Apple identified a Taptic Engine defect affecting the Apple Watch before shipping the device to any customers, according to Re/code. The report, citing people with knowledge of the matter, claims that no faulty Apple Watches reached customers, and reiterates that Apple has shifted the majority of production to Japanese supplier Nidec, which has not encountered the same issue.
“I believe no faulty Apple Watches were shipped to consumers,” said Patrick Moorhead, founder of Moor Insights & Strategy. “I don’t think this is damaging at all.”
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Apple discovered Taptic Engines supplied by AAC Technologies Holdings in Shenzhen, China would break over time, likely contributing to current Apple Watch supply constraints. The Taptic Engine, which creates creates motion in a straight line by moving a small rod, powers the haptic feedback capabilities of the Apple Watch by alerting users about incoming messages or notifications with gentle taps on the wrist.
Apple Watch pre-order deliveries began on April 24 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the United Kingdom, although many customers are still waiting to receive their devices. A portion of customers with initial shipping estimates of 4-6 weeks or later have received their Apple Watches sooner than expected, but there remains several orders that have yet to be fulfilled, particularly some Space Gray and Space Black models.
