Force Touch stopped working/responding!

[prezasti]

Today the Force Touch completely stopped working/responding on my Apple Watch Sport. Everything else on the watch is working perfectly, including the haptic engine, but I can no longer get force touch to work. The Watch is only 12 Days Old and has only been worn in office like environments. I should note however that it was a Best Buy Open Box, but the Best Buy Apple specialist claimed it was returned the same day in perfect condition. The watch has been running perfect since the day I bought it.

I spent an hour on the phone earlier today with Apple tech support, who concluded it wasn't a software issue, because we tried everything possible including re-installing iOS back to factory. (Most of the hour was waiting for re-install and sync process)

Tech support set me up an appointment at the Apple Genius Bar to get it looked at. (Another hour drive each way.) After mostly just waiting for my turn, the Genius took the watch from me and said they would be contacting me soon to let me know what was wrong. He also said the watch had to be shipped out, because they can't diagnose it further in store. (I'm already going thru withdrawals without it.)

What was interesting to me is how neither the phone support or the genius seemed to be shocked that the force touch stopped functioning. Literally the apple genius took the watch from me without looking at it further than me pressing on the screen to show it wasn't functioning properly. They acted like it was a well know issue, but without saying it was.

Anyone else have this happen to your watch and if so, what was the cause and fix?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Did you expect them to say "Oh my lord!"?

I'm sure they hear enough issues to the point that they're no longer surprised by whatever random manufacturing defects that can surface.

 

[prezasti]

Did you expect them to say "Oh my lord!"?

I'm sure they hear enough issues to the point that they're no longer surprised by whatever random manufacturing defects that can surface.

I didn't expect a crazy reaction. It was the lack of any reaction that I'm getting at. Anytime I've worked with the Apple Genius Bar in the past on issues for other products, they at least messed with it for a bit to make sure I'm not just an idiot before taking my word on it and shipping my product off. With this experience it was, reinstall software and if that doesn't do it take it to the apple store, because it must be hardware related. The Apple store genius didn't even touch the watch himself other than to take it from me and put it in a box.

Anyway, that isn't the main reason for this thread. I want to know if anyone else had a similar issue with Force Touch and what their cause and solution was?

 

[DJTaurus]

A week after OS 2 update the haptic vibration has stopped working.... re-pair and reset did not fixed the issue.... work for a couple of minuted and dead again.

 

[prezasti]

A week after OS 2 update the haptic vibration has stopped working.... re-pair and reset did not fixed the issue.... work for a couple of minuted and dead again.

Does force touch still work, but without the Haptic response? Do you get haptic feedback with notifications?

Everything else worked on my watch, but force touch. I still got a Haptic response with notifications and alarms, I just couldn't do any function that required force touch like changing the watch face.

 

[DJTaurus]

Does force touch still work, but without the Haptic response? Do you get haptic feedback with notifications?

Everything else worked on my watch, but force touch. I still got a Haptic response with notifications and alarms, I just couldn't do any function that required force touch like changing the watch face.

Exactly..... force touch has stopped working...everything else works fine.

 

[jtrue28]

Force touch stopped working on my Apple Watch, but only when attempting to "Clear all" notifications. It would not work. I waited until I received my new 6s+ phone with 9.0 before attempting to re-install the new watchOS. That did not fix the issue.

When I called AppleCare, the technician suggested that I send the watch in for replacement. He did NOT recommend I try and have it looked at, at our local Apple Store because of the opening weekend for the iPhone. He overnighted a replacement watch, and I shipped the old one back the same day.

New watch works fine. Just FYI...new/replacement watches aren't shipping with watchOS 2...likely because iOS 9 is required...

 

[prezasti]

Exactly..... force touch has stopped working...everything else works fine.

That's what happened to mine. I was told it was a defect so it will either be fixed or I will receive some sort of replacement.

Force touch stopped working on my Apple Watch, but only when attempting to "Clear all" notifications. It would not work. I waited until I received my new 6s+ phone with 9.0 before attempting to re-install the new watchOS. That did not fix the issue.

When I called AppleCare, the technician suggested that I send the watch in for replacement. He did NOT recommend I try and have it looked at, at our local Apple Store because of the opening weekend for the iPhone. He overnighted a replacement watch, and I shipped the old one back the same day.

New watch works fine. Just FYI...new/replacement watches aren't shipping with watchOS 2...likely because iOS 9 is required...

I wish I was given this option. I called apple today to complain about having to send the watch out after being only 12 days old and I brought up the fact I started my claim via AC+, but I was sent to the Apple store to have their Genius verify the watch was defective. So now I am without a Watch. Apple told me over the phone today that it was standard procedure.

 

[jtrue28]

I wish I was given this option. I called apple today to complain about having to send the watch out after being only 12 days old and I brought up the fact I started my claim via AC+, but I was sent to the Apple store to have their Genius verify the watch was defective. So now I am without a Watch. Apple told me over the phone today that it was standard procedure.

Yeah, I was a little surprised they were so quick to replace it. He gave me two options, send it in and wait for the replacement, or put a hold on my CC and send me the new one first. I took the 2nd option. I have AC+ as well.

 

[DJTaurus]

Yeah, I was a little surprised they were so quick to replace it. He gave me two options, send it in and wait for the replacement, or put a hold on my CC and send me the new one first. I took the 2nd option. I have AC+ as well.

Did they replace the bands too?.... cause they wear out very quicly.

 

[jtrue28]

No. Just the watch. I have the Milanese loop, it's fine...just dirty.

 

[WarHeadz]

Did they replace the bands too?.... cause they wear out very quicly.

The black sport band tends to wear. The others don't.

 

[prezasti]

I have an UPDATE.

I got the watch back from the Apple Store today. It was gone a total of 6 days including the weekend. They confirmed my issue is a manufacturing defect in the Force Touch part of the screen or something in connection with it. They also stated to me that this is well known issue inside apple. If anyone is experiencing similar symptoms, I suggest you call AppleCare+ if you have it or go to the apple store if you don't. (If you don't have AppleCare+, I would still try to call just incase someone can work a better deal over the phone.)

I was given a new watch back, because this issue can't be fixed. It came in the white box others have mentioned, but just the watch and no band. The apple store claims the watch is 100% brand new and not a refurbished/repaired watch.

Side note: I also took the opportunity to upgrade to the Space Black SS with sports band while I'm still within a return period. I wasn't going to do it with the older SS band combination, because of the high price, but now that it's comes with the sport band for a lot less, I figured it was worth the upgrade.

 

[TroyTrojan]

Today the Force Touch completely stopped working/responding on my Apple Watch Sport. Everything else on the watch is working perfectly, including the haptic engine, but I can no longer get force touch to work. The Watch is only 12 Days Old and has only been worn in office like environments. I should note however that it was a Best Buy Open Box, but the Best Buy Apple specialist claimed it was returned the same day in perfect condition. The watch has been running perfect since the day I bought it.

I spent an hour on the phone earlier today with Apple tech support, who concluded it wasn't a software issue, because we tried everything possible including re-installing iOS back to factory. (Most of the hour was waiting for re-install and sync process)

Tech support set me up an appointment at the Apple Genius Bar to get it looked at. (Another hour drive each way.) After mostly just waiting for my turn, the Genius took the watch from me and said they would be contacting me soon to let me know what was wrong. He also said the watch had to be shipped out, because they can't diagnose it further in store. (I'm already going thru withdrawals without it.)

What was interesting to me is how neither the phone support or the genius seemed to be shocked that the force touch stopped functioning. Literally the apple genius took the watch from me without looking at it further than me pressing on the screen to show it wasn't functioning properly. They acted like it was a well know issue, but without saying it was.

Anyone else have this happen to your watch and if so, what was the cause and fix?

[doublepost=1458909745][/doublepost]Same problem here, chatted for a while and went through the same restore/sync stuff. Only to have an appoointment made for me at the Genius Bar. Last sentence was "enjoy your visit to the Apple Store". I said that has to be some sort of sarcasm (in my best Stewie Griffin voice)