The Ultimate Apple Watch hack? Please help!!

[kamid99]

Ok Apple Experts I really need your help here!! So my Dad has already cracked his Apple Watch Series 3 42mm that I got him for Fathers Day. Unfortunately I was not signed up for Apple Care previously to the incident occurring and took his watch to the Apple Store to see what my options were. The genius bar employee had us unpair the watch from his phone before he would inspect the damage on the watch. He inspected it and gave us the flat $229 to fix it. In my opinion, paying this price is not even an option as that's how much I paid for his watch in the first place. The employee then told us if we left the store and went home and signed up for apple care we could apply the apple care to his watch and pay the $69 fee to replace it. So that's what we decided to do....
Now heres where it gets tricky. The watch is cracked pretty badly and the bottom half of the screen does not respond to touch. In order to get Apple Care his watch has to be paired to his phone, however I can't pair it back because the screen doesn't work and I can't even put his passcode in! I've tried everything short of buying a new screen and attempting it myself (I would probably just make it worse). I've also tried the force reset but i can't click the green check in the bottom right to allow the watch to reset. At this point I'm desperate to fix this watch. I thought of one idea but I'm not sure if it would work and it would be 100% cheating the system. I own the same model and size of watch as him (and i have Apple Care+) so i was thinking I could report my watch as damaged and set up the Express Replacement Service and have them send me a new watch. I know i have to send the broken watch back so I guess my question is would they inspect the broken watch and find out that it has a different serial number as mine (therefore knowing that i sent them a watch that didn't belong to me)?
If there's anything i can do in this situation please let me know!!! Thanks for the help! -Kami

 

[breezyf808]

It sounds like the employee screwed you on this.
Normally when you do it over the phone, apple would just do a quick diagnosis to check if product is currently running.
It sucks, but if someone finds another way to make it happen...kudos!!

 

[Itinj24]

I personally wouldn’t use your Watch to fraud the system. Not worth the possible consequences for 229 bux. Apple Care is insurance. This is essentially insurance fraud. Plus the serial number and Apple ID on the watch are all tied to you.

And if you were planning on doing it, I certainly wouldn’t post my intentions on a public forum. You never know who’s reading this.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Apple+Watch+Screen+Replacement/41082

 

[japanime]

I wonder why the employee required you to unpair the watch from the phone before he would inspect the watch. I'd try to find out whether this is standard operating procedure. If not, then perhaps you could explain that to Apple and see if they might make an exception and grant you an AppleCare replacement.

 

[Significant1]

Don't know, if you can enable it at this stage, but You can zoom and pan (with fingers og the crown) the content on the screen and thereby possibly move the things you need to touch, to a working part of the screen.

Enable zoom in accessibility in general in the watch app on iphone.
- double tap with two fingers to toggle zoom
- single tap with two fingers, while in zoom mode, to toggle pan with crown.
- else pan with two fingers, which might not be easy with a broken screen.
There is also a description where you enable zoom in the watch app (though, not the one about panning with crown).

 

[itsmemuffins]

If I was you I would get in touch with Apple and tell them exactly what the employee told you to do.

 

[iPhysicist]

Don't know, if you can enable it at this stage, but You can zoom and pan (with fingers og the crown) the content on the screen and thereby possibly move the things you need to touch, to a working part of the screen.

Enable zoom in accessibility in general in the watch app on iphone.
- double tap with two fingers to toggle zoom
- single tap with two fingers, while in zoom mode, to toggle pan with crown.
- else pan with two fingers, which might not be easy with a broken screen.
There is also a description where you enable zoom in the watch app (though, not the one about panning with crown).

Pairing is the first step of setting up the watch. So no it would not work at this point.

 

[Mlrollin91]

I wonder why the employee required you to unpair the watch from the phone before he would inspect the watch. I'd try to find out whether this is standard operating procedure. If not, then perhaps you could explain that to Apple and see if they might make an exception and grant you an AppleCare replacement.

They can't run diagnosis or do anything while the watch is paired to the phone. They can't even enter the serial number into the system without it coming back as blocked by Find My iPhone. Its the first thing they do when I call in for support or take it in - unpair. (But if you disable Find my iPhone it works as well)

 

[akash.nu]

1. This is insurance fraud and I’ll never encourage or help anyone with such intentions.
2. You really think a multi billion dollar company doesn’t have minimal checks to ensure people / frauds don’t take the piss?!

 

[japanime]

They can't run diagnosis or do anything while the watch is paired to the phone. They can't even enter the serial number into the system without it coming back as blocked by Find My iPhone. Its the first thing they do when I call in for support or take it in - unpair. (But if you disable Find my iPhone it works as well)

Thanks for explaining.

 

[bad_robot]

Watch lcd replacement is the only option. Maybe, in usa, there are companies that can do that at a fixed price like in aus. Check ebay. Stuff apple wont do like replace battery and/or lcd can be done by such while you wait.

 

[Donnation]

You aren't going to be able to buy Apple Care even if you get around the touch screen issue. When you purchase Apple Care on any watch after it was purchased Apple does a remote diagnostic check to see if the watch is functioning properly. The diagnostic will pick up that the touch screen is malfunctioning and not responding properly. Once that happens it will deny you Apple Care and say that due to failing the diagnostic you are prohibited from purchasing Apple Care.

You aren't getting AppleCare and are either going to have to pay for the repair or buy a new watch.

 

[jonblatho]

I know i have to send the broken watch back so I guess my question is would they inspect the broken watch and find out that it has a different serial number as mine (therefore knowing that i sent them a watch that didn't belong to me)?

Yes, they would absolutely find out that the watch’s serial number doesn’t match that expected. The AppleCare+ plan is associated with a serial number at purchase (and updated, as necessary, by Apple with device replacements).

Even if for whatever reason they can’t access the serial number through software, it’s etched in the top band slot.

I’d strongly recommend against proceeding down this route because it’s insurance fraud, as others have mentioned, even if you should manage to successfully activate AppleCare+. You’ve also left a paper trail here should someone at Apple have questions as to why someone bought AppleCare+ and immediately turned around and got their watch replaced.

Your choices at this point are to buy a new watch, pay the service fee at Apple, or pay for unauthorized service at your own risk. Should you do the former, I would strongly recommend buying AppleCare+ and physical protection for the watch immediately if you believe there’s a reasonable chance that this would happen again. (Look, the Watch isn’t for everyone. My dad, who’s a mechanic, would have one beaten to hell within a week.)