A Reddit user shows how dangerous smartwatches such as the Apple Watch ($299 on Amazon) can be in the event of a serious battery defect. On September 24, 2025, the back of the Apple Watch is said to have suddenly become extremely hot while the user was working on a laptop. The smartwatch was immediately removed from the wrist, but not before the skin was burned. Even months later, the smartwatch-shaped scar is still visible.
The user contacted Apple on the same day, but even over six months later the situation is still unresolved. Apparently, Apple initially tried to dismiss the burn blisters as an allergic reaction, but wanted to investigate the incident further – only to never contact the customer again. When the user contacted Apple again, the smartwatch was to be sent to Apple in Ireland, where the cause of the incident was to be determined. Apple failed to organize the agreed collection of the smartwatch.
The next Apple support employee contacted by the user simply refused to organize a pick-up, but after a few weeks at least an appointment could be made at the Genius Bar in an Apple store – at least allegedly. The Apple store did not know about this appointment, the Apple Watch was not accepted and sent to Ireland, and the support employee did not respond to any further messages.
As usual, such user reports should be taken with a grain of salt. As the Apple Watch does not appear to have suffered any visible damage, it is currently unknown what caused the burns, with a battery defect being the most likely cause.
Since 2009 I have written for different publications with a focus on consumer electronics. I joined the Notebookcheck news team in 2018 and have combined my many years of experience with laptops and smartphones with my lifelong passion for technology to create informative content for our readers about new developments in this sphere. In addition, my design background as an art director at an ad agency has allowed me to have deeper insights into the peculiarities of this industry.