Has Apple said anything about duration of battery swaps?

[Farrgazer]

According to Apple, you can still (as of this posting date) get a battery replacement for even the first-generation Apple Watch. Granted, whether your should or not is a separate question.

As it stands, assuming you don’t do much with the watch in terms of app interaction, would it be feasible to keep a watch for upwards of ten years with infrequent battery replacements?

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don’t think it would be very practical to do so. I imagine the supply of generation 1 & 2 battery will run out and Apple will stop replacing them due to them no longer being supported.

Financially and technology wise, it wouldn’t be prudent to keep doing so.

We are talking about disposable devices not mechanical devices with the same standard user replaceable battery.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

10 years of battery replacements (well, assume the last battery replacement at 8 years, lasting another 2 after that)? Apple normally declares products "Vintage" 5 years after the last date of sale, "Obsolete" at 7 years.

Here's the current official definition of those terms from Apple https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201624 (the definition does get revised from time to time, although the 5 years 7 years for Obsolete haven't changed):

Vintage and obsolete products
Owners of iPhone, iPad, iPod, or Mac products may obtain service and parts from Apple or Apple service providers for 5 years after the product is no longer sold—or longer, where required by law. Apple has discontinued support for certain technologically obsolete products.

Vintage products are those that have not been sold for more than 5 and less than 7 years ago. Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Apple TV vintage products continue to receive hardware service from Apple service providers, including Apple Retail Stores, subject to availability of inventory, or as required by law.
For products purchased in France, see Statutory Warranties of Seller and Spare Parts.
Obsolete products are those whose sales were discontinued more than 7 years ago. Monster-branded Beats products are considered obsolete regardless of when they were purchased. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products, with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products.

No Apple Watch has made it to the Vintage list yet. Presumably, that first-gen Watch will go Vintage around September 2021, Obsolete around September 2023.

So doing the math... If your Watch was purchased soon after introduction (April 2015), and if Apple still has replacement batteries in 2023... yeah, that Watch could still be running after 10 years.

As far as I know, there is no third-party/on-site repair available for Watch (all Watch repairs brought to authorized service providers and Apple Stores are shipped out to Apple for repair). No doubt some enterprising individuals will eventually take up that challenge if parts can be obtained, but I wouldn't count on parts availability - some battery manufacturer would have to see a business opportunity as well.

 

[44267547]

I don’t think it would be very practical to do so.

The OP wasn’t questioning if it’s ‘practical’, they were questioning if it’s actually feasible/possible for the watch to have a duration of 10 years. But I’ll answer for you, given Apples hardware standards are nearly impeccable, and display technology rarely ever fails and with optimal health battery, you could achieve 10 years regardless of watchOS support or not.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The OP wasn’t questioning if it’s ‘practical’, they were questioning if it’s actually feasible/possible for the watch to have a duration of 10 years. But I’ll answer for you, given Apples hardware standards are nearly impeccable, and display technology rarely ever fails and with optimal health battery, you could achieve 10 years regardless of watchOS support or not.

The OP asked...
“would it be feasible to keep a watch for upwards of ten years with infrequent battery replacements?” Infrequent battery changes denotes Apple replacement (or someone else). As such, I answered the question and then expounded further.

I said...

“I imagine the supply of generation 1 & 2 battery will run out and Apple will stop replacing them due to them no longer being supported.”

What you did was only use my first sentence which, in and of itself, removes the full context of my reply, as well as the actual to the OP. I didn’t need you to answer for me. What you should have done, is read my complete reply to the OP, instead of stopping at the first sentence and then claiming I didn‘t answer the OP when I did.