watchOS 3.1.1. Is Bricking Some Apple Watches
Be careful if you plan to upgrade.
If you're an Apple Watch user, be wary of upgrading to watchOS 3.1.1 with the latest update, as it appears it is bricking some Apple Watches. This has lead to an uptick in Apple being required to replace the devices. So if you're a consistent Apple Watch user it's a good idea to skip out on that update if you can help it.
If your Watch took the update and is being affected, chances are it will now display a black screen with a red exclamation mark in a circle, displaying the address http://www.apple.com/help/watch. This is an issue that not even Apple stories are equipped to deal with, as it requires a connection to the Watch's diagnostic port for resolution. The stores are sending the Watches off for replacements, but it's going to be an unfortunate wait for many.
The problem has mainly begun affecting Series 2 Watches, though it's uncertain if earlier models will succumb to the same issues. If you're using one of the Watches, better safe than sorry: hopefully Apple is aware of the problem now and will push an update through ASAP to cut down on the issues and replacements.
