Apple acknowledges 'ghost touch' issue affecting multiple Apple Watch models
Apple has officially acknowledged a touch-sensitive glitch, known as the "ghost touch" issue, affecting several of its smartwatch models. Initially, it was believed to be impacting only the Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models. Reports now confirm that Series 7 and Series 8, along with the Ultra 1 models, are also experiencing the same problem. The issue causes affected smartwatch displays to register false touches and behave unpredictably without any user input.
User reports highlight unpredictable behavior
The first reports of the ghost touch glitch surfaced in February, mainly from users of the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models. Several users reported that their watch screens were behaving erratically, leading to unintended menu navigation, actions, and even accidental passcode entries. One Reddit user said, "Yesterday evening, my watch went haywire. Ghost touches were happening constantly, and the screen glitched like it had a power problem."
Apple's advise to service providers on handling ghost touch issue
In response to the glitch reports, Apple has issued a memo to its Authorized Service Providers (AASPs), instructing them not to replace affected watches. Instead, they have been guided to help users with a force restart process, which requires users to hold down the side button and the Digital Crown for 10 seconds simultaneously. AASPs have also been advised to check whether the affected Apple Watches are on the latest version of watchOS.
Attempt to rectify issue with software update
Last month, Apple attempted to address the ghost touch issue with the release of watchOS 10.4 update. However, if this update doesn't solve the issue for all affected users, Apple's memo suggests that additional solutions will be provided. In the meantime, affected users are encouraged to keep their devices updated and seek help from the company's support team or visit AASP if the problem persists.
