Faulty taptic engine slows Apple Watch roll out

Market Watch ^ | Apr 29, 2015 4:41 p.m. ET | By Daisuke Wakabayashi and Lorraine Luk

[Swordmaker]

A key component of the Apple Watch made by one of two suppliers was found to be defective, prompting Apple Inc. to limit the availability of the highly anticipated new product, according to people familiar with the matter.

The part involved is the so-called taptic engine, designed by Apple AAPL, -0.61% to produce the sensation of being tapped on the wrist. After mass production began in February, reliability testing revealed that some taptic engines supplied by AAC Technologies Holdings Inc., of Shenzhen, China, started to break down over time, the people familiar with the matter said. One of those people said Apple scrapped some completed watches as a result.

[ctdonath2]

As an engineer: it’s amazing what “blocking” problems happen just as product release arrives.

[Swordmaker]

Some Apple Watches have defective Taptic engines according to "people in the know." Amusingly, my girlfriend and I stopped at the Sacramento Arden Fair Apple Store for an Apple Watch demo, and the Sport model she tried had a dis-functional Taptic engine. — PING!

Apple Watch Ping!

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[Star Traveler]

Aha! That’s what slowed down the deliveries. I bet that supplier is going to take a financial hit!

[tennmountainman]

That, or fix their part to Apple and get back into the game.

[Swordmaker]

Thanks to dr. Bogus Pachysandra for the heads up.

[Star Traveler]

[CopperTop]

DOH!!

I'm sure this created a minor disturbance in "The Force". /good-natured ribbing d;^)

[Swordmaker]

I'm sure this created a minor disturbance in "The Force". /good-natured ribbing d;^)

Damn where's the force this morning when you need it?

[WayneS]

What do Taptic Christian leaders have to say about this?

[Swordmaker]

What do Taptic Christian leaders have to say about this?

Why they're followers of St. Doubting Thomas, they have to reach out and touch to believe it. Obviously.

[smokingfrog]

I heard on the news that Apple watches may not work right if your skin is tattooed. Why would that be?

[ctdonath2]

That would be because the optical sensor measures color reflection/absorption variations during a heartbeat, calibrated for natural skin and not taking a variety of tattooed artificial pigments into account. Something akin to wondering why it’s hard to look thru a window covered with spray paint.

[smokingfrog]

OK. That makes sense. The news report I heard did not provide any details.

[PapaBear3625]

That would be because the optical sensor measures color reflection/absorption variations during a heartbeat, calibrated for natural skin and not taking a variety of tattooed artificial pigments into account.

Hopefully they have it calibrated to work with various (non-tattoo) skin colors.

[Scrambler Bob]

Will it work with a constant, (dark) skin?

Rassisss

Sorry, Apple, Baltimore’s coming for you.

[CopperTop]

"..Damn where's the force this morning when you need it?.."

Hehehe. Hangin out with a Baltimore cop? d;^)

[dennisw]

Epic fail for this bogus watch! Especially with the gays rejecting it for a fashion accessory. Silly Asians are the main buyers and its all about status seeking for them. They gobble up any new crazy ass gadgets and electronics like this ridiculous Apple watch

[IncPen]

Especially with the gays rejecting it for a fashion accessory.

What are you saying here– you're not buying one?

[Star Traveler]

They all don't look like an epic fail to me. What's been an epic fail is you always saying Apple is failing and no one is buying Apple's products here ... LOL ...