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LilyWai

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 19, 2018
4
0
New Zealand
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I had my Apple Watch series 3 (6 months old) charging on a stand overnight a week ago and when I went to put it on the next day I noticed a slight hairline crack going up the left side of screen and across the top edge of screen. The watch still worked as normal but I was concerned that now it could easily get dirt or moisture in it and become damaged internally rendering it useless so have stopped wearing it.
I couldn't work out why this would happen as I haven't dropped it or banged it and I don't play sport or partake in any kind of activity where the watch could of sustained impact damage. An online search revealed a number of issues with cracked screens on the series 2 & 3 due to battery swelling so I assumed this may have been the issue.
I rang the Apple Customer phone number and got the usual reply that I must have dropped it or hit it on something. He said I could send it in but they probably wouldn't replace it as it is most likely my fault and not due to the watch's construction or hardware failure (this is without seeing the watch or photos which keads me to believe they ALWAYS favour customer fault in damage as the priority when deciding what the cause was). He also said to me that you have to be very careful with the Apple watch is like any watch the screen is glass and will break.

After hearing this comment and saying to him that I was staggered to have paid over $1,000 for a watch that is supposedly designed to be worn as an everyday watch yet is so delicate that I can't actually use it or wear it like a 'normal' watch and have to be cautious and protective of it all the time..which kind of defeats the purpose of a watch in the first place! Amazingly his reply was, and get this... “Well I wear mine everyday and I have even developed a special walk where I put my arm behind my back so I am always keeping my watch out of harms way”. What?!
I replied that out of my collection of 8 watches worn over 25 years, all with 'glass screens’, this is the only one that has broken and to have it happen within 6 months of normal wear was crazy. To me that indicates the watch is not 'fit for the purpose intended' as stated in our Consumer Guarentee Act and should be eligible for replacement or refund. To sell it as an everyday watch but yet say it is so fragile that you can't act normally when wearing it is frankly absurd.

Not sure what to do but now have a watch that can't be worn. For the price you pay they should give you Applecare for free as it sounds like, judging by the endless “cracked screen” posts I poured over, this issue is rather too common to be the customer's fault.
 
Not sure what to do but now have a watch that can't be worn. For the price you pay they should give you Applecare for free as it sounds like, judging by the endless “cracked screen” posts I poured over, this issue is rather too common to be the customer's fault.

The problem with searching the internet for reports of issues with a device is that people almost never bother to post when something works flawlessly/doesn't break - they only post when there's a problem. So you're definitely going to see "endless" posts claiming that the watch is overly fragile, etc - but if you consider the # of watches sold, percentage-wise it's likely only a very small group of people had issues.

That said, I've owned both "Series 0" and Series 3 watches and didn't treat them any different than I treated a regular watch. That includes accidentally whacking them against doorframes and the occasional wall. Neither watch developed any sort of crack in the display. They aren't as fragile as the Apple support person claims.

My guess? You were unlucky enough to get a twit on the phone. They're present in all companies, unfortunately ;-) If there's an Apple store near you, drop by with the watch and explain the situation in person. If there isn't, then try calling Apple again and hopefully you'll get a more empathetic person the next time around.

("special walk"?! lol!)
 
I thought Apple considered hairline cracks (without showing impact damage) a defect and would be replaced under warranty. I'd bring to to a store if possible and get it looked at. Good luck.


edit:

Here's an article regarding phones, might be the same for watches.
 
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he probably told you it's damage, because that's what it is 98% of the time. (guessing at that number)

There is a chance you hit it without even noticing.
how many times have you found a bruise, and wondered where it came from.

if they do get receive the watch, and it's battery issue, then they'll replace it,

They give worst case in phone support, so that way, if it turns out better you're very happy.
if they tell you there's a slight chance it might be battery, you'll pin your hopes on that, and when it comes back damage (as it does in the vast majority of cases) you'll be pissed off.

I did crack my s0 screen, whacked it pretty hard at work, it was cracked across the top for a while, and worked fine. One day i set it down in the bathroom, and the band sprung, launching the watch to the tile, the display shattered.

out side of that, i've hit my watch (s0 then s3) fairly hard, mostly on door frames, and it's been fine.
I do have a rubber bumper case that i wear when work is going to be "physical"


and it might be too late for you now, but in the future AppleCare is almost a must for the watch, just because of the screen replacement cost.
 
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I can not get the images to pull up.
 
Do you have Apple Care? That looks like the watch was knocked into something. I knock mine all the time. Someone else mentioned about bruises....I get them all the time and mostly haven’t a clue where they came from! It happens. I have seen screens break on other traditional watches...but Apple watches are going to be inherently more fragile than a traditional
Watch. I think mine have held up great..have had each series since launch day. I belief you can wear them everyday. I wore mine in a mini triathlon. But you have to realize you have a mini computer on your wrist and your wrist moves all over all day long.
 
View attachment 811995 View attachment 811991
I had my Apple Watch series 3 (6 months old) charging on a stand overnight a week ago and when I went to put it on the next day I noticed a slight hairline crack going up the left side of screen and across the top edge of screen. The watch still worked as normal but I was concerned that now it could easily get dirt or moisture in it and become damaged internally rendering it useless so have stopped wearing it.
I couldn't work out why this would happen as I haven't dropped it or banged it and I don't play sport or partake in any kind of activity where the watch could of sustained impact damage. An online search revealed a number of issues with cracked screens on the series 2 & 3 due to battery swelling so I assumed this may have been the issue.
I rang the Apple Customer phone number and got the usual reply that I must have dropped it or hit it on something. He said I could send it in but they probably wouldn't replace it as it is most likely my fault and not due to the watch's construction or hardware failure (this is without seeing the watch or photos which keads me to believe they ALWAYS favour customer fault in damage as the priority when deciding what the cause was). He also said to me that you have to be very careful with the Apple watch is like any watch the screen is glass and will break.

After hearing this comment and saying to him that I was staggered to have paid over $1,000 for a watch that is supposedly designed to be worn as an everyday watch yet is so delicate that I can't actually use it or wear it like a 'normal' watch and have to be cautious and protective of it all the time..which kind of defeats the purpose of a watch in the first place! Amazingly his reply was, and get this... “Well I wear mine everyday and I have even developed a special walk where I put my arm behind my back so I am always keeping my watch out of harms way”. What?!
I replied that out of my collection of 8 watches worn over 25 years, all with 'glass screens’, this is the only one that has broken and to have it happen within 6 months of normal wear was crazy. To me that indicates the watch is not 'fit for the purpose intended' as stated in our Consumer Guarentee Act and should be eligible for replacement or refund. To sell it as an everyday watch but yet say it is so fragile that you can't act normally when wearing it is frankly absurd.

Not sure what to do but now have a watch that can't be worn. For the price you pay they should give you Applecare for free as it sounds like, judging by the endless “cracked screen” posts I poured over, this issue is rather too common to be the customer's fault.

The problem is, Apple can’t make a fair judgment until they actually inspect the watch to determine if they think it’s an internal failure the battery that caused the crack or if it was the customers fault. Looking at your pictures, that looks like impact damage to me, especially at the top of the display, but I’m not the one to make that judgment call, but I think Apple would agree.

You’re only real option is to send it in for assessment.
 
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Looks like it’s had more hits than Take That... I don’t think Apple will replace that tbh.

Adam.
 
Maybe a swollen battery can crack a screen, but more likely the seal would give way first. good luck. Also is that stainless, the pic looks aluminum. If so not sure how your were swindled out of$1k.

I guess a bumper so something is in your future, or just shell out the repair cost when you break them. Sucks, but happens to real watches too.
 
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That's not hairline, and I agree with the other posters that it looks more like an impact fracture based on the chipping. If it really did happen overnight, then either someone knocked it while you were asleep, or the battery is ready to explode. :(
 
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Thanks for the replies and suggestions from everyone.

Yeah, I know I should of got Applecare, it's clear now, in hindsight, after seeing how crackable these watch screens are and how many people have suffered the similar fate that Applecare should be a given.
I think my problem was in making an assumption that the watch would be robust enough to wear as an everyday accessory without needing consideration everytime I had it on my wrist. I've learnt a lot about Apple Watches through this, like they sell a sports version which I looked into to see if it may be a bit tougher (by it's name you'd think would imply a resilience in a sporting environment) but no, it doesn't, it seems 'Sport' is just a fashion term and the materials it's made from it is supposedly LESS robust than the standard Apple Watch. Caveat Emptor. I had a an original and 2nd series Pebble Watch as my entry into smartwatches and that was slightly less flashy yes, less options yes but did the job and was tough too...and the opensource aspect was amazing to watch.

As far as crack goes the only thing I can think of is that I may have bumped it and the crack started as a minute issue and gradually spread overnight because it certainly wasn't there the day before and it's only me in the house. I'm looking at the watch face all day so would of noticed it. Btw I know where all my bruises come from too

Ah well, have nothing to lose by taking it in to be assessed and who knows perhaps they will or won't remedy the situation. But now I know I will be much more aware of this in the future, if I ever buy another Apple Watch.
 
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Thanks for the replies and suggestions from everyone.

Yeah, I know I should of got Applecare, it's clear now, in hindsight, after seeing how crackable these watch screens are and how many people have suffered the similar fate that Applecare should be a given.
I think my problem was in making an assumption that the watch would be robust enough to wear as an everyday accessory without needing consideration everytime I had it on my wrist. I've learnt a lot about Apple Watches through this, like they sell a sports version which I looked into to see if it may be a bit tougher (by it's name you'd think would imply a resilience in a sporting environment) but no, it doesn't, it seems 'Sport' is just a fashion term and the materials it's made from it is supposedly LESS robust than the standard Apple Watch. Caveat Emptor. I had a an original and 2nd series Pebble Watch as my entry into smartwatches and that was slightly less flashy yes, less options yes but did the job and was tough too...and the opensource aspect was amazing to watch.

As far as crack goes the only thing I can think of is that I may have bumped it and the crack started as a minute issue and gradually spread overnight because it certainly wasn't there the day before and it's only me in the house. I'm looking at the watch face all day so would of noticed it. Btw I know where all my bruises come from too

Ah well, have nothing to lose by taking it in to be assessed and who knows perhaps they will or won't remedy the situation. But now I know I will be much more aware of this in the future, if I ever buy another Apple Watch.

I previously owned the sport watch. I thought it was more than durable enough for daily wear against impact, and even after I upgraded to the stainless model, the only real protection added is the scratch resistance from the sapphire display.

However, keep in mind, glass is glass, with the right impact on the angle and the surface type the display comes into contact with, any smart watch display isn’t impervious to impact damage.
 
I wear the Nike sports version all day everyday and go to the gym / cycling / running with it! It’s fine for day to day use imo. Although, given the exposed nature of the usage, I did get AppleCare + anyway.
 
The crack is very deep and goes across the whole glass, it looks exactly like my glasses which fell to the ground a bit earlier on. :confused:
 
Just bad luck. Any of us, at any time, can ruin our screen. Anything worn on will take their punishment. I consider myself to be very lucky having not damaged any of my watches from AW0 through the AW4 today.
 
Thanks for the replies and suggestions from everyone.

Yeah, I know I should of got Applecare, it's clear now, in hindsight, after seeing how crackable these watch screens are and how many people have suffered the similar fate that Applecare should be a given.
I think my problem was in making an assumption that the watch would be robust enough to wear as an everyday accessory without needing consideration everytime I had it on my wrist. I've learnt a lot about Apple Watches through this, like they sell a sports version which I looked into to see if it may be a bit tougher (by it's name you'd think would imply a resilience in a sporting environment) but no, it doesn't, it seems 'Sport' is just a fashion term and the materials it's made from it is supposedly LESS robust than the standard Apple Watch. Caveat Emptor. I had a an original and 2nd series Pebble Watch as my entry into smartwatches and that was slightly less flashy yes, less options yes but did the job and was tough too...and the opensource aspect was amazing to watch.

As far as crack goes the only thing I can think of is that I may have bumped it and the crack started as a minute issue and gradually spread overnight because it certainly wasn't there the day before and it's only me in the house. I'm looking at the watch face all day so would of noticed it. Btw I know where all my bruises come from too

Ah well, have nothing to lose by taking it in to be assessed and who knows perhaps they will or won't remedy the situation. But now I know I will be much more aware of this in the future, if I ever buy another Apple Watch.

That’s awesome you know where you get all your bruises! Have one on my left leg right now...no idea where it came from. I do know though where my Apple Watch was broken. I also felt the tiny scratches being made on my series 4. Your watch looks like a decent impact. It didn’t happen on a night stand by itself.
 
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Apple Watch is working fine and it hasn't altered its funtionality or touch screen sensitivity so just going to keep using it. I live on an Island so it's a whole rigmarole to get it to an Apple Verified Store so will wait till I'm next over.
Thanks to all who weighed in on this.

P.S to those who recon it was impacted and there's no way it could have happened overnight why would I lie about this?? Serves no purpose - to me or in gaining the info I was seeking by posting in first place - so can't see what the point would be...?
 
P.S to those who recon it was impacted and there's no way it could have happened overnight why would I lie about this?? Serves no purpose - to me or in gaining the info I was seeking by posting in first place - so can't see what the point would be...?

I don’t think anyone is saying that you’re ‘lying’, and I don’t believe anyone implied that you did in this thread. I think based off your photos, it looks easily that it’s some type of impact that affected your watch to crack the way it did. Initially, you stated you “Couldn’t work out why this would happen as you didn’t drop or Bang it on anything.” And then once you posted your photos, it’s _very_ clear that the display didn’t spontaneously just crack, you must have inadvertently hit it on something without you knowing How it actually happened.
 
Apple Watch is working fine and it hasn't altered its funtionality or touch screen sensitivity so just going to keep using it. I live on an Island so it's a whole rigmarole to get it to an Apple Verified Store so will wait till I'm next over.
Thanks to all who weighed in on this.

P.S to those who recon it was impacted and there's no way it could have happened overnight why would I lie about this?? Serves no purpose - to me or in gaining the info I was seeking by posting in first place - so can't see what the point would be...?

It could be similar to what happens to car windshields sometimes. You catch a stone or something and there is what appears to be an insignificant little chip or hairline crack, you might even miss it (especially if it started where glass and bezel meet). Then over time moisture, dirt, temperature changes, etc. cause that tiny chip to spread. Perhaps the heat generated from charging is what caused it to spread during the night?
 
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