Really hacked off with Apple build quality and service

[Bazooka-joe]

After years of impeccable build quality and reliability with Apple products, my experiences of Apple watch leaves much to be desired.

I am now sending back my third 42mm Milanese SS.

Watch 1 developed a battery issue after just 2 days. it got very hot, drained within 5 minutes and refused to recharge.
Watch 2 developed a Haptic issue after 24 hours where it completely refused to work despite pinging when notifications came through
Watch 3 arrived today and one side of it is completely chipped and scratched. Scratches I can live with.....if its my own doing but not when its a brand new boxed item.

Having rung AppleCare expressing my concerns about quality control, unreliability and inconvenience of having to take the watches to a UPS pickup point and wait in for replacement deliveries, I did try to reason with them that my local Apple retailer have the watches in stock and could i reserve one and pick it up from there on Friday. I was told that Apple will reserve stock for one business day only and can't hold stock and they would still have to bill me for a second watch even though i suggested that they credit a gift card for me.

And so I now have to return the watch to a UPS drop off point tomorrow and wait for another week for another watch.

Not a happy bunny

Right whinge over

 

[Newtons Apple]

I am on my second and not too thrilled that my haptic motor is cr^pping out again. If I can not feel the notifications . . . . .

 

[Bazooka-joe]

A senior tech support employee called me as she was monitoring my issues and she was shocked hear that I received another bad watch. She said to let her know when the next watch arrives and if its ok, she will arrange for a good will gift to be sent out. i hope its not a spare charger. I already have a spare lol

 

[The Doctor11]

Damn you got some bad luck there dude.

 

[AFDoc]

....meanwhile all over the world people are starving....

Sorry about all your watch troubles.

 

[Rok73]

....meanwhile all over the world people are starving....

Sorry about all your watch troubles.

Wow. Maybe you shouldn't read threads in an Apple Watch forum if you can't stand it besides all the bad things happening in the world.

 

[wchigo]

Well, I guess it's not that big of a surprise that such a thing is possible. Looking in the iPhone and iPad forums, there have been plenty of people who have noted having issues with numerous phones and tablets before finding one that was, in their eyes, acceptable. If Apple sells 3 million watches and a defect rate of 2-3% is within the acceptable range, then you'll find anywhere from 60,000-90,000 watches with issues.

I will admit so far I've been pretty lucky with all my Apple products, as they've been free from major defects. My 6+ screen is a lot cooler than the screen on my 6 but that's more design than a defect. No one wants to get a lemon and no one thinks they'll get a lemon, but chances are you'd eventually have that happen to you.

With that being said, I'm sorry to hear about all the issues you've had and I hope that your next Watch will be the last one you ever need as a replacement.

 

[LewisChapman]

....meanwhile all over the world people are starving....

Sorry about all your watch troubles.

Does this same way of thinking exist for all troubleshooting sections of MacRumors? You've got some posting to do if so.

A senior tech support employee called me as she was monitoring my issues and she was shocked hear that I received another bad watch. She said to let her know when the next watch arrives and if its ok, she will arrange for a good will gift to be sent out. i hope its not a spare charger. I already have a spare lol

Sorry to hear you are having the troubles - I haven't had any issues as of yet. Keep us posted on what happens and also we want to hear what this 'gift' is!

 

[hufflematt]

I am now sending back my third 42mm Milanese SS.

That is very bad luck. And that is exactly what I think it is: bad luck.

A few years ago I got an iMac with a small cluster of dead pixels. Apple agreed to send a replacement before I even returned it. The replacement had bad pixels, too. Once again they agreed to send a replacement before I had even returned the first two. Mercifully the third was OK. But I did have three iMacs at one point.

These kinds of things are hugely irritating -- and they are no less irritating because other people in the world are having a bad time.

 

[Bazooka-joe]

Yep its not exactly a first world problem but then i donate £7,000 a year to my three nominated charities and i work xmas day and boxing day working with the Salvation army serving xmas dinners to the homeless and under privileged so i do my bit for the unfortunate.

Anyway back on track, never had a problem with apple devices before. UPS have dropped the third watch off with Apple now so I am tempted to call Apple tomorrow and cancel the replacement and ask for a refund. My local Apple store has the 42mm SS Milanese in stock so i could reserve one first thing tomorrow and pick it up immediately. At least i could check the watch in the store for any damage.

 

[IllusionEntity]

I had foreign material under my first Apple watches screen (a speck of something black) that looked awful when I viewed pictures on the screen. So Apple did an express replacement and the new one has EXACTLY the same problem but on a different section of the screen. I called them again and they are going to send me a new watch. They have also given me a £50 allowance to spend on whatever I want from the Apple Store.