Apple retail locations and Apple Authorized Service Providers will soon be able to restore Apple Watch software in-store, reports MacRumors.
Currently, Apple Watches have to be sent to an Apple Repair Center to be serviced. Customers must wait for their Apple Watch to be sent out for repairs, and wait for it to be shipped back.
According to MacRumor’s sources, Apple Stores and AASPs will later this month be able to use an Apple Watch repair dock connected to a Mac to restore the Apple Watch’s software, making software-based repairs much faster.
While Apple debuted an iPhone-based wireless restore option in watchOS 8.5 and iOS 15.4, it can only be used when a restore prompt is displayed on the Apple Watch. If that iPhone restore option doesn’t work or isn’t available, the Apple Watch needs a specialized repair currently only available from an Apple Repair Center.
Early Apple Watch models had a diagnostic port that Apple Stores could use for software fixes, but it was removed with the Apple Watch Series 7.