Apple extends Apple Watch warranty to cope with swollen batteries
Apple on Friday alerted authorized repair facilities to an Apple Watch service coverage extension for first-generation devices suffering from battery swelling, a rare issue impacting a small segment of owners.
According to an email sent out to Apple Authorized Service Providers, a copy of which was obtained by 9to5Mac, Apple is extending repair coverage for first-generation Apple Watch devices impacted by swollen batteries. With the new policy in place, users are provided two years of service beyond the gratis one-year limited warranty.
The email includes internal links to related Apple Watch issues, including a service articles covering enclosure separation due to expanding battery packs and processing repairs related to swollen batteries.
Like most lithium-ion battery packs, the pouches used to power Apple Watch are susceptible to swelling and expanding when punctured, overcharged, overheated or otherwise damaged. Apple products are tested and manufactured with tight tolerances to ensure consumer safety, however. For example, when a properly engineered and produced battery pack fails the incident does not snowball into an explosion or, as seen with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices, combustion.
The number of users affected by expanding Apple Watch battery packs is unknown, but a few reports have shown up on Reddit and Apple's own support forums. According to reports, display displacement or cracking are telltale signs of battery expansion.
Apple has not made an announcement regarding the Apple Watch repair extension, suggesting the issue is not widespread.
The new warranty protocol comes just days after the original Apple Watch celebrated its second anniversary earlier this week.
According to an email sent out to Apple Authorized Service Providers, a copy of which was obtained by 9to5Mac, Apple is extending repair coverage for first-generation Apple Watch devices impacted by swollen batteries. With the new policy in place, users are provided two years of service beyond the gratis one-year limited warranty.
The email includes internal links to related Apple Watch issues, including a service articles covering enclosure separation due to expanding battery packs and processing repairs related to swollen batteries.
Like most lithium-ion battery packs, the pouches used to power Apple Watch are susceptible to swelling and expanding when punctured, overcharged, overheated or otherwise damaged. Apple products are tested and manufactured with tight tolerances to ensure consumer safety, however. For example, when a properly engineered and produced battery pack fails the incident does not snowball into an explosion or, as seen with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices, combustion.
The number of users affected by expanding Apple Watch battery packs is unknown, but a few reports have shown up on Reddit and Apple's own support forums. According to reports, display displacement or cracking are telltale signs of battery expansion.
Apple has not made an announcement regarding the Apple Watch repair extension, suggesting the issue is not widespread.
The new warranty protocol comes just days after the original Apple Watch celebrated its second anniversary earlier this week.
Comments
It really must depend on how acidic your sweat is, too… Mine isn't that much newer (I got it on Dec. 2015), I've worn it almost every day as well, and it looks much, much better; do check it out:
But it does give me pause, because my Magic Mouse didn't start exhibiting corrosion until after some four or five years of (arguably less) continuous use. If my watch ends up looking like yours, I see no other option than getting the stainless steel version the next time round… I should start saving for one, I guess.
P.S.: By the way, if I were you, I wouldn't be posting photos with uncensored serial numbers (or, worse even, the actual serial numbers themselves in text form) of your Apple gadgets (or from any other brand, really) around the internet. Just some friendly advice.
We may have to stop making jokes about Samsung batteries
I read this to mean that Apple took into account that this very thing could happen to the battery through damage or failure. So the watch was designed with a case that had enough room to allow the battery to expand and the display pop off.... Rather than burst into flames or melt like the Note did.
"As a result of the too-tight tolerances, the slightest expansion of the battery or contact between the battery and the enclosure from external forces appears to inevitably impinge on the battery's membrane, or compress it so tightly that the positive and negative terminal plates inside the battery would touch. The resulting energy discharge appears to be what caused the fires in the device".
What I really never understood too is where people would complain about the battery life of the first gen Watch. Very rarely do I ever go below 50% battery life with it and its on from early morning until pretty much just before I go to sleep. Maybe I just don't do as much as others I guess.
So? What does that have to do with this thread? Look, eventually you're going to get a battery or two that screw up and swell. Bottomline, this isn't a major issue for Apple and really never has been. When something occurs, they a look at the issue, see how widespread the issue is, find the root of the issue which they can do since they control their own hardware, and report a solution. Yes, it may not be immediately but it takes time to investigate these issues and come up with a solution.
For those with the first gen retina MBP, Apple are now replacing the screen for free (~$700) if delamination effects are apparent. Also, apparently in September, they will be offering free battery replacement for the model. The replacement parts supply are constrained and introducing a free service may reduce demand until they can catch up on supply. Saying that, I put my unit in for battery replacement and they completed the repair (and screen fix) within a week. Note that they actually replace the top surface including trackpad and keyboard in the battery replacement. That was great for me since the keyboard keys were losing responsiveness.
It's example like this that make me really appreciate Apple's customer service. There is no way any other PC manufacturer would offer free parts replacements for models that are over 4 years old.
You seem to be skeptical of the issue since it hasn't happened to you, so perhaps everyone should question your motives. Apple admits its mistakes and doesn't need a random person defending their reliability. Sometimes they suck. Get over it. They usually step up to the plate and make it right.