Apps Burn from Apple Watch series 5

[Nikita Lodha]

I purchased Apple Watch series 5 in December 2019. Last week I
accidentally wore my waterproof Apple watch in the shower and I realised that seconds later and thought my watch will turn off so I removed it. I wore it after the shower and there was a current which went through my hand and it hurt, when I removed my watch to see my wrist it was burned on a specific area where the metal button lies. I applied Burnol ointment, spoke to my family doctor and called Apple customer care the next day. I send them photos and gave all the required information as and when asked about queries regarding this incident in the hope of getting some kinda of explanation. The case was managed by Mr Jim from Ireland Apple support team. I mailed them some pictures and asked if anyone else has had burns like this before and what precautions needs to be taken. It’s been 7 days now and the only response I got from Apple support is go to the dermatologist and clean the strap.
Jim quoted that it is upto you to wear the watch or not. I purchased this watch for my health purpose I want to wear it everyday without an option of keeping it at a side and the Apple support guy tells me that if anything happens to you again after wearing the watch you can go to the dermatologist we are not responsible for anything . Without even seeing the watch the Apple support team told me to clean the belt and continue wearing it, not considering that it might cause more burn in the future . This was below the par customer service which was expected from a company Apple and its team. Apple has failed to reply to my tweet and message on twitter? Does anyone faced the same issue with Apple Watch? What shall I do?

 

[bricktop_at]

Why should Apple be responsible for the way you wear your watch? I honestly don't get it....

If the strap isn't working for you, why don't you get another one (Sport Loop for example)? If wearing a watch in general isn't comfortable for you, then I'd send it back.

Btw, any kind of current running through a plastic watchband would be a miracle, so that can't be it.

 

[Nikita Lodha]

The current didn’t run through the plastic or silicon strap. It was through the metal. While I was wearing it.

 

[Donnation]

I would call them again and ask if they can send you a replacement watch. You shouldn't' have to worry about wearing the watch and if the watch is somehow defective (and it sounds like it is) you should be given a replacement. I'd keep calling them and escalating your case until they agree to send you a replacement. Good luck and sorry about your burn.

 

[iamasmith]

Is there a chunk missing from the corner of the glass back? It looks like there is from those pictures.

Thet position would line up with the mark on your arm.

 

[StumpyBloke]

Is there a chunk missing from the corner of the glass back? It looks like there is from those pictures.

Thet position would line up with the mark on your arm.

It’s a reflection

 

[harriska2]

I had all sorts of irritation issues with that damn silicone strap (4 months). Now have a cheap knock off ($10) sport loop and love it (2 years). All my skin irritations went away. My son has the nike sport loop. Talk about comfortable.

 

[perezr10]

This story sounds like crap. The back is ceramic, which is an insulator that prevents electrical flow. And if there’s a chunk missing, there’s the answer. It was dropped and damaged.

 

[tuanlouis]

I would call them again and ask if they can send you a replacement watch. You shouldn't' have to worry about wearing the watch and if the watch is somehow defective (and it sounds like it is) you should be given a replacement. I'd keep calling them and escalating your case until they agree to send you a replacement. Good luck and sorry about your burn.

Agree

 

[Itada]

Is there a chunk missing from the corner of the glass back? It looks like there is from those pictures.

Thet position would line up with the mark on your arm.

Agreed, it looks like there's a crack in the corner which would let water in.

 

[Dobbel]

The energy in the watch is far too low to cause the “burn” you show in the pictures.
A burn like this needs a very hot item like a soldering iron too cause it.

furthermore the burn is on the underside of your wrist, do you wear your watch there....highly unusual

 

[AnthroMatt]

This story seems odd, but it is possible. It happened to my wife with her Series 4 (GPS + cellular). Apple "inspected" the watch and sent the same one back to us within HOURS. I was very upset with the lack of concern they showed.

 

[Dobbel]

This looks like an allergic reaction UNDER the watch, at a regular place.
can have many reasons -sweat, etc, not caused by the watch itself, could have happened with any other large watch.
WHAT do you believe should Apple have done? Just curious...

 

[StumpyBloke]

The OP has done a runner it would seem. You’re wasting your time replying to her

 

[odonnelly99]

So is it generally agreed upon that this story is bull-dookie?

 

[megy89]

Is there a chunk missing from the corner of the glass back? It looks like there is from those pictures.

Thet position would line up with the mark on your arm.

Actually it doesn’t as the burn is on the underside of the arm. Also no current would run through to the metal button on the silicone strap as its surrounded by...silicone. Nonsense story.

 

[bricktop_at]

Actually it doesn’t as the burn is on the underside of the arm. Also no current would run through to the metal button on the silicone strap as its surrounded by...silicone. Nonsense story.

That is exactly what I was talking about earlier when I said that current running through a plastic strap would be a miracle ;-)

 

[ftaok]

This story seems odd, but it is possible. It happened to my wife with her Series 4 (GPS + cellular). Apple "inspected" the watch and sent the same one back to us within HOURS. I was very upset with the lack of concern they showed.

Looks to me like either an allergic reaction or that something was caught between the watch and the wrist.

I have issues if I get soap in between the watch and the wrist. My skin breaks out with a burn-like wound. Takes a few days to heal.

I am now much more careful when washing my hands and if suds get in there, I make sure to rinse off my watch and wrist of any residual soap.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I had a burn that lasted almost a week! .............. from a 3rd party strap on Amazon. Skin didn't like whatever chemical or material they used for that cheap strap.

If you let water get under your strap/watch and let it sit, your skin is going to get irritated like pictures later in this thread. Some people's skin just doesn't like a foreign object sitting on it collecting bacteria. I find if I don't clean the underside of my Apple watch every few days, my arm looks like https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/burn-from-apple-watch-series-5.2232308/post-28429289 the picture in post #12 - not saying this is what happened to that person, but it happens to me.

The OP's picture - the watch has a ~200 mAh battery. Ever take a 9V (5.49 wh)battery and place it on your tongue? The Apple watch ( 3.8 V, 0.78 Wh ) is not going to sizzle away flesh ... your wound looks more like a scratch - way further back than a normal watch is worn. Like other posters mentioned - that cracked glass on the top right is going to be a problem... especially if you're running with it.

Source: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Apple+Watch+Teardown/40655

 

[ftaok]

Actually it doesn’t as the burn is on the underside of the arm. Also no current would run through to the metal button on the silicone strap as its surrounded by...silicone. Nonsense story.

I think the OP is talking about the digital crown. The Series 5 runs a current through the digital crown for the EKG feature.
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your wound looks more like a scratch - way further back than a normal watch is worn. Like other posters mentioned - that cracked glass on the top right is going to be a problem... especially if you're running with it.

BMG - I disagree with that wound looking like a scratch. That's exactly how my skin reacts when I get soap stuck between my watch and skin. Took me a while to figure out that it was the soap.

As for wearing the watch like that, many people (in my experience, mostly runners) wear their watches upside down and very high on their wrist. Especially if they have skinny wrists, like the OP seemingly has.

 

[AnthroMatt]

This looks like an allergic reaction UNDER the watch, at a regular place.
can have many reasons -sweat, etc, not caused by the watch itself, could have happened with any other large watch.
WHAT do you believe should Apple have done? Just curious...

My wife asked to be able to return the watch to apple. It was roughly a month old. Apple refused, which is in their right given it was beyond their 14 day return policy. She then asked if she could get a credit to the Apple store in lieu of a refund. Also denied, but within their right.

I do think Apple should have spent more than an hour or two inspecting the device, although I applaud their quick turnaround time, I guess? The watch was delivered to them via FedEx around 9am and was sent back via FedEx at about noon the same day.

As to what caused it...I don't know. I do know the watch was incredibly warm to the touch when I picked it up to look at it after my wife yanked it off her arm. But I was in the other room when she started yelling for me.

We ended up just sending the thing to an electronics recycling place. The burn and blister was enough that my wife didn't want to wear it ever again and I couldn't in good conscience sell it to a stranger without knowing what the root cause was. She's gone back to wearing a regular ol' analog watch. I essentially spent $400 on a one month rental of an Apple Watch.

 

[Dobbel]

You said “i do think Apple should have spent more than an hour or two inspecting the device”.
This shows you simply do not believe in Apples competence, so stop buying and using Apple.
Its that simple.

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I think the OP is talking about the digital crown. The Series 5 runs a current through the digital crown for the EKG feature.
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BMG - I disagree with that wound looking like a scratch. That's exactly how my skin reacts when I get soap stuck between my watch and skin. Took me a while to figure out that it was the soap.

As for wearing the watch like that, many people (in my experience, mostly runners) wear their watches upside down and very high on their wrist. Especially if they have skinny wrists, like the OP seemingly has.

I certainly do not hope “the series 5 runsba current through the digital crown for the EKG feature”
You better go to local library and study how a EKG is done.....