Apple extends Apple Watch warranty to cope with swollen batteries

Apple on Friday alerted authorized repair facilities to an Apple Watch service coverage extension for first-generation devices suffering from battery swelling, a rare issue impacting a small segment of owners.

According to an email sent out to Apple Authorized Service Providers, a copy of which was obtained by 9to5Mac, Apple is extending repair coverage for first-generation Apple Watch devices impacted by swollen batteries. With the new policy in place, users are provided two years of service beyond the gratis one-year limited warranty.

The email includes internal links to related Apple Watch issues, including a service articles covering enclosure separation due to expanding battery packs and processing repairs related to swollen batteries.

Like most lithium-ion battery packs, the pouches used to power Apple Watch are susceptible to swelling and expanding when punctured, overcharged, overheated or otherwise damaged. Apple products are tested and manufactured with tight tolerances to ensure consumer safety, however. For example, when a properly engineered and produced battery pack fails the incident does not snowball into an explosion or, as seen with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices, combustion.

The number of users affected by expanding Apple Watch battery packs is unknown, but a few reports have shown up on Reddit and Apple's own support forums. According to reports, display displacement or cracking are telltale signs of battery expansion.

Apple has not made an announcement regarding the Apple Watch repair extension, suggesting the issue is not widespread.

The new warranty protocol comes just days after the original Apple Watch celebrated its second anniversary earlier this week.

38 Comments

radarthekat 3902 comments · 12 Years

About 7 years ago

I received one of the first Apple Watches, a 38mm sport in silver aluminum, arrived at 5pm on the 24th, or was it the 25th, of April 2015, having ordered it in the first hour of pre-orders. Serial # FH7PJJY2G99D. Slightly worse for wear, but still my favorite piece of technology and on my wrist all day everyday. If the last seven months of heat and humidity here in the Philippines hasn't swelled the battery, I expect nothing will.

mainyehc 142 comments · 17 Years

radarthekat said:

I received one of the first Apple Watches, a 38mm sport in silver aluminum, arrived at 5pm on the 24th, or was it the 25th, of April 2015, having ordered it in the first hour of pre-orders. Serial # XXXXXXXXXXXX. Slightly worse for wear, but still my favorite piece of technology and on my wrist all day everyday. If the last seven months of heat and humidity here in the Philippines hasn't swelled the battery, I expect nothing will.
Damn. It seems that your watch is suffering from sweat-induced corrosion just like the one seen on other products like the Magic Mouse (I know mine is full of little holes, but I've had it since 2009) and MacBook Pro palm rests. And here I was thinking that the whiz-bang 7000 series alumin[i]um was impervious to sweat…

It really must depend on how acidic your sweat is, too… Mine isn't that much newer (I got it on Dec. 2015), I've worn it almost every day as well, and it looks much, much better; do check it out:

But it does give me pause, because my Magic Mouse didn't start exhibiting corrosion until after some four or five years of (arguably less) continuous use. If my watch ends up looking like yours, I see no other option than getting the stainless steel version the next time round… I should start saving for one, I guess. :p
As for my second-hand 2011 13'' MacBook Pro, and seeing that I'll have to use it much more frequently very soon, I guess that if I don't get myself one of those protective stickers for its palm rest STAT I'm pretty much screwed. :|

P.S.: By the way, if I were you, I wouldn't be posting photos with uncensored serial numbers (or, worse even, the actual serial numbers themselves in text form) of your Apple gadgets (or from any other brand, really) around the internet. Just some friendly advice. ;)

robertwalter 276 comments · 9 Years

radarthekat said:

I received one of the first Apple Watches, a 38mm sport in silver aluminum, arrived at 5pm on the 24th, or was it the 25th, of April 2015, having ordered it in the first hour of pre-orders. Serial # FH7PJJY2G99D. Slightly worse for wear, but still my favorite piece of technology and on my wrist all day everyday. If the last seven months of heat and humidity here in the Philippines hasn't swelled the battery, I expect nothing will.

Are you sure your watch is still sealed? Your sensor array looks fogged up.

getvoxoa 84 comments · 10 Years

I have two MacBooks with swelled battery problem :(

iushnt1 12 comments · 7 Years

For example, when a properly engineered and produced battery pack fails the incident does not snowball into an explosion or, as seen with Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices, combustion.

Nice deflection.