SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Battery failure

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20260127-9F739-2147324121. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Apple SE (Apple Watch SE). Incident: On January 27, 2026 at approximately 5:15pm EST, my Apple Watch SE (2021) experienced a sudden and unexpected failure while I was wearing it on my wrist inside my home. I was standing still in my living room and was not engaged in physical activity, impact, or charging at the time of the incident. Without warning, the device made an audible noise and unusual heat, then the screen separated from the body of the watch. The failure occurred while the watch was on my wrist, which caused immediate alarm and posed a potential burn or injury risk due to the proximity of the device to my skin. I immediately removed the watch. There was no prior damage, misuse, or modification to the device. The watch had been used under normal conditions. The incident was not associated with a drop, impact, or water exposure. The failure appeared sudden and spontaneous. No serious physical injury occurred, but the event was frightening and presented a clear safety concern involving a wearable lithium-ion battery device. The device remains damaged, with the screen detached, and has not been powered on, charged, or repaired since the incident. Photos and documentation of the damaged device are available and can be provided.