Not covered by Warranty

[realwarder]

For those wondering what a Band might look like after 6 months of normal use, this is mine:

Called the support and they won't repair this under warranty. Apparently peeling covering and batteries starting to pull away is not covered...

 

[AndyCalling]

Ah, well, that'll be 'physical damage' which is commonly claimed as not covered under warranty. Lenovo do this. If your device has any psychological or spiritual damage I expect that must be what the warranty is for.

How I wish Nokia was still making our hardware.

 

[realwarder]

There are terms like fit for purpose.

This failed.

 

[jfa1]

It appears to me that you have plastizer failure issues. Have you cleaned the band/ if so with what

 

[bigdog9586]

Microsoft has never been as generous as Apple is. Maybe that's why Apple stuff costs more. They build these things into the price.

 

[AndyCalling]

I was interested in this watch once. Seeing this kind of thing, and hearing the screen scratches with nothing but a strong breath of wind hitting it, I'll pass.

Glad I have a Nokia phone. If the coming MS phones have this level of build quality, they won't last a contract out.

 

[realwarder]

It appears to me that you have plastizer failure issues. Have you cleaned the band/ if so with what

Never cleaned it since new. Always removed when having a shower. It likely got slightly wet a couple of times when bathing kids and they splash. But even then, wiped clean with a towel if that happened.

Been enjoying it to this moment of non-support.

 

[realwarder]

To be real it still works, it just looks crap. If I show it to friends they'll probably laugh and say something like "You should have got an Apple Watch".

So I guess that's Microsoft's call on how they want to be perceived.

 

[mkg3]

My MSB was a Xmas present and have worn it every day since. I workout 5~6 days/wk and have been on my wrist almost all day, except when charging.

I don't have any of the issues as shown in the images by OP, and I do clean MSB with foam hand soap and water 1~2 times/week by running it under the faucet.

Yes, there are some scratches to the face/frame, and just recently, I've picked up a real scratch to the glass display. I got careless and scraped it on stucco doing yard work, but its hardly noticeable.

My sense is that some people's skin/pH balance causes more damage than others. This is very common amongst leather watch straps. For some, a strap last a very long time, whereas for others only few months. Its all a type of chemical reaction.

It would be a mistake, I believe, to over generalize few examples as a predictable outcome for everyone.

Last, need to set the life duration expectation for fitness bands. If it last 12~18 months (my criteria), then it met its lifespan expectation. I realize OP's Band is only 6 months so there is a problem - I agree. But its only $200, and not $500~$600, like Apple Watch.

I have not been too interested in AW, because I have a watch that I like and has a sentimental value that goes with it. Its a jewelry watch that cost few thousand that we bought on our honeymoon in NZ years ago. That said, when it breaks, I'll probably get whatever generation AW then, with an intension to replace it every 2~3 years, like I do with iPhone.

 

[realwarder]

Mine was looking good and suddenly this happened. Within a few weeks. Summer arrived to so perhaps with higher humidity it has an impact too.

 

[realwarder]

My sense is that some people's skin/pH balance causes more damage than others. This is very common amongst leather watch straps. For some, a strap last a very long time, whereas for others only few months. Its all a type of chemical reaction.

It would be a mistake, I believe, to over generalize few examples as a predictable outcome for everyone.

Last, need to set the life duration expectation for fitness bands. If it last 12~18 months (my criteria), then it met its lifespan expectation. I realize OP's Band is only 6 months so there is a problem - I agree. But its only $200, and not $500~$600, like Apple Watch.

If you could change the strap that would be less of a problem but when integral it needs to be robust enough to get over 12 months whatever the price.

 

[Likwidz]

I've had mine for several months as well as my gf and no physical problems with ours. But one of my friends who has had hers for about the same time frame the body completely split and opened up a couple a weeks ago. She ended up going to a brick & mortar and they replaced it for her on the spot.

 

[mkg3]

If you could change the strap that would be less of a problem but when integral it needs to be robust enough to get over 12 months whatever the price.

Agree. If the battery and HR monitor wasn't located where they are.

Monteblanc has a sensor band that can fit many watches - interesting idea, I think. If people can keep existing watch and change the band/strap to be a smart strap, it would make some of these Swiss watchmakers happier.

I would like to see metallic version of fitness band. It would negate all these wear issues. I don't believe there are any constraint to use stainless steel instead of rubber, synthetic materials - just cost increase, but I would think its minimal impact.

 

[realwarder]

I've had mine for several months as well as my gf and no physical problems with ours. But one of my friends who has had hers for about the same time frame the body completely split and opened up a couple a weeks ago. She ended up going to a brick & mortar and they replaced it for her on the spot.

We have one 30 minutes away. I'm going to let it get a little worse and then visit.

 

[Kdrop]

I can validate the issue with PH. My band looks pretty much like the picture plus I have corrosion on all the metal pieces which causes skin irritation. My husband and I bought bands when the Microsoft store opened at NorthPark in Dallas, so 11/8/14. His is fine, but mine started corroding in April. The only thing he has needed to do is clean the contacts when it doesn't charge. I guess my skin is just more toxic to metal. I have always had problems with metals, stainless steel, silver, or gold. I love my band and get lots of comments when I'm out and about. I promote the heck out of it. To lessen the amount of irritation, I switch up the way I wear it and move it from my left to right wrist at night. When the skin irritations get too bad, I just put a band aid on it. Not ideal, but I depend on the band a lot to keep me missing calls, texts and emails.

To counteract the screen being easy to scratch, we use a screen protector. Oh and my friend who got the Apple watch, hers scratched the first day she wore it!

We did buy the extended warranty, so the next time we make it to the store, I'm planning to see if I can exchange it and see what I can do to help prevent corrosion.

Good luck!

Kim

 

[Capn]

My MSB was a Xmas present and have worn it every day since. I workout 5~6 days/wk and have been on my wrist almost all day, except when charging.

I don't have any of the issues as shown in the images by OP, and I do clean MSB with foam hand soap and water 1~2 times/week by running it under the faucet.

Yes, there are some scratches to the face/frame, and just recently, I've picked up a real scratch to the glass display. I got careless and scraped it on stucco doing yard work, but its hardly noticeable.

My sense is that some people's skin/pH balance causes more damage than others. This is very common amongst leather watch straps. For some, a strap last a very long time, whereas for others only few months. Its all a type of chemical reaction.

It would be a mistake, I believe, to over generalize few examples as a predictable outcome for everyone.

Last, need to set the life duration expectation for fitness bands. If it last 12~18 months (my criteria), then it met its lifespan expectation. I realize OP's Band is only 6 months so there is a problem - I agree. But its only $200, and not $500~$600, like Apple Watch.

I have not been too interested in AW, because I have a watch that I like and has a sentimental value that goes with it. Its a jewelry watch that cost few thousand that we bought on our honeymoon in NZ years ago. That said, when it breaks, I'll probably get whatever generation AW then, with an intension to replace it every 2~3 years, like I do with iPhone.

Co-signed 100%. I have had mine since January. Same. Wear it everyday. Workout 4-5 days a week. Work up a good sweat. I wipe it down after my workouts and it looks the same as it did the day I got it. I have the screen protector on. I also work a desk job so there is countless opportunities for the screen to be hit, dinged, or scratched. But nope, nothing.

 

[Witness]

We did buy the extended warranty, so the next time we make it to the store, I'm planning to see if I can exchange it and see what I can do to help prevent corrosion.

Your warranty should cover the corrosion. How often do you wash your Band though? My first one, I only wiped it down. I figure the sweat corrodes the metal, so on my second one I started rinsing it and air drying it often. So far I've not gotten any corrosion, so I think I may have solved it in my situation.

 

[sanva]

let me say that my band kicked the bucket yesterday screen went dark. My band physically was in worse shape than yours with even more detachment.
I went to the store today and was able to exchange it no hassle under the warranty, I assumed i was going to use my $19 year protection. Not the case, I think because my screen was gone it was hardware. As for the physical damage I had, I was going to return it within the year using my damage warranty, but ultimatley it died on its own.

I beat the watch up workout 4-5 times week, it took a beating but I would like to have seen it physically not corode as fast.

I love the band, look forward to version 2. I just want 24 months at least out this thing.

 

[EMitchell]

I called cust support when my battery cover started peeling away, they told me it was considered normal wear and tear, and as long as the band is functional, they aren't doing anything about the cosmetics. So I went to the local MS store, I've bought a couple of phones there, and they know me. No questions asked, they gave me a new replacement.

 

[gadgetrants]

I'm sensing a pattern...over the phone = "hard sell" and in the store = "customer is always right". That seems bitterly unfair to the majority of owners who can't drive to a local store...

​-Matt