Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

vustintvylor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 11, 2015
6
0
I've had my Apple Watch Sport (38mm Space Grey) since April 27th (15 days now) and it's been working great. I've been using/wearing my Apple Watch daily since it came in the mail, and I've never had a problem until now. When I raise my wrist to glance at an incoming notification or check the time the screen won't turn on. I have to tap the screen or press the crown to turn on the screen. I've never dropped my watch, or gotten it wet beyond a couple droplets from washing my hands etc. I checked my settings for wrist detection both on the watch and in my phone, and they're both "on." I reset my watch and even unpaired it from my phone and re-paired it, but the wrist detection still wont work. Anyone else having this problem? If so, has anyone been able to fix it somehow? Is this just a software glitch, or could something be wrong with the sensors in my watch?
 
Funny... I just got off the phone with Apple support and I was told to first turn off the watch, then turn it back on. It started working for a few minutes after that, but then after 10-15 minutes, I raised my wrist and the screen stayed black. I tried dramatically flicking my wrist and rotating it, but the screen won't turn on unless i tap it. I went back on Apple Support and was told to unpair the watch then repair it as a new watch, which I did. Same effect. The watch seemed to work fine for a while, then after 10-15 minutes it wouldn't detect the rotation of my wrist anymore. This is getting really annoying. Having to tap the screen every time I want to check the time or see an incoming notification is a small but extremely annoying inconvenience.
 
Idk # but if you get it corrected please post the fix for others that actually try too help other watch owners.
 
Update: As far as I know, I'm the only one reporting this issue with the Apple Watch. My watch still doesnt respond to wrist detect (the raising of the wearers wrist to one-handedly open the watch face). My watch also stopped all sensing of motion because I noticed that my activity meter wasnt making any progress despite having worn it for an entire day (it said I burned zero calories and i didnt stand at all, etc). After some more failed attemps to fix the watch over the phone with Apple Support, I made an appointment at Apple Store to get it looked at. The technitian at the Genius Bar was polite and honest and said that I was his first Apple Watch customer. He did what he could, but because the Watch is still such a new product not even Apple Stores carry the proper equipment to diagnose or repair the Watches.

So the only option I had was to have my Watch mailed out for repairs. In the mean time I'll be waiting about 3-5 days for my Watch to be diagnosed and fixed/replaced. I really dont mind the wait. I just hope, for Apple's sake, once more people start recieving their watches that nobody else has to face this problem. First gen products are always going to be buggy, but this is most likely total failure of the sensors in the Watch.
 
Please, can you give us an update on the wrist movement detection problem? My own watch started having the very same symptoms a few days ago.
 
I have a little different situation: Watch keeps vibrating and it makes sounds for alerts even if it is not on wrist (however it makes alerts when it is not connected for charging).

Do you use mess like Hoco/Hoco-like or any other non-dedicated/non-original band(s)?
 
Nope, just regular sport watch with sport band. And no anomalies in vibration or anything. Just the exact same problem described by vustintvylor: it works for a few minutes after resetting it, then some motion sensor stops working: no steps registration, no rising hand detection, no "night mode" when charging...
 
I've had my Apple Watch Sport (38mm Space Grey) since April 27th (15 days now) and it's been working great. I've been using/wearing my Apple Watch daily since it came in the mail, and I've never had a problem until now. When I raise my wrist to glance at an incoming notification or check the time the screen won't turn on. I have to tap the screen or press the crown to turn on the screen. I've never dropped my watch, or gotten it wet beyond a couple droplets from washing my hands etc. I checked my settings for wrist detection both on the watch and in my phone, and they're both "on." I reset my watch and even unpaired it from my phone and re-paired it, but the wrist detection still wont work. Anyone else having this problem? If so, has anyone been able to fix it somehow? Is this just a software glitch, or could something be wrong with the sensors in my watch?
I had the same problem with my watch and I tried many things the only thing that works is restore the watch to older watch OS from backup I have in the watch app . It's working now
 
I had the same problem with my watch and I tried many things the only thing that works is restore the watch to older watch OS from backup I have in the watch app . It's working now

I can confirm that this works, and what a relief! Mine stopped working a week ago, no wrist detection and the haptic tap felt odd, so I was sure it was a mechanical problem. After faffing all week, I finally did a full restore from a four-month-old backup and hey presto - it is back to normal. I was getting resigned to upgrading to a new model after the launch next week, less excuse now but at least I will have a fully-working watch to hand on if I do.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.