Apple won't offer Apple Watch service replacements on out of warranty devices
Customers won't be able to get an out-of-warranty damaged device replaced or exchange a recently purchased Apple Watch after the December 25 import ban begins.
Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will no longer be sold by Apple in the United States after December 25, thanks to an International Trade Commission import ban. However, sales aren't the only thing impacted by the ban.
According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple won't be able to offer full device replacements on out-of-warranty products when customers damage their Apple Watch Series 6 or later beyond repair. Since the Apple Watch is such a compact and complex device, service providers tend to offer replacement devices as an option rather than attempting to replace a broken display, for example.
Apple will be able to tell customers to hold onto their product until later and then notify them once the ban has been lifted. Otherwise, the customer's only option is to do without or purchase an Apple Watch SE.
Devices still under the first year of warranty coverage or extended AppleCare packages will still be hardware serviceable.
Apple Watch exchanges are also common after the holiday has passed, but Apple won't perform those either. If a customer needs a 45mm Apple Watch Series 9 instead of a 41mm one, and it was purchased from Apple, nothing can be done except offer the customer a refund.
Best Buy and other retailers can still sell out their Apple Watch inventory. Apple Watch bands and accessories can still be exchanged as usual.
There isn't any sign of the import ban being lifted anytime soon, though Apple does have options. A software update might be enough to convince customs to allow importing devices, the White House could intervene, or if all else fails, Apple could always settle.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
If this is an import ban then surely Apple has a stock of service Watches they can use?
Also, warranty verbiage has changed for damaged devices that have Applecare+ in the past. For one thing, it used to call a damaged device out of warranty, even if you had Applecare+, BUT would say that for a deductible you can have the deviced repaired and put back into in-warranty status. (It still might, as I don’t read the fine print anymore because it’s too small for my old eyes).
Apple should extend the warranty to March 2024 for Apple Watch 6 and later. The cost to Apple is marginal and there is no downside to Masimo. This would give the Apple CFO time to find the key to the Money Bin: You use it, you pay for it.
Tim Cook should get rid of the Scott Forstall of Apple Watch. Someone in Cupertino failed big on this one.
I thought the Masimo CEO made it pretty clear they want it both ways. They want Apple to settle the whole complaint, not just the specific patent infringements the ITC has ruled on. That’s a non-starter if Apple knows they are on solid ground with regard to Masimo’s other claims.
"Devices still under the first year of warranty coverage or extended AppleCare packages will still be hardware serviceable."
IF and when I buy an Apple Watch (likely in 4-8 years), when it needs out of warranty repairs, I'll work with someone like Mission Repair or UBreakIfix. The former has kept my 2008 era 80 gb iPod Classic alive and working with a new battery and micro disk replacement. May talk with one of them about a 2nd gen. iPhone SE battery (in a few years). Looks like Best Buy and a few others also offer service. Have not checked flat rate repair prices. Suspect life span of an Apple or Android watch is not even close to as long as an old-fashioned analog quartz watch (or older mechanical analog watch).
Wonder what warranty says about reimbursement for third party repairs? Sometimes auto manufacturers will pay for third party repairs that are made, if the car is later recalled by the manufacturer or no dealer within a large number of miles. There may also be a clause concerning third party repairs if an Apple store is not reasonably available (stores are probably not present in all countries, or within a certain distance of many owners).
Wonder if traveling to Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia: Could you have the watch replaced/exchanged, given US residency? I think it may be reasonably easy to travel into Mexico or Canada. Do you need a passport? Have not been out of the US since mid-1980s (only a valid US drivers license was required at that time to visit Canada or Mexico). How about nearby British Colonies or other island states? There are some countries that only require a US passport card, others that require a passport booklet, and some that are off limits. I think there are additional fees that are applied by European and certain other countries to offset costs of customs and other inspectors (more common in last few years).
2) Your iPod is.a much easier device to repair than an Apple Watch. Lots of consider as to why, like the size of complaints IP67 rating and depth testing that make it both difficult to repair, especially if you want to keep it water resistant. You can look up iFIxit teardowns to see how these devices were made. Even looking something in the same category, like the original iPhone v an iPhone 15 show that it's a lot more difficult these days even as Apple has worked to make some things easier to repair.
3) As far as I know, repairs in many other countries aren't as good as the US. I'm not even sure a store in, say, London, will repair or replace a device you broke on vacation from the US.
My wife and I both bought the original Apple Watch from Australia (since it launched there before some other markets) and we both had the dreaded back sensor falling off issue... in both cases we took them to Apple authorised centres in Singapore and got new replacements (the ones which come in plain boxes rather than retail packaging).
I presume that's what will continue to happen right?
But failing that, if you're really worried about this not panning out in your own market, you can always just go to another country and take advantage of the international/worldwide warranty which Apple offers for in-warranty devices. But yeah, out of warranty, you're paying local rates but may be able to get the replacement device at the service cost price rather than retail price.
2) You can still buy the Apple Watch for countless locations.