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Apple Now Offering Depth and Water Seal Tests for Apple Watch Ultra
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The big question is just how deep is that watch guaranteed to go before leaking?
40m/132ft is not deep, that's just the point at which it stops recording depth.
If someone were to wear that watch and dived, say, to 80m/265ft, would it survive? There's good reason to do this as the watch might be useful at decompression depths, above 40m/132ft.
40m/132ft is not deep, that's just the point at which it stops recording depth.
If someone were to wear that watch and dived, say, to 80m/265ft, would it survive? There's good reason to do this as the watch might be useful at decompression depths, above 40m/132ft.
Nah, Apple's legal team is way ahead of you. The User Guide literally says the "Depth app is not a dive computer."
In fact, Apple says in multiple bold warnings to always use a "secondary depth gauge and timer/watch."
By providing a test, Apple actually increases their exposure to risk because they're now verifying functionality. However, that's balanced against getting potential customers inside the store and buying another Watch.
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Almost certainly there is a decent sized niche market for selling the watches. Recreational diving is a popular sport and it pretty much is mandated that people have a dive computer. Some of these cost more than the Apple watch!
For typical warm-water diving in resorts, the Ultra would be excellent. And you can use it for other things.
The "problem" with the Ultra is it's restricted to 40m/132ft. There's many use cases where you go deeper than that.
Which is why they subbed the Dive Computer Application out to Huish. Hopefully many other dive computer applications will become available for the Ultra and Ultra 2, 3, 4...
Kind of.
However, when faced with purchasing a backup dive computer (they're very important, so you bring two) it's quite compelling to buy an Apple Ultra as a backup dive computer as its priced much lower than Garmin's Ascent and Shearwater's Teric. The drawback is the depth limitation on the Ultra.
Exacly.
Every device wears off over time, UV, liquids penetrating gaskets glue - no one is testing its lifetime if I searched well.
Not sure I really understand why you'd want this in place at pre-order time - this service is intended for an AWU that has undergone some type of incident that may have compromised its waterproof integrity, such as physical damage, over-pressure or significant ageing, it's not meant to be a QC check on brand new watches.
In terms of diving watches, periodic pressure-testing is pretty much par for the course. Until recently, most dive watches used replaceable non-rechargeable batteries, and you'd always get the unit pressure tested when getting the batteries changed.
What I'm not clear on though is whether the pressure-test is non-destructive. Is it a matter that the results of the test would either be 'yes, your watch is still working, so it's still waterproof', or 'your watch now is dead and full of water, so the seals were compromised' - or do they have a way of telling before damage to the watch occurs? If not, unless you're actually planning to expose the watch to high pressures (e.g. scuba diving) or have good reason to believe the seals will be damaged, then you might not want to take the risk of testing it. Plus, depending on how they offer this service in terms of price and warrantees, if might be quicker/cheaper to get it done at a specialist dive shop that offers pressure testing.
I registered an account just to respond to your last point.
I work in a service centre for both Apple and Samsung processing warranty repairs and I thought I might have some helpful insight on this.
Both manufacturers use specialised jigs that inject air/pressure and measure the output from the device that registers either a pass or fail result based on the readings over a period of time. Changes that are too quick result in a fail (leakage) and changes below a certain threshold register as a pass.
No actual water is involved for these tests as air leakage information is sufficient. A test fail would not ruin the device and it’s just a matter of reworking the seal and retesting until a pass is achieved. This test is more accurate on devices with a built in barometer, however devices such as Samsung A-series without a barometer go through a slightly different test where the barometer is in the jig and connected via Bluetooth, however the concept remains the same.
Our service centre has offered the seal check service for Samsung devices for about 2 years now and yet I had to find out about Apple doing it via this article lol
it’s not really that big of a question, since Apple outlines this in writing:
”Apple Watch Ultra has a water-resistance rating of 100 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010 and is EN13319-compliant.”
Absolutely and who would buy a rugged watch to have to be watching out for effectiveness of its functions. That’s why you purchased that type of watch. - not a fan of how they are going about this. Cheers everyone
To be brutally honest, you would have to be a complete moron and disregard every bit of training to die from any complications that could be a result of this watching failing in an open water scenario. I dove for a few years with a with nothing more than a Citizen Aqualand Promaster. Basically a depth gauge and a timer. Dove to the tables, and never had a problem. It wasn’t until I started getting in to more technical diving, enriched air, etc., that I even considered a dive computer.
A timer or proper technical dive computer is all you can use at that point. A dive computer that stops computing below 132 feet is worthless. I wouldn’t trust it to give me the date let alone decompression information.
That’s just lawyers lawyering. You can suggest they take a second device, but you can’t protect yourself with that statement if there is a failure of some kind and that failure specifically led to an open water death. Like I mentioned above, in open water diving you would pretty much have to ignore every iota of training for that to happen.
Exactly, I have two Shearwater Perdix’s that are ~$2k each by the time you add sensors, but the diving I did (and plan to get back in to) require it. In diving two is one, and one is none.
All dive equipment is subject to periodic tests and certification, but you would already know this if Apple’s tests applied to you.
Based on my S7, I don't think they have decent longevity for the price. I won't be buying another AW. The battery health is at 81% after 16 months. I'm going to have to get the battery replaced at an Apple Store, fortunately under warranty and I don't trust it to be completely as waterproof as it was out of the factory after that.
With my luck my ultra would be one of the ones that would leak and then im out $600 ill just continue to keep my watch as far away from water as I can 😃
Two things. $9.95??? And that guys is THE standard for “rolling with it.” Doesn’t miss a beat. Masterful.
Even the Midnight one 😦?
That's the one I was going to pick up.
Originally I was going to get a cheap amazon knockoff but I don't think I would trust it surfing.
Seals and gaskets on watches will degrade over time, so this seems like a routine check. Most dive watches need to have the seals lubricated or replaced, as well as a pressure check during a routine service. If I were a diver using the Ultra, I would want to have the seals checked every year.
That just means you’re doing it right. 😉
That makes me want to buy a Timex. That dude was unflappable.
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
Suspended
❤️ Yes sir! That’s actually what I pre-ordered my Apple Watch Ultra with. At that time it was almost sold out everywhere. Finally took it out of the box last night. The color is classy, elegant, and subtle. My favorite ones are the White and Yellow Ocean bands tho.
Midnight is the one I will get.
Hope the ocean does not beat it up too much. 🌊
Why? It is a useful but not mandatory secondary service. Not SOP for instance with all other dive computers.