Apple Still Sells Refurbished Apple Watch Series 3 Models, But You Shouldn't Buy One

[djstile]

Headline on Macrumors a year from now...

"(Insert Country here) Consumer Protection Agency Sues Apple for Selling Devices That Cannot Receive Software Updates"

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Apple should not be selling products that no longer receive software updates, refurbished and discounted or not.

 

[Razorpit]

This is actually pretty messed up selling a device that doesn’t receive software updates and will be “obsolete” before it’s warranty period ends. It’s rather beneath Apple and a good way to turn people off the brand.

Tim Cook gonna Tim Cook though 🙄

Exactly. Makes you wonder how many of these things they have sitting around and what the heck was wrong with them all? Why only the 3? Are there that many 7's sitting around somewhere? I'm assuming production just recently ended on it.

Apple should not be selling products that no longer receive software updates, refurbished and discounted or not.

I think they could/should, however there should be a HUGE disclaimer attached to them. People purchase Apple products expecting years of support and updates to go along with the premium price. As others have stated this is entering in SE and 7 pricing territory. The price should be either under $100, or just junk them and take the write-off. It's not worth damaging the brand over.

 

[javanate]

Pretty irresponsible to sell an unsupported device, next security exploit will make them open season, with health and financial apps onboard…

 

[Robert.Walter]

Shame on apple for selling a product without full software support.

 

[Analog Kid]

I don’t understand why these are being kept alive for so long… Are there enterprise customers for these that need to maintain consistency in their fleet? Would be weird for a watch, but maybe they need consistent hardware for some of these long term health studies?

 

[bergert]

Watch3 does not support 5GHz WiFi; and as such a software restore failed with an obscure error (had to re-install as update to WatchOS8 crashed). Apple store staff told me: and indeed, it is indicated on the Watch3 technical details:802.11g only.

But the software restore support documents fails to mention it: could have turned on 2.4Ghz WiFi; because: the watch downloads updates from the iPhone - but re-installs using WiFi only (on g-WiFi takes 40 mins).

Summary: do not buy, even if new - and as mentioned cannot run watchOS9 (2022).

 

[StuBeck]

Its somewhat crazy they're still selling them for so much. I bought my wife a SS S6 for $220 last month. While those with S3's may be happy with it, there are definite improvements in newer models.

 

[Tagbert]

I'm conflicted on this, because the AW3 was such a good device. Mine has been perfect, does everything I've needed, and I'd have recommend it to anyone if the price wasn't insane. It's the iPad 2 of the smartwatch world.

While the Series 3 was good when it was new, Apple kept it around for much too long. It was completely outclassed by the Series 4 and the SE and every watch since then. At $369, this is a bad joke. I agree that prospective customers should save $100 and just buy a new SE.

 

[Vlad Soare]

The Series 3 no longer receives software updates and has an outdated design, health features, performance, and poor battery life.

Say what? 😳🤪
Size and colour aside, all Apple Watches resemble each other like water droplets and have always looked the same. How can just one of them have an outdated design?

 

[JM]

Apple can at least offer the Series 3 Apple Watch half off. At $369.00 without tax, it's still too expensive and not worth it.

I completely missed the price in the article. $369??!!!!

That is RIDICULOUS!!!

 

[alexandr]

Not a chance. Even my much newer and more powerful iPad Air 2 was crippled by the iOS updates it received over its lifetime.

But my AW3 in contrast has been on my wrist every day since new, and is still performing 100% adequately for my needs. I really couldn't say it any better than @Mr. Dee

And while that is great, you probably wouldn't go out a buy a new AW3 today, right?)

 

[ChrisA]

Yes. Of course, Apple's refurb store has prices way too high. The Series 3 is still a good watch to buy if you can find it for under $100. And you can, just not in the Apple store. If is not a bad watch for $86.

 

[seanmcbay]

"Outdated design" It looks pretty much the same as new ones, sans Ultra. lol

You shouldn't buy one due to it not getting updates anymore.

 

[sdf]

Sucky watch with sucky battery life being priced at a higher point than the newer model with better battery life.

I retired my series 3 this October. It still made it through a day and a half easily.

(This is not an argument that you should buy one today, though.)

 

[t0rqx]

Why publish this article, whats the point. There are even Apple Watch 2 on marketplaces.

 

[azentropy]

Why publish this article, whats the point. There are even Apple Watch 2 on marketplaces.

Because it is Apple themselves selling it, not 3rd party or individuals.

 

[Tagbert]

Say what? 😳🤪
Size and colour aside, all Apple Watches resemble each other like water droplets and have always looked the same. How can just one of them have an outdated design?

The series 3 has a signficantly smaller screen than all later watches. The processor is noticablly slower. The storage is severely limited. For a while, newer OS updates were too large to fit in the storage without backing up, wiping the storage, installing the OS, and restoring the backup. That was a 3 hour process for every software update.

The main thing to keep in mind is that the Watch SE is an improvement in all aspects and is $100 cheaper when bought new. The price of this refurb Series 3 is just crazy.

 

[_Spinn_]

I can’t believe Apple is still selling this when it can’t get new OS updates.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Gotta join the chorus of WTFs here. I’m not usually the one to assume Apple is doing something solely for greed that they know is wrong, but I’m having a really hard time thinking of any other explanation.

They shouldn’t still be selling this thing at all, much less for so expensive. The new SE is literally better in every single way. The only possible explanation is that they are just grabbing for money.

As another poster said, if you ask Apple what it’s worth in the context of trade in they literally tell you to throw it in the garbage. They act like they’re doing you a favor by “recycling” it.

But then Apple turns around and sells it and will accept no less than $369 for it. If that isn’t a perfect example of Apple’s hypocrisy in how they deal with people then I don’t know what is.

Pawn shops treat people better than that.

 

[Vlad Soare]

The series 3 has a signficantly smaller screen than all later watches. The processor is noticablly slower. The storage is severely limited. For a while, newer OS updates were too large to fit in the storage without backing up, wiping the storage, installing the OS, and restoring the backup. That was a 3 hour process for every software update.

There's no doubt that it's outdated from a technical point of view. You're right about that.
I was just commenting about the allegedly outdated design. The design is exactly the same as that of any other Apple Watch. If I saw two Apple Watch generations side by side, 3rd gen. included, I would be extremely hard-pressed to tell which one is which.

 

[Tagbert]

There's no doubt that it's outdated from a technical point of view. You're right about that.
I was just commenting about the allegedly outdated design. The design is exactly the same as that of any other Apple Watch. If I saw two Apple Watch generations side by side, 3rd gen included, I would be extremely hard-pressed to tell which one is which.

Screen off there isn’t much difference but once the screen is on, you can see that the Series 3 screen is a smaller, inset rectangle. The series 4 and later screens were noticeably larger and better integrated.

The problem is that this is a phone that will not longer get any software updates and they are selling it for $100 more than a much better new phone, the SE. Crazy.

 

[TigerNike23]

It’s only high because it’s the SS model. But no, they shouldn’t sell it.

I was trying to find a new 7 for sale, and they’re all sold out except for the Apple Refurbished Store or in some places in that awful green color.

I ended up getting an 8 on sale.

 

[Allwordzaremadeup]

i bought a used Apple watch 3 a year and a half ago for about $180 on eBay. Only suckers that don't know how to shop would spend $300+ on that watch

And the watch is still working fine.

 

[DaPizzaMan]

Is there any chance this is a mistake? How could Apple do something so malicious and irresponsible?