Apple has taken down the latest update to watchOS – version 3.1.1 reportedly bricked a number of Series 2 devices after users downloaded the updated. The release was intended to fix a handful of bugs in notifications, messages and elsewhere.
However, after download, a series of devices were reported to freeze. The Watch’s screen would then display a big a red exclamation mark and a link to Apple’s support pages.
Apple’s support page for the Watch advises users to force restart the device. User’s can do this by holding down the side button and Digital Crown simultaneously. Usually, this will display the Apple logo and restart the Watch, generally fixing the issue. This didn’t work on devices affected by the bricking problem leading many users to seek help from Apple Stores.
It’s likely Apple will released a patch version of the update in due course, addressing the issue. Version 3.1.1 was initially released earlier this week alongside iOS 10.2 and tvOS 10.1.