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Check the underside
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(Image credit: Apple)
- Some Apple Watch Series 10 owners are reporting a coating defect
- The issue seemingly only affects the Apple Watch Series 10 in Jet Black
- Apple Stores are apparently providing free replacements to some users
The Apple Watch Series 10 is one of the best Apple Watches, but one particular model appears to have a small cosmetic problem. If you’ve got one in the Jet Black colorway, you might want to take it off and check its underside – that’s because some people are reporting that the coating is corroding and coming off. And the good news is that Apple appears to be taking the issue seriously.
Reddit user ashadow_song wasn’t happy with the condition of their Apple Watch. After just one year of use, the black coating on the device’s underside was pock-marked with small silvery dots – areas where the colored coating had become dislodged and fallen off the watch.
Not content to sit by, ashadow_song went to an Apple Store and got a piece of good news. Upon speaking to a store employee, they were apparently told “we have seen this a lot with [the] jet black version, you will get a free replacement almost guaranteed.” The Apple worker then took the Watch in for inspection, and ashadow_song said they received a replacement confirmation email from Apple the next day.
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As evidence, the poster provided a screenshot of an Apple Support ticket (below) that said, “We’ll replace your product,” adding that “Your replacement product will be dispatched to you soon.” That suggests that Apple wants to resolve this matter as quickly as possible, without risking unhappy customers.
We've contacted Apple for official comment on this issue and will update this story if we hear back.
Get it checked out
applewatch from r/AppleWatch/comments/1p9pmbr/psa_apple_will_replace_your_series_10_jet_black
Interestingly, ashadow_song said they did not claim the replacement under Apple’s AppleCare+ extended cover but instead did so under the Watch’s standard warranty. Since that lasts for one year, it implies that the issue manifests itself in under 12 months of use. That was backed up by Reddit user PrincessCaramel, who said they were experiencing the same problem after roughly one year of ownership.
That’s concerning when you consider that the Apple Watch is designed to be worn 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including during workouts and in all weather conditions. Given that, you would think that its coating would hold up better to the likes of sweat and moisture that could be causing this corrosion.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Right now, these are still only anecdotal cases and there's still no evidence that it's widespread issue. However, there are examples of threads on Apple's Community support forums of some Jet Black Series 10 owners experiencing the same thing.
Also of note is the Apple Store worker’s apparent claim to have “seen this a lot” with Jet Black Apple Watch Series 10 models. We haven’t seen reports of other Apple Watch colors or models being affected, so the problem could be limited to the Jet Black Series 10 and the composition of its coating.
Whatever the case, you might want to double-check your Apple Watch to make sure it’s not suffering from the same color degradation. If it is, head over to your nearest Apple Store to see if you get a similar response.
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TOPICS Apple Apple Watch
Alex BlakeSocial Links NavigationFreelance ContributorAlex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.
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