A growing number of Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra owners are reporting issues with the devices’ microphones. As reported by MacRumors, reports indicate that the mic can become persistently unresponsive after an unspecified amount of time, causing apps that rely on the mic to throw up errors and stop working.
The publication says MacRumors forums and Apple Support Community forums users are discussing the issue, where users see the following error notification from the Noise app. (The issue also prevents system functions including Siri, Dictation, and Handwashing detection from working):
Measurement Suspended
The Noise app cannot check sound levels when Apple Watch is in Water Lock or while the microphone or speaker is in use.
The issue can apparently be temporarily resolved by restarting the Apple Watch until the bug eventually manifests itself again when it needs to be rebooted again. This suggests the problem is software-related rather than a hardware defect.
Apple is apparently aware of the issue and the Cupertino firm has been replacing new models under warranty, presumably until it patches the bug in a forthcoming software update. If you are experiencing this issue with your Apple Watch Series 8 or Ultra, contact your Apple Support. We’ll update this article if we learn more.
