watchOS 3.1.1 Bricking Some Apple Watch Series 2 Models

[Robert.Walter]

iPhone 6s ran public beta.

Series 0 watch. Had twice funny messages after downloading watchOS update telling me could not verify download because I was not connected to internet; when I was. Hit install again. After second can't verify no internet message i rebooted phone. Then it took awhile but watch updated.

 

[blacktape242]

I dont even see 3.1.1 on my AW 2. Weird.

 

[MH01]

Geez they know exactly the hardware they run , this should not be happening . Also to brick....poor

 

[dantracht]

Wow, I am so sorry for those that went through this. I always wait an hour or so now before doing OTA updates.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

So first the iOS update which was 9.x.x which bricked deviced. Now the apple watch update 3.1.1 that is bricking watches. Next is macOS sierra 10.12.2 that is bricking macs xD

Actually, 10.11.6 bricked my 2007 iMac. I can boot it into recovery mode, and it can download the 10.11.1 installer, but it can't actually run that installer (it crashes around 40 minutes into it). None of the diagnostic tools in recovery mode say that anything is wrong.

At this point, I'm thinking I want to try getting some home pictures and videos from the hard drive (hopefully the terminal can access the files and copy them over to an external drive via USB), then I'll wipe the drive and reinstall Yosemite from a disc that I'm having mailed to me... and that'll be the final OS for my iMac. Not going to try the disaster of El Capitan again. Sometime next year I'll replace the iMac... and it may not be with another Apple computer given Apple can't seem to do anything right anymore.

 

[Jeremy1026]

Good job crediting your source this time MR!

 

[mkrcz]

Red exclamation happened to me when installing Watch OS 3.1.1 on my 1st gen watches... Nice experience :-/ Trying to reboot watches (based on support page) many times, no luck... This really suck!

 

[Iconoclysm]

Duh. I mean it's standard now for some Apple update to brick some device. I don't update on Day One anymore, especially for nothing more than an Emoji. I just wonder what non-tech people think when their device is bricked. I mean I know a lot of people that would totally freak out. This isn't the way to build or sustain Apple's brand. There isn't even the excuse that it was an old device since it's the current flagship AW.

The standard now is to confuse the term bricked with a failed update...the device is not bricked.

 

[hubieonekanubie]

No problems here. I decided to start it as I went to bed last night. When I woke up, I took it off of the charger and the progress ring around the apple logo started moving much quicker than normal. Once done I had the apple logo and then after looking at it about 10 mins later it was all normal. Checked software version and it installed fines. Running on an a series 2 aluminum.

 

[Abazigal]

Microsoft releases innovative hardware for professionals and Apple releases software updates that brick hardware. I do not like living in this alternate universe.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/12/12/ongoing_windows_8_10_dhcp_problems_affecting_all_isps/

Just so we are clear that Microsoft certainly isn't perfect when it comes to software updates either...

 

[spazzcat]

Guessing people got impatient and took them off the charger or worse forced restart them. It can take up to an hour to update your watch...

 

[Jimmy Bubbles]

-_- in series 1 and stuck on 3.1 not 3.1.1 my watch doesn't show a new update what could I do?

Series 1, or Series 0 (1st Gen)?

 

[Bswails]

What a great deal for all owners of scratched watches, say hello to a brand new one 🙂

No they are just going to reset the Watch and send your old one back.. I had it done a few weeks back to a series 0 Watch

 

[MrGimper]

When I installed the latest beta of 3.1.1 on my S2 (which is the same as this final version) it got stuck with the circle about a quarter complete and the last tiny little blip was flashing on and off for what felt like about a couple of hours. I just left it because I simply thought to myself "If I force restart a device during a firmware update and there is no easy way for the end user to restore it, then that will be a really silly thing to do". So in the end I was patient and it finished updating fine

 

[Shyos]

No issues here while updating. And yes... you just don't touch any of the devices while it's updating, as stated when you start the update.

Guess the impatient ones where pushing the buttons and bricking theirs and are now stating that they didn't touch it at all.

 

[profets]

The standard now is to confuse the term bricked with a failed update...the device is not bricked.

It's a failed update that leaves the watch unusable. How would you describe it other than bricked then?

No issues here while updating. And yes... you just don't touch any of the devices while it's updating, as stated when you start the update.

Guess the impatient ones where pushing the buttons and bricking theirs and are now stating that they didn't touch it at all.

Nice assumption. I started mine at 9pm and the whole night I saw it on the progress circle, right up to 5am. 8 hours is impatient?

 

[jimbobb24]

The whole Apple update process has been painful for the phone but is just horrible for Watch. It goes slow, takes forever. It is not pleasent.

 

[mkrcz]

I started mine at 9pm and the whole night I saw it on the progress circle, right up to 5am. 8 hours is impatient?

Same here... :-/

 

[555gallardo]

-_- in series 1 and stuck on 3.1 not 3.1.1 my watch doesn't show a new update what could I do?

Your smartwatch is actually so smart it knows what to avoid.

 

[iGeek2014]

Managed to download it fine to my Nike + Watch this morning. Not updated my Series 0 model yet-might wait until things are sorted out.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Sent back to Apple!

 

[44267547]

Lesson one: don't update on day one. Seems like a lot of things break!

And this is why I never update on day one anymore for any updates from Apple. I know it's sporadic, but this would have upset me. And OTA is the only way to update the Watch.

 

[avanpelt]

The bad thing about the watch is that there is no user-accessible recovery option. If the install has any problems and you're greeted with the "!", the watch has to go back to Apple. They will have to find a better solution in the months ahead.

 

[spazzcat]

The bad thing about the watch is that there is no user-accessible recovery option. If the install has any problems and you're greeted with the "!", the watch has to go back to Apple. They will have to find a better solution in the months ahead.

They need to be able to at lease flash them in the store.

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

Mine didn't brick but it took a whopping 45m to complete. :|