14 DAY TRIAL // Apple rolled out watchOS 8.3 to the supported Apple Watch models out there earlier this month, and while the update was received with much excitement given the included refinements, it now looks like many users more or less regret the decision to install it.
And it’s all because this new update mysteriously kills third-party chargers, making it impossible for Apple Watch owners to charge their devices with any other charger than one sold by Apple.
This reddit thread includes tens of messages from Apple Watch owners who claim their devices have been impacted as well, and right now, it doesn’t look like the problem is exclusive to the latest-generation smartwatch. All models are affected, and of course, a workaround does not exist.
“I'm having this issue, too, with a 3-in-1 charger I ordered from Amazon. I even contacted the seller and they (quickly) sent me a replacement since I hadn't tied it to the software update... but the second one does the same thing,” one user explains in a post on reddit.
Some third-party chargers are still working
Oddly enough, it looks like not all third-party chargers are blocked after installing watchOS 8.3. Some users claim their chargers, including various models from Belkin, continue to work properly, while others explain the charging just stops after a few minutes of working.
“Mine will only charge if I plug my charging cable into the brick or power pack before putting it on my watch. If the cable is already plugged into the brick or battery pack it won’t charge. Never used to be like that. That’s with both an Apple cable and a 3rd party cable,” someone else adds.
Of course, Apple has remained completely tight-lipped on the problem, and given the next update will probably go live in January, quite a lot of Apple Watch users would end up struggling to charge their devices.