The Apple Watch Series 7 didn’t have a longer battery life, but it did have faster charging – at least until last week. According to a 9to5Mac article, some customers are now complaining that the feature no longer works after updating to watchOS 8.5.
Apple Watch Series 7 Users Report Slower Charging
The Series 7 is the only one with fast charging. Apple claims that it can charge the Watch’s battery from 0 to 80 percent in 45 minutes. However, users on Reddit, Apple’s support forums, and MacRumors’ forum are reporting that their Series 7 Watches are suddenly charging slowly. According to a number of Reddit users, the Watch would only charge 5 percent in 15–20 minutes.
Meanwhile, according to a user on Apple’s forum, the Watch barely charges 5% in one hour. Apple claims that an Apple Watch SE can charge to 80% in 1.5 hours.
Initially, it looked that the problem was limited to users of Belkin’s 3-in-1 BoostCharge Pro. Some have now alleged that the issue also affects Apple’s own fast-charging puck. The Verge contacted Apple and Belkin for comment, but did not receive a response right away.
While 9to5Mac claims to have confirmed the problem, The Verge was unable to reproduce it using a 41mm Series 7 with a fast-charging puck and a 20W Apple charging brick.
One of the Apple Watch’s primary “stumbling blocks” is its battery life. Apple has kept to its estimate of 18 hours on a single charge from the initial iteration of the Watch. (In practice, you may receive a little more time, but you must still charge every day.) Fast charging was designed to take the sting out of strategically arranging when to charge your Watch, especially for those who want to use it to track their sleep.
While rapid charging on the Series 7 is convenient, it does require users to jump through certain hurdles. The Series 7 comes with a fast-charging puck, but you’ll need to provide your own USB-C cable.
That brick must also meet Apple’s requirements (which you can see here). While earlier Apple Watch chargers will function with the Series 7, charging speeds will be slower. Additionally, if you’re using a third-party charger, it’s unlikely to enable rapid charging. Only two third-party Apple Watch chargers now support the feature, both of which are from Belkin.
