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UPDATE
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Things took a stressful turn.

I got an email from Apple repairs yesterday telling me I needed to pay an atrocious £186 to repair the watch! I wasn’t able to capture the screenshot because the page got updated, but here’s the tab with the price. View attachment 556321

I was not happy at all. Here’s the repair authorisation from the Apple Store telling me I didn’t have to pay anything: View attachment 556322

So I arranged a call with Apple. The support lady told me that the engineers concluded it was accidental damage and therefore would costs me. I felt seriously let down. I explained that the store told me I wouldn’t have to pay anything because this sort of damage wasn’t supposed to happen.

She agreed that there must’ve been miscommunication about the pricing and the Store should’ve told me that I may have to pay. Because of this miscommunication, she was willing to make an exception and let this off. So in the end, I’m relieved to know that it won’t cost me 2/3 of the cost of the watch itself and they should repair it for free.

Then I asked her, if this was really about accidental damage, as a school teacher with most of the time in the classroom, what am I doing that’s so active it’s damaging a *sports watch*? A sports watch that’s being advertised as good enough for ice skating and all sorts of wild sports. I asked the genius in the store the same thing and he simply said it shouldn’t be getting damaged so easily. The lady also wasn’t able to give a clear answer, although she was always polite and as helpful as she could be.

She mentioned that I should just try and be careful of hitting desk corners maybe, etc. I had to ask her, should an Apple Watch Sport really be cracking from hitting desk corners? When cheaper watches take all sorts of day to day beatings? She also suggested a screen protector if need be, but did acknowledge Apple doesn’t even sell those or cases in their own stores.

In the end, she did her best to alleviate my stress by removing the price but left the crucial questions about watch long-term protection unanswered, through no fault of her own. Regardless, I’m happy with her support, she did her best to help to be honest, as Apple Support always do.


Really sorry to hear that you were initially greeted with a horrifying bill, but glad the CSA resolved it for you.

And yes, I agree that it shouldn't get damaged so easily.
 

I had a similar issue with my 42mm SS, however the coating scratched on top of the sapphire screen which made the sapphire screen completely useless as it should prevent scratches yet the coating negates that property. I took it back and got my £600 back :D I'm debating whether to get a sport model as 1) they look tacky and 2) they seem to get damaged incredibly easily.... decisions!
 
I had a similar issue with my 42mm SS, however the coating scratched on top of the sapphire screen which made the sapphire screen completely useless as it should prevent scratches yet the coating negates that property. I took it back and got my £600 back :D I'm debating whether to get a sport model as 1) they look tacky and 2) they seem to get damaged incredibly easily.... decisions!

1. The sports don't lol tacky
2. The dont scratch incredibly easy.
Wherever or whoever your source is, is wrong. My SG Sport is pristine and spotless after over one month. Clumsy people damage goods. I blame the user. That's why mine is immaculate.
 
UPDATE
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In the end, she did her best to alleviate my stress by removing the price but left the crucial questions about watch long-term protection unanswered, through no fault of her own. Regardless, I’m happy with her support, she did her best to help to be honest, as Apple Support always do.

In the end, they helped you out this time, but it's going to be up to you for future episodes. The aluminum/ion glass version is more prone to scratching. This is by no stretch of logic. Putting something on your wrist makes it prone to take damage. You state that you've not damaged your iphone before, but you've never left it strapped to your wrist for long periods of time. Even with normal use, small impacts can occur. I've owned Titanium watches coated with harder metals and stainless steel watches. Eventually random chance will get it scratched and scuffed. Even my Apple sport watch has some minor scratches on the screen if you look very carefully. Most of it so far has been just a speck of dirt on my finger perhaps when I swiped, but I'm not under any illusion that this watch will last and look completely pristine when I have worn it for a while. My iphones on the other hand are always immaculate, but I put glass screen protectors on them, and use cases. Neither of which I do for the watch.

But what is one to do about this then? I knew I would also be annoyed if the watch was accidentally damaged to the degree in your photos. So I purchased apple care+, which takes the cost of replacement down to ~70USD, which is alot more reasonable. The second thing is that I purchased my watch on a credit card. (which I pay in full each month) This adds the benefit of A. Adding 1 year to the manufacturer's warranty, and B. If accidental damage/theft occurs in the first 90 days, it gets refunded/replaced.

Basically, I think you should probably purchase apple care, at least you can have some peace of mind that you can have the whole watch replaced for 49 pounds each time for 2 times over 2 years. In the UK you can buy it within 60 days of purchase.
 
Wow Im not sure how you can get your watch in that kind of state and don't know how you did it. I really can't get my head around your attitude of "yeah it just happened they just appeared don't know how". The watch looks a mess, you must be flapping your arms around like mad, bashing wildly into things. It looks like someone has tried to prize the screen from the watch body!

Ive had my watch since launch as there is not a mark on it, anywhere. Saying that I don't bash myself into hard objects. Its a bit like saying "yeah I bought this new car and there are dents and scratches appearing on it every time I bump it into something" :/
 
Wow Im not sure how you can get your watch in that kind of state and don't know how you did it. I really can't get my head around your attitude of "yeah it just happened they just appeared don't know how". The watch looks a mess, you must be flapping your arms around like mad, bashing wildly into things. It looks like someone has tried to prize the screen from the watch body!

Ive had my watch since launch as there is not a mark on it, anywhere. Saying that I don't bash myself into hard objects. Its a bit like saying "yeah I bought this new car and there are dents and scratches appearing on it every time I bump it into something" :/

I know it's easy to think that from your position. I may have done so myself were it the other way around.

Obviously, according to physics, something must've caused that to happen. No one's saying it happened by magic.

My question that wasn't clarified either by Apple Support or the genius was:

*What kind of impact would it take to cause this sort of damage?*

Should an Apple Sport Watch advertised for all sorts of activity be cracking up like this when scuffing a desk corner? Both the Apple Support and Genius agreed that it shouldn't be so as this is their strongest (most shatter proof) version.

I'm sure there is a level of impact/activity that can cause the Sport version to chip off, but it is NOT something I'VE been doing in my 15 days with the watch, as a school teacher most of the day in a classroom. Not to mention the cracks occurred on two separate occasions, one after the other. In the 3 day window that they happened, I definitely haven't been doing the sort of stuff that *should* cause this sort of damage.

But if it is chipping off from day to day impact from desks and stuff (that I don't recall also) in those three days, then it isn't behaving as advertised.
 
Not to mention the cracks occurred on two separate occasions, one after the other. In the 3 day window that they happened, I definitely haven't been doing the sort of stuff that *should* cause this sort of damage.

But if it is chipping off from day to day impact from desks and stuff (that I don't recall also) in those three days, then it isn't behaving as advertised.

I still find it hard to believe that you can cause that sort of damage and not feel it when it occurred. As an example, twice when Ive been on the running machines my watch has very lightly tapped the arms of the machine that are either side of your body. These were light taps but I was aware that it happened because I felt it, but even so, there was no watch damage at all. In contrast, yours have 2-3 huge chips out of the glass and what looks like a scratch running down one corner of the aluminium body. Yet you never felt any of them and are oblivious to when and how they happened? Also bear in mind that each time a fragment of glass splintered off.

Its almost as if you are trying to denounce any blame by saying it isn't behaving as advertised. The watch isn't doing anything wrong. What IS happening is that its being struck against a hard surface frequently, hard enough to damage the toughened glass AND aluminium body, yet you claim not to have felt anything whatsoever.

Im not trying to be mean, Im really not. It just doesn't make sense that you can strike it against something hard enough to damage glass and metal yet your soft skin doesn't sent a signal to your brain telling you that something happened.
 
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I still find it hard to believe that you can cause that sort of damage and not feel it when it occurred. As an example, twice when Ive been on the running machines my watch has very lightly tapped the arms of the machine that are either side of your body. These were light taps but I was aware that it happened because I felt it, but even so, there was no watch damage at all. In contrast, yours have 2-3 huge chips out of the glass and what looks like a scratch running down one corner of the aluminium body. Yet you never felt any of them and are oblivious to when and how they happened? Also bear in mind that each time a fragment of glass splintered off.

Its almost as if you are trying to denounce any blame by saying it isn't behaving as advertised. The watch isn't doing anything wrong. What IS happening is that its being struck against a hard surface frequently, hard enough to damage the toughened glass AND aluminium body, yet you claim not to have felt anything whatsoever.

Im not trying to be mean, Im really not. It just doesn't make sense that you can strike it against something hard enough to damage glass and metal yet your soft skin doesn't sent a signal to your brain telling you that something happened.

I don't think you've understood my initial response.

I'm not saying the watch has never hit something (in fact I acknowledged it in my original post it scuffed the wooden headboard and door for example and that I checked for damage). My point is that the watch *should* only start chipping off in the way it has from something MUCH more, some really serious impact, and there was no such impact or else, you're right, I WOULD'VE known. Hence my point, if the screen started chipping off from these normal light scrapes and stuff THAT shouldn't be happening. I would accept scratches but not the screen chipping off.
 
Sorry but that is not so. Time has very little to do with it. Damage could occur within minutes of unboxing.

Both the Apple Support and Genius agreed that damage should not be occurring from day to day scuffs, 3 day, 15 days or not. Hence why I've been maintaining that this unit must be defective.
 
I wish you well, I can understand why someone would claim such a thing to get a free replacement. After all they are expensive gadgets so if its unexpectedly damaged to that extent (where it actually looks in terrible condition if Im honest) I guess its natural to claim ignorance and hope you get lucky with a replacement at no cost.

Still don't get how the glass AND the aluminium body on yours is defective, thats some bad luck you've got. Luckily for you Apple are very generous with replacements ;)

Oh and if you get a free replacement, keep your arms to yourself this time or you'll be back in the same situation.
 
I wish you well, I can understand why someone would claim such a thing to get a free replacement. After all they are expensive gadgets so if its unexpectedly damaged to that extent (where it actually looks in terrible condition if Im honest) I guess its natural to claim ignorance and hope you get lucky with a replacement at no cost.

Still don't get how the glass AND the aluminium body on yours is defective, thats some bad luck you've got. Luckily for you Apple are very generous with replacements ;)

Oh and if you get a free replacement, keep your arms to yourself this time or you'll be back in the same situation.

Hmm, I can see why someone would say as you do. Either one has to accept the possibility that our beloved Apple can produce something defective on the odd occasion (no, never!) or sit on a high horse where the view up there is a lot more comfortable. Enjoy the view sir.
 
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its a bit closed minded to just assume respectabilia is clumsily smacking the watch against everything in his path throughout his day. consider the possibility that 6 months from now it is uncovered that there was a flaw in the materials, and we have another "bendgate" except now its the watch that is failing in some way for large portion of owners.

nobody wants to believe at this point that there could be an issue with manufacturing and in all likelihood there isn't. but it doesn't sound like anyone wants to lend him the benefit of the doubt except perhaps Apple ;)
 
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I wish they would have made you pay as its not sapphire crystal, it's glass and you bought the cheapest version, you're gonna have to deal with it. People like you are the reason that Apple keeps having to be less and less lenient for surprising people with free repairs.
 
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My experience with a Apple Watch Sport gray case model after almost a month of use is that it still looks like out-of-the-box new. I wear all day and do my usual activities which do not include anything where it would be typical to hit my wrist on a objects. Sportiest thing is walking a few miles during the day.

Things I like very much with the Watch are getting notifications, ability to answer my iPhone on the Watch and then transfer back to my phone if needed, multiple reoccurring alarms to remind me to take medications, Apple Pay, the work out trackers (outdoor, indoor walking). I have had many days where it goes for 2 days before a recharge is required.
 
I'm usually 100% against apple care but it just makes sense with a device that's swinging on your wrist everyday

Also, +1 for sapphire screen
 
That's for sure. I cut out about 50' of grass about 18" wide down about 6" and a 5 x 6 ft. at bottom of steps then laid landscape mat and had 3 yards of 1" to 2" river rock delivered which I wheelbarrows do by hand, and spread. Outside of dust and dirt and lots of sweat not a mark on the watch. I did switch from white to black band during this as I thought that's pushing it.
 
I came across this new story today. Very interesting. http://appadvice.com/appnn/2016/02/apple-watch-owner-wins-court-case-over-cracked-screen

This person essentially went through a very similar incident to mine except his Watch wasn't repaired and he took Apple to court and won.

Especially interesting is that Apple has apparently now removed references to screen damage resistance.

340e13cfe3be74be228d40044976471f.jpg
 
Sorry gorilla glass is considered more impact resistant compared to other traditional materials. Not impact proof. Glass will crack and chip when hit just in the right position.
 
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I hope mine is an isolated case (ie I got a bad apple - yes, pun intended). Because that stainless steel is a steep price, especially knowing I'll likely want to upgrade to the second generation, because despite these durability issues, I was really loving the watch.
Mine is completely free of scratches after 8 months banging around on my wrist morning to night, FWIW.
 
Mine is completely free of scratches after 8 months banging around on my wrist morning to night, FWIW.

Actually my replacement Watch has been totally fine over the last 8 months too, even though I've probably put it through more. Hints to me there must've been an issue with the initial one I got on launch.
 
Especially interesting is that Apple has apparently now removed references to screen damage resistance.

Yet the Apple Watch Sport page still says "The display is protected by a lightweight aluminosilicate glass that’s especially resistant to scratches and impact" and the Watch and Watch Edition pages refer to an "ultra-hard ... sapphire crystal".

I'm not sure what references they were referring to?
 
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