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Repairs of Some Older Apple Watches May Qualify for Series 2 Replacement Due to Parts Shortage

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Repair parts are temporarily constrained for 42mm models of the Apple Watch Series 1 and first-generation Apple Watch, nicknamed Series 0, according to an internal document distributed to Apple Authorized Service Providers today.

Apple-Watch-trio.jpg

If a customer initiates a repair order for one of those Apple Watch models, Apple has permitted Apple Authorized Service Providers to offer a 42mm Apple Watch Series 2 as a substitute starting February through April according to the document, obtained by MacRumors from multiple proven sources.

The document does not mention Series 2, Series 3, Series 4, or 38mm models of any kind as qualifying, nor does it specify if the parts constraint is limited to aluminum, stainless steel, or other finishes. No further information is provided.

The document was distributed to Apple Authorized Service Providers in the United States and other countries, and it was likely sent to Apple Stores as well, in which case the Genius Bar would follow the same guidelines. We have elected not to share a screenshot of the document to protect our sources.

Visit the Get Support page on Apple.com to initiate an Apple Watch repair.

Article Link: Repairs of Some Older Apple Watches May Qualify for Series 2 Replacement Due to Parts Shortage
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/01/28/42mm-apple-watch-series-0-1-part-shortage/
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domneedscoffee

domneedscoffee

macrumors newbie
Dec 10, 2018
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Pretty sure they were already doing this with the 0 and replacing with 1's, but the difference to a 2 is night and day
 
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A

allenvanhellen

macrumors 6502a
Dec 8, 2015
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now i see it said:
Truly disposable. Even Apple can't fix em.
Click to expand...
That is sad. When I bought a series 0, I thought it would last a long time and could get battery replacements from Apple, so I could keep it 10-15 years at least. Now they’ve released yearly upgrades, which wouldn’t be a big deal if it didn’t mean running out of parts like this. I only got a Series 2 because Apple Pay didn’t come to Japan in a totally compatible way.
 
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douglasf13

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2010
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allenvanhellen said:
That is sad. When I bought a series 0, I thought it would last a long time and could get battery replacements from Apple, so I could keep it 10-15 years at least. Now they’ve released yearly upgrades, which wouldn’t be a big deal if it didn’t mean running out of parts like this. I only got a Series 2 because Apple Pay didn’t come to Japan in a totally compatible way.
Click to expand...

Really? I've been rather surprised that I've managed 3-4 years with my Series 0, although the thing is certainly sluggish compared to newer models. Do you normally expect a tech gadget to last 15 years?
 
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yanki01

yanki01

macrumors 68040
Feb 28, 2009
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my 1st gen SS model is still slugging along in every day use. no heavy use but it looks nice. well out of the AC+ already.

curious to know what part would qualify on just getting a new one completely?
 
S

snawaey

macrumors member
Jan 20, 2019
48
23
yanki01 said:
my 1st gen SS model is still slugging along in every day use. no heavy use but it looks nice. well out of the AC+ already.

curious to know what part would qualify on just getting a new one completely?
Click to expand...

Same. My battery is pretty bad now on my series 0. Anyone know how much a battery replacement would cost?
 
User 6502

User 6502

macrumors 65816
Mar 6, 2014
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allenvanhellen said:
That is sad. When I bought a series 0, I thought it would last a long time and could get battery replacements from Apple, so I could keep it 10-15 years at least. Now they’ve released yearly upgrades, which wouldn’t be a big deal if it didn’t mean running out of parts like this. I only got a Series 2 because Apple Pay didn’t come to Japan in a totally compatible way.
Click to expand...
Why on earth did you think an electronic device would last 10 or 15 years "at least"? It was obvious that it was to be like the iPhone, updated every year. And frankly it had to be, as the first three versions were seriously underpowered. Series 4 is the first barely decent watch, from now on it's a mature product I suppose, they just need to fix the software (in particular the API to developers, that at the moment let them make very little).
 
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Westside guy

Westside guy

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Oct 15, 2003
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The soggy side of the Pacific NW
My Series 1 is now 28-29 months old. I must say I have been happy with how its battery has held up.

Don't get me wrong, I'd definitely love it if these things had week-long battery life... but I generally wear it 18 hours at a stretch, and the battery level will still be at 55-60% when I put it back on the charger.
 
japanime

japanime

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Feb 27, 2006
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Japan
douglasf13 said:
Really? I've been rather surprised that I've managed 3-4 years with my Series 0, although the thing is certainly sluggish compared to newer models. Do you normally expect a tech gadget to last 15 years?
Click to expand...
I think the answer for many of us longtime Apple users is "yes, we do." Within reason, of course.

Apple products used to be built to last. For instance, in my office, I still have a 2006 MacBook and a 2009 MacBook Pro in regular use. I also have a 1999 Apple Cinema display hooked up to a 2011 MacBook Air as a main machine. All have been taken well care of and look as good as new. And while they don't perform like the latest, greatest, they hardly feel old. We also use a 2007 second-generation Apple Wireless Keyboard, two 2009 third-generation keyboards, and a 2009 Magic Mouse, all of which are perfect.

Maybe those products don't qualify as "gadgets," but they do go to show that tech hardware can remain relevant long after Apple has officially listed it as "obsolete."
 
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douglasf13

macrumors 68000
Jul 2, 2010
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japanime said:
I think the answer for many of us longtime Apple users is "yes, we do." Within reason, of course.

Apple products used to be built to last. For instance, in my office, I still have a 2006 MacBook and a 2009 MacBook Pro in regular use. I also have a 1999 Apple Cinema display hooked up to a 2011 MacBook Air as a main machine. All have been taken well care of and look as good as new. And while they don't perform like the latest, greatest, they hardly feel old. We also use a 2007 second-generation Apple Wireless Keyboard, two 2009 third-generation keyboards, and a 2009 Magic Mouse, all of which are perfect.

Maybe those products don't qualify as "gadgets," but they do go to show that tech hardware can remain relevant long after Apple has officially listed it as "obsolete."
Click to expand...

Sure, up until last year, my business also had some old MacBooks, minis, displays, etc., but I wouldn't expect them to be repaired if they break.
[doublepost=1548719866][/doublepost]
kingofwale said:
imagine... if you paid 10K for that gold model...
Click to expand...

If you have that kind of money, your gold Apple Watch is probably already lost in a drawer somewhere, anyways.
 
4

480951

Cancelled
Aug 14, 2010
639
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I'm curious if they'll also replace the stainless steel first gen (0) watches with a newer model as well(?) I know there were reports awhile back of people sending in their sport models for out of warranty battery replacements and getting a series 1 back.
 
B

Baymowe335

Suspended
Oct 6, 2017
6,640
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allenvanhellen said:
That is sad. When I bought a series 0, I thought it would last a long time and could get battery replacements from Apple, so I could keep it 10-15 years at least. Now they’ve released yearly upgrades, which wouldn’t be a big deal if it didn’t mean running out of parts like this. I only got a Series 2 because Apple Pay didn’t come to Japan in a totally compatible way.
Click to expand...
You can't really think you were going to keep an electronic watch 15 years, LOL!!
 
M

Mizouse

macrumors 6502
Nov 5, 2014
432
643
solaraMAC said:
If I went in for a Series 0 battery replacement - would they swap that out for a Series 2? Or does there need to be something else that's wrong with it?
Click to expand...

I’d like to know too.

The only reason I replaced my series 0 was because the battery wouldn’t get through a whole day anymore.

I am really liking that my series 3 that I got on Black Friday can last me 2 days 8 hours.

My series 0 could never last that long even when it was new.
 
ikramerica

ikramerica

macrumors 68000
Apr 10, 2009
1,607
1,911
Lalov001 said:
A couple of months ago my Stainless Steel Series 0's battery swell and broke the display; I got a free Stainless Steel Series 2 replacement.
Click to expand...
My 0-sport had the same problem. It was well out of warranty. They replaced it also. How do I know which model it was replaced with? I assumed it was another 0.

Anyway, got a 4 for my birthday. So much better. Well worth it.
 
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