Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Sapphire Apple Watch easily breakble
- Thread starter odedia
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Yep, I got my replacement in 2 days. Then shipped the old one back. If you went to the store and they didn't have replacements in stock this is the better option.
I don't doubt your theory, however it does seem like when we step back and look at the big picture Apple does have a world class organization.
One would expect them to use their years of customer experience, the substantial sum of money they're spent on research to identify very specifically what the risk of breakage would be.
Take Seiko for example their Sapphire equipped watches are very durable. In turn the data is out there for Apple to review and learn from. Something as basic as a watch crystal, even considering its touch sensitive requirements should either be durable enough, or don't use it.
OR...
If it can't be durable enough and Apple still decides to use it, then put a warning sticker covering the watch face to be read and removed when pulling the watch from its box.
Very simple and effective
Kind of like putting "HOT" on the side of a coffee cup from McDonalds.
Don't forget that watch crystals can also be a lot thicker than what Apple (and every other smartwatch/smartphone/touchscreen electronic device manufacturer) is going for -- that is, a display layer that's as close to the surface as possible. Regular watch crystals are much too thick to allow the same appearance of displaying things almost on the crystal's surface.
[added pic from the Internet of a Rolex replacement crystal]
[added pic from the Internet of a Rolex replacement crystal]
I don't expect Apple made a mistake here, as you are supposing. I expect they very specifically chose the type (and thickness, etc.) of sapphire that they are using. EVERY material has tradeoffs. They could easily have made it utterly shatterproof by using 1/4" thick sapphire surrounded by a rubber shock frame, surrounded by a protective steel cage and raised bezel. But that would have ruined the watch. I suspect it's a matter of weighing the impact on all of the watch's other qualities vs. the likelihood of it breaking (or, more likely, the percent of watches expected to break - remember, they're dealing in MILLIONS of watches here, they have to expect a certain number to break, and have to balance that against all other aspects of the design of the watch).
FWIW, that case is more complicated than most folks imagine. Worth reading up on.
I've also read of "enhanced sapphire", which is more durable and less reflective than the sapphire they use now.
Did they replace the entire watch AND band? When I submitted a replacement I only got the watch itself and I have the link band.
No, the "white box replacement" is the watch body only. If, however, the band is defective they'll of course replace that.
This is really no different from the white box replacement iPhone being the unit itself and not the accessories.
Third party (Moko). It's ok but I do admit that I feel a difference between that and the Apple original band. Better quality, less sweat, just feels better. Maybe not 40$ better, but better.
I will shed some light on this subject, as it just happened to me.
Taking it off. Dropped from waist high on a tile floor. The following picture was the result.
Went into the store and to the genius bar. All they do is send them out. Cannot do a fast product replacement or anything.
So I came back to the office. Called Applecare and told them what happened.
Sent me a link for the payment for BOTH the $79 deductible AND the (about) $600 for the express replacement. For the record, the $600 us just a hold in case I don't return the old one within X amount of time. I did this approx noon PST.
By the end of the day, I had two tracking numbers. One for the empty box to send back the old one. One for the replacement watch body, no band. Had them both the next day.
Sent the old one back in the replacement box. Re-paired the new one, updated it, all done.
Back to happy land.
Yes that is a case on the new one. Not in the mood to have the screen shattered again. Will probably take it off soon, just being overly cautious.
Taking it off. Dropped from waist high on a tile floor. The following picture was the result.
Went into the store and to the genius bar. All they do is send them out. Cannot do a fast product replacement or anything.
So I came back to the office. Called Applecare and told them what happened.
Sent me a link for the payment for BOTH the $79 deductible AND the (about) $600 for the express replacement. For the record, the $600 us just a hold in case I don't return the old one within X amount of time. I did this approx noon PST.
By the end of the day, I had two tracking numbers. One for the empty box to send back the old one. One for the replacement watch body, no band. Had them both the next day.
Sent the old one back in the replacement box. Re-paired the new one, updated it, all done.
Back to happy land.
Yes that is a case on the new one. Not in the mood to have the screen shattered again. Will probably take it off soon, just being overly cautious.
