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watchOS 5.1 Update Bricking Some Apple Watches [Update: Apple Temporarily Pulls watchOS 5.1]

lexlevi said:
I am one of the unlucky ones as well. My main concern with how long it will take to fix it is screen burn-in from the Apple logo. After trying multiple button combinations, I found one that works to power the watch off:

1. Hold the Digital Crown and the side button together until it powers off.
2. As soon as it goes to black, and before the Apple logo comes back, continue holding the side button, but let go of the Digital Crown.
3. When the Apple logo does appear, hold the crown down once again.
4. As soon as it’s back to black, let go of both buttons.

When I spoke to support, they made it seem that this would be a software only fix and not a swap. So it’s best to follow these steps, preserve the display and not risk a burned in logo.
Click to expand...
Thanks - that worked for me. Hopefully the tech gave you solid information. I'd hate to be without my watch for a week or more.
 
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It seems to be "un-pulled," back online now. I'm going to update my watch, damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead
 
lexlevi said:
I am one of the unlucky ones as well. My main concern with how long it will take to fix it is screen burn-in from the Apple logo. After trying multiple button combinations, I found one that works to power the watch off:

1. Hold the Digital Crown and the side button together until it powers off.
2. As soon as it goes to black, and before the Apple logo comes back, continue holding the side button, but let go of the Digital Crown.
3. When the Apple logo does appear, hold the crown down once again.
4. As soon as it’s back to black, let go of both buttons.

When I spoke to support, they made it seem that this would be a software only fix and not a swap. So it’s best to follow these steps, preserve the display and not risk a burned in logo.
Click to expand...

How are they going to fix it via software? If the watch isn't talking to the phone????
 
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macduke said:
I often say this each time an update comes out: WAIT A FEW HOURS. But there is always some jerkoff in the comments who thinks they know better and says that there is nothing to be worried about. Just wait a few hours! Patience.
Click to expand...

Patience shouldn’t be required with an update that’s not a beta. This is like being expected to test gasoline before fueling your car. Ridiculous.
 
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lexlevi said:
I am one of the unlucky ones as well. My main concern with how long it will take to fix it is screen burn-in from the Apple logo. After trying multiple button combinations, I found one that works to power the watch off:

1. Hold the Digital Crown and the side button together until it powers off.
2. As soon as it goes to black, and before the Apple logo comes back, continue holding the side button, but let go of the Digital Crown.
3. When the Apple logo does appear, hold the crown down once again.
4. As soon as it’s back to black, let go of both buttons.

When I spoke to support, they made it seem that this would be a software only fix and not a swap. So it’s best to follow these steps, preserve the display and not risk a burned in logo.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm not sure how a software update could fix this since no way to communicate with the watch. Express replacement seems like best option.
 
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just got a call back from support.... he set me up with an express replacement. doesn't know if it will be refurbished or new? doesn't know if they have stock?

we'll see how long it takes to get it to me. if they send it tomorrow overnight, i can have it by the weekend.

i'm just thankful it bricked my sport and not my SS!
 
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I guess I got lucky, I started the update process for my phone and watch at the same, started playing Red Dead Redemption 2 and came back a few hours later and all was good.
 
caligurl said:
How are they going to fix it via software? If the watch isn't talking to the phone????
Click to expand...
They have ways that aren't available to us normal people. I remember putting the beta watchOS on my series0 a few years back, and they flashed it back to the stable OS for free since I was still under AppleCare. I got my device back with a note saying it was zeroed out and data was gone, but that it was the same thing I sent them. The implication was "this isn't broken, just needed new software."

It's GOOD there isn't a massive user-accessible port on these things to collect moisture and dust.
 
My series 2 was stuck on preparing for quite awhile then I rebooted my phone and it started going again and finished fine.
 
I had less charge in my s3 so waited until morning to plugin to the charge. Couldn’t find new updates so checked macrumors and found this article. Good that I didn’t install.
 
Lancetx said:
Weird. This was by far the fastest and smoothest Apple Watch update I've ever seen. Took all of 10 minutes tops from start to finish on my Series 4. Nothing like the sometimes 1-2 hours I've seen in the past on my previous S0 & S1 watches.
Click to expand...
prolly because it was fully tested on Series 4 and not on older series
 
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