Apple Watch Ultra 3 replacement took nearly two months — is this normal outside the US?
I’m sharing my experience to understand if this is expected behavior or a process breakdown.
I purchased an Apple Watch Ultra 3 (49mm, Titanium, GPS + Cellular) shortly after launch. Within 2–3 weeks, the case finish began peeling/chipping and developed scratches. Apple Support escalated my case to specialists and Engineering, and a replacement was approved.
However, the replacement process in Brazil was extremely problematic:
- The watch stayed 30 days in “Repair pending” status
- No tracking number or firm ETA was ever provided
- No single accountable owner for the case
- Conflicting information between Apple Support and the authorized service provider
- Real difficulty contacting the authorized service provider (including WhatsApp with no replies)
After nearly two months, the case was finally resolved on Dec 11, 2025, when I was able to pick up the watch. While the device was delivered, the experience was far below what I expect from Apple, especially given that I rely on the watch for health monitoring (heart condition and anxiety).
Case references for context:
- Service Order (Brazil): OS 71462
- Repair ID: G6*****0
- Case IDs: 102*******71, 102********87, 102*****10, 1*****2, 10********, 10******
My question to the community:
Is this extended delay and lack of transparency a known issue for Apple Watch replacements outside the US?
Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and is there a more effective escalation path to avoid this kind of prolonged process?
[Edited by Moderator]
