Apple has pulled the WatchOS 5.1 update just hours after making it available to the public. The move came after reports that the release was “bricking” Apple Watch Series 4 units. Apple has advised those who are experiencing a constant boot loop to contact AppleCare.
Released alongside iOS 12.1 on Tuesday, watchOS 5.1 delivered more than 70 new emoji characters, updated watch faces, support for Group FaceTime audio, and a bunch of fixes. But for a small number of users, the update has left their Apple Watch unusable.
“5.1 update has totally killed my Series 4,” tweeted one user, whose Series 4 device got stuck in a boot loop. “I’ve been stuck on the logo for hours,” wrote another on Reddit. “Apple says I’ll have to ship it to them for repair.”
Apple recognized the complaints quickly and has postponed the watchOS 5.1 rollout.
“Due to a small number of Apple Watch customers experiencing an issue while installing watchOS 5.1 today, we’ve pulled back the software update as a precaution,” Apple explained in a statement to CNET.
If you haven’t already updated, then, you no longer have the opportunity to do so — at least for now. If you have already updated and your Apple Watch is working perfectly, there’s no need to worry.
“Any customers impacted should contact AppleCare, but no action is required if the update installed successfully,” Apple adds. “We are working on a fix for an upcoming software update.”
Apple doesn’t say when Watch 5.1 will be available again, presumably it will be after the bug is fixed and verified. This isn’t the first time a watchOS update has bricked Apple Watch units. The first watchOS 5 beta, rolled out to developers in June, caused a similar issue for Series 2 devices.
