Apple Watch Series 3 Problem: Smartwatch Reportedly Reboots Inside ICUs

Apple has designed its all-new Apple Watch Series 3 to be a health-centric device. Unfortunately, it was found out recently that the smartwatch has a problem with certain equipment found in the intensive care units of hospitals. Hence, the Apple Watch randomly reboots when worn inside ICUs.

Some users have voiced out their concerns with the Apple smartwatch via the company’s online Communities page. One owner said the Nike+ GPS watch he owns and the GPS + Cellular model his co-worker uses are constantly restarting when they are working at the hospital. The random reboots happen at least once every hour, making it difficult for them to rely on the device when they need it for certain things.

The owner went as far as claiming that the issue is a software bug, because the same things happen to both his and his coworker’s smartwatches. He also pointed out that they tried all solutions that an Apple rep suggested online, like unpairing, uninstalling apps and many others, but none of them addressed the issue.

Another complaint comes from a 9To5Mac reader who reached out to the publication regarding his and his wife’s experience with the Apple Watch Series 3 issue. According to the reader, he gifted his wife, who works as a nurse, an Apple Watch on Christmas Day. He said he wanted his wife to have a convenient way of checking her messages when she’s working in the ICU.

Unfortunately, the couple learned that there’s a problem when the Apple Watch Series 3 is worn insider the ICU. The watchOS-running device rebooted every 60 to 90 minutes in the presence of ICU equipment and machines. They had the unit replaced, but the replacement also manifested the same problem.

It’s still unknown which medical device is causing the Apple Watch Series 3 to restart. In the Apple Watch User Guide, it is indicated there that interference with medical devices is to be expected. The Cupertino giant even noted that a “pacemaker, defibrillator, or any other medical device” could be affected by the components of its smartwatch and “radios that emit electromagnetic fields.” It wasn’t stated there that the Apple Watch itself could be affected by said medical equipment and machines.

So far, users are saying that the only workaround is to switch the Apple Watch Series 3 to airplane mode. While this prevents the device from randomly rebooting every so often, it defeats the purpose of having the smartwatch to receive notifications or connect to the internet or a paired iPhone.