apple. I have 3 iPhones, a MacBook pro, and have hawked apple products to friends and family, most of which have purchased and been happy. It is good to see we are not alone with this issue.