“There was bendgate, antennagate and updategate and now a similarly strange controversy may be bubbling up with the Apple Watch Sport edition of the company’s latest product,” Benjamin Snyder reports for Fortune.
“Let’s call it logogate,” Snyder reports. “What happens? Consumerist reported that some unhappy Apple Watch Sport edition users are complaining that the lettering and logo on the part that touches the wrist may be wearing away.”
“A product owner posted photos of the issue on Apple’s forums and others chimed in that they were having a similar problem with their own watches,” Snyder reports. “Someone (maybe the same user?) also posted the issue on Reddit as well.”
MacDailyNews Take: We do not envy Apple PR, Apple Retail Store or AppleCare employees. These Apple Watches have obviously been treated very roughly, dare we say abused (perhaps intentionally?).
By the way, what’s to stop a competitor from abusing an Apple Watch then going onto Apple Support, reddit, and other websites to complain in the hopes of getting reporters to pick up on it? Nothing, actually.
Here is an Apple Watch Sport, taken off one of our wrists for a moment (only a moment!), which has been worn at least 16 hours per day since April 24th and certainly hasn’t been babied, but hasn’t been dragged across cement, either (serial number, which is also perfect, blacked out):
Click or tap to see full size image: Rear case of Apple Watch Sport, worn by MacDailyNews staffer at least 16 hours per day since April 24, 2015
I noticed this issue when I went to do my weekly cleaning of both my WATCH SPORT and my ActionProof Bumper. Looked to me like small pieces of skin embedded in the logo – not the Logo wearing off. Not worth the trouble of exchanging for a new unit.⌚️😐
How does anything abrasive actually touch that portion of the watch since the ceramic bezel on the back of the Apple Watch sport is raised about a tenth of an inch above it less than a tenth of an inch away from it? It appears to me that it would take a deliberate act to erode away those particular markings, especially in that location.
I once bought a several-hundred-dollar fashion watch from a well known brand. After several months the chrome (or whatever shiny metal was on the surface) started to pit around the edges. Eventually the surface started to chip off.
The anodized aluminum and stainless steel materials Apple is using for their watches will never do that.
I can imagine the type slowly abrading away on the bottom anodized aluminum Sport models. But it’s just a small aesthetic wear issue on a part of the watch that’s not seen and is being exposed to moisture, grit and wear every day.
Imagine carrying a MacBook under your arm 16 hours a day.
There might actually be cause for concern, especially since this the same grade of aluminum the new iPhones will be made with. Anodizing shouldn’t wear off like this, it isn’t a coating, the aluminum is actually put through an electrochemical process that causes the aluminum to form a thick layer of aluminum oxide, aka Sapphire. That’s not a substance that should wear just with simple contact with skin, it’s a really tough material.
If the anodization process is flawed enough for this to happen, imagine the wear and tear we’ll see on the iPhones.
Etched with a laser?? You’re thinking of the Stainless Steel and 18-Karat Gold Apple Watch models. The Sport model (the one with this issue) doesn’t have the logo and text etched into the body, but rather simply printed. This print results in the weakening of the anodized aluminum where the labels are.
Move along people…. nothing to see or hear people… keep moving people all is well… Keep moving people……..
I agree. Enough with all the “…gates” lately. The water flowed through the Watergate and Bill is gone from M$… No more dumb “…gate” event handles please.
Way to go gang we caught the villain. Now to solve the mystery. Removes the mask..
OMG it’s Christina Applegate!
She’s had it out for Apple ever since the day she bought an Apple TV but couldn’t figure out how to operate it and watch old episodes of Married With Children on Netflix.
The two Apple Watch images are different color variations: The space grey colored one which has a coating applied to it is starting to peel away. Some people’s sweat is rather acidic, and can damage metal over time.
The one MDN shows is silver, which has no coating on it.
If it’s aluminum, it’s anodized regardless of the color. Bare aluminum is too soft to leave unprotected and anodized aluminum would not be effected by acidic sweat unless the anodizing was done improperly.
Were you born to this idiocy, or did you have to attend classes? I’ve worn my Space Gray Aluminum Apple Watch every single day since May 27 for upwards of 21 hrs a day removing only to recharge about 40 mins every morning b4 heading out, I sweat profusely here in AL, being from the northern climate, and my watch is just as pristine & beautiful as the day I received it. But of course I don’t purposely abuse it. But if this is legit, then sorry and hope you get satisfactory resolution from Apple.
Please understand, I’m not trying to excuse Apple for this. If something is wrong, Apple needs to take care of it. Having the material wear away like this so much in a such a short period of time is going to upset a lot of customers.
Another day, another instance of unconscionable sensationalism. It is ironic that “Watergate,” a real scandal with frightening implications and a crowning achievement of investigative reporting, echoes through the no-longer-hallowed halls of journalism in the form of weakly constructed smear labels that seem to stick only to Apple.
But it works quite well. Anyone can say anything negative about some Apple product and investors sell the stock immediately, so it can’t be taken as a weakly constructed smear label. Investors actually believe what they are reading. Why does it only work with Apple and not with Amazon or Google? Apple is getting a bad reputation due to not protecting itself from the news media drivel.
I can’t wait to see what happens when there is a “analystgate” but I don’t think it will be a non-issue like this one, though I think the odds that the media will have a field day with it are quite high.
If you are abusing your watch and scratching it then don’t blame Apple. If I scratch any other product it would be the same. Physical damage is just that, physical damage and Apple and all other companies will not cover it under warranty. After I’m done wearing my Apple Watch I wipe down the back of it with a soft cloth and place it on my charger. Don’t let the back get dirty otherwise the sensors won’t work correctly also.
So, this is the reason investors are dumping Apple. At least now it somewhat makes sense. I’m certainly glad to hear that no lives were lost from this AppleWatch fiasco.
I have the same problem with my 42mm sport. The logo is wearing off and the area in the center between the sensors is scuffed. This is the aspect that concerns me. I don’t put the watch on rough surfaces and gently clean the watch daily. It’s either charging or on my wrist. JMO, but it’s not an anomaly.
I have worn my Space Gray Watch Sport every day since the first day it was available. My wife has worn her regular Watch Sport every day since the first day too. Both still have the text on the back in perfect condition. The finish on the aluminum is perfect on both also. Couldn’t be happier. ⌚️
I have an Watch andI do wear it everyday. I noticed this issue about 2 weeks ago and the only reason I’m pissed is that the watch is only 3months old and when you spend $400+ on an item you expect it to last. I know that know body is going to see it but when the next generation Watch comes out it going to be hard to get top $ when I trade or sell it
I have worn my Apple Watch daily for almost four months. No scratches anywhere. No damage of any kind. It looks like it just came out of the box. It has actually gotten knocked up against door frames and other objects yet it shows no signs of anything ever happening. It’s possible that the text on the bottom on an Apple Watch could rub off, but it seems like you have put the watch through some major abuse to make that happen. There are people who don’t understand how to treat any device be it an iPhone, iPod, iPad, MacBook Pro, etc. If you treat these devices badly, they will show it. All of my Apple devices are in pristine condition. The only exception in my case was when my late 2011 MacBook Pro went crashing down onto a hard tile floor in a downtown Dallas data center. I was horrified.
My wife has had her watch sinde day one, wearing it everyday, camping in Alaska, traveling in Europe, and no problem at all.
I hope they catch the person doing this. It is not about not worrying if something is wrong with a product, but these people, obviously, you can see by the pictures, have used a harsh material to wear off the lettering.
I have this cheap ceramic lamp that keeps shattering when I kick it. Such a poorly made product.
I noticed this issue when I went to do my weekly cleaning of both my WATCH SPORT and my ActionProof Bumper. Looked to me like small pieces of skin embedded in the logo – not the Logo wearing off. Not worth the trouble of exchanging for a new unit.⌚️😐
How does anything abrasive actually touch that portion of the watch since the ceramic bezel on the back of the Apple Watch sport is raised about a tenth of an inch above it less than a tenth of an inch away from it? It appears to me that it would take a deliberate act to erode away those particular markings, especially in that location.
I can’t believe people are actually stressing over something that:
a) the public will never see
and
b) doesn’t affect the operation of the device whatsoever
I once bought a several-hundred-dollar fashion watch from a well known brand. After several months the chrome (or whatever shiny metal was on the surface) started to pit around the edges. Eventually the surface started to chip off.
The anodized aluminum and stainless steel materials Apple is using for their watches will never do that.
I can imagine the type slowly abrading away on the bottom anodized aluminum Sport models. But it’s just a small aesthetic wear issue on a part of the watch that’s not seen and is being exposed to moisture, grit and wear every day.
Imagine carrying a MacBook under your arm 16 hours a day.
There might actually be cause for concern, especially since this the same grade of aluminum the new iPhones will be made with. Anodizing shouldn’t wear off like this, it isn’t a coating, the aluminum is actually put through an electrochemical process that causes the aluminum to form a thick layer of aluminum oxide, aka Sapphire. That’s not a substance that should wear just with simple contact with skin, it’s a really tough material.
If the anodization process is flawed enough for this to happen, imagine the wear and tear we’ll see on the iPhones.
Oh, come on! The watch has clearly been abused. And the freaking lettering is ETCHED WITH A LASER!!! It doesn’t just wear off.
Etched with a laser?? You’re thinking of the Stainless Steel and 18-Karat Gold Apple Watch models. The Sport model (the one with this issue) doesn’t have the logo and text etched into the body, but rather simply printed. This print results in the weakening of the anodized aluminum where the labels are.
Move along people…. nothing to see or hear people… keep moving people all is well… Keep moving people……..
““Let’s call it logogate”
Let’s not. What an unoriginal moron.
I agree. Enough with all the “…gates” lately. The water flowed through the Watergate and Bill is gone from M$… No more dumb “…gate” event handles please.
Way to go gang we caught the villain. Now to solve the mystery. Removes the mask..
OMG it’s Christina Applegate!
She’s had it out for Apple ever since the day she bought an Apple TV but couldn’t figure out how to operate it and watch old episodes of Married With Children on Netflix.
Mystery solved kids. No more gate scams.
Apple quality control and planning. They had years to get it right. Bam! $85.
The two Apple Watch images are different color variations: The space grey colored one which has a coating applied to it is starting to peel away. Some people’s sweat is rather acidic, and can damage metal over time.
The one MDN shows is silver, which has no coating on it.
Actually there is a clear anodize that is usually used on aluminum to keep it from corroding
If it’s aluminum, it’s anodized regardless of the color. Bare aluminum is too soft to leave unprotected and anodized aluminum would not be effected by acidic sweat unless the anodizing was done improperly.
Were you born to this idiocy, or did you have to attend classes? I’ve worn my Space Gray Aluminum Apple Watch every single day since May 27 for upwards of 21 hrs a day removing only to recharge about 40 mins every morning b4 heading out, I sweat profusely here in AL, being from the northern climate, and my watch is just as pristine & beautiful as the day I received it. But of course I don’t purposely abuse it. But if this is legit, then sorry and hope you get satisfactory resolution from Apple.
Please understand, I’m not trying to excuse Apple for this. If something is wrong, Apple needs to take care of it. Having the material wear away like this so much in a such a short period of time is going to upset a lot of customers.
Another day, another instance of unconscionable sensationalism. It is ironic that “Watergate,” a real scandal with frightening implications and a crowning achievement of investigative reporting, echoes through the no-longer-hallowed halls of journalism in the form of weakly constructed smear labels that seem to stick only to Apple.
But it works quite well. Anyone can say anything negative about some Apple product and investors sell the stock immediately, so it can’t be taken as a weakly constructed smear label. Investors actually believe what they are reading. Why does it only work with Apple and not with Amazon or Google? Apple is getting a bad reputation due to not protecting itself from the news media drivel.
I can’t wait to see what happens when there is a “analystgate” but I don’t think it will be a non-issue like this one, though I think the odds that the media will have a field day with it are quite high.
Let’s call it FUDgate…and it’s happening too often…
If you are abusing your watch and scratching it then don’t blame Apple. If I scratch any other product it would be the same. Physical damage is just that, physical damage and Apple and all other companies will not cover it under warranty. After I’m done wearing my Apple Watch I wipe down the back of it with a soft cloth and place it on my charger. Don’t let the back get dirty otherwise the sensors won’t work correctly also.
Does the picture show an actual Apple Milanese band? If not, is the watch also a knockoff?
So, this is the reason investors are dumping Apple. At least now it somewhat makes sense. I’m certainly glad to hear that no lives were lost from this AppleWatch fiasco.
The only gate is the reddit user who posted a blurry image of an Apple Watch, where it is clear the Apple logo was drilled or Dremelled off.
One the logo can’t fall out, it is either printed or laser etched on the surface of the anodized metal.
See for yourself.
Wear causes change. The Japanese call it “shibui” and say it shows that the object has had respectful use.
I have the same problem with my 42mm sport. The logo is wearing off and the area in the center between the sensors is scuffed. This is the aspect that concerns me. I don’t put the watch on rough surfaces and gently clean the watch daily. It’s either charging or on my wrist. JMO, but it’s not an anomaly.
I have worn my Space Gray Watch Sport every day since the first day it was available. My wife has worn her regular Watch Sport every day since the first day too. Both still have the text on the back in perfect condition. The finish on the aluminum is perfect on both also. Couldn’t be happier. ⌚️
Hey MDN, how come when I use the Watch Emoji in comments it gets changed to the old conventional watch Emoji, as above?
I have an Watch andI do wear it everyday. I noticed this issue about 2 weeks ago and the only reason I’m pissed is that the watch is only 3months old and when you spend $400+ on an item you expect it to last. I know that know body is going to see it but when the next generation Watch comes out it going to be hard to get top $ when I trade or sell it
Why don’t you talk to someone at Apple about this? Someone there may be kind enough to replace it as long as it’s not a result of abuse.
It looks like a manufacturing defect and should be covered by the warranty.
Not surprised. You get what you paid for.
That doesn’t even look like a real Apple Watch. Look at the cheap knockoff band, for one.
I have worn my Apple Watch daily for almost four months. No scratches anywhere. No damage of any kind. It looks like it just came out of the box. It has actually gotten knocked up against door frames and other objects yet it shows no signs of anything ever happening. It’s possible that the text on the bottom on an Apple Watch could rub off, but it seems like you have put the watch through some major abuse to make that happen. There are people who don’t understand how to treat any device be it an iPhone, iPod, iPad, MacBook Pro, etc. If you treat these devices badly, they will show it. All of my Apple devices are in pristine condition. The only exception in my case was when my late 2011 MacBook Pro went crashing down onto a hard tile floor in a downtown Dallas data center. I was horrified.
My wife has had her watch sinde day one, wearing it everyday, camping in Alaska, traveling in Europe, and no problem at all.
I hope they catch the person doing this. It is not about not worrying if something is wrong with a product, but these people, obviously, you can see by the pictures, have used a harsh material to wear off the lettering.