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  • the Apple Watch Doesn't Play Well With Tattoos
Technology Articles > Gadgets > GPS > the Apple Watch Doesn't Play Well With Tattoos

When any product is introduced for the first time, there are bound to be a few snafoos. Apple has certainly faced its share of recently launched device issues, and the Apple Watch isn’t without its faults.

One of the biggest problems new Apple Watch owners are currently facing is that the watch doesn’t work that well if you have a tattooed arm. If your arm is covered with tattoos, make sure to read this before you buy an Apple Watch.

Tattoo Issues

Apple Watch owners have cited numerous problems with the new watch, but none are as frustrated as those that have tattoos. The Apple Watch will not automatically unlock (as it should) if a tattoo has been detected. Further, the sensors underneath the watch do not activate if you have a tattoo in that area. This means that you won’t be able to detect your heart rate using the watch. Why does this happen?

Apple has responded to the issue by stating that the watch uses green LED lights in conjunction with photodiodes that are light sensitive. The watch does not work on people that have tattoos because the sensors can be blocked by ink. Whether or not an Apple Watch will work with your tattoo depends on the density of the ink. Some lighter tattoos aren’t a problem, but black tattoos block sensors from detecting heart beats and pulses.

Other Apple Watch Issues

In addition to the tattoo problem, some other Apple Watch issues have started to pop up across the world. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that a few tactic engines inside of the watch stopped working after a little while. When contacted about these issues, Apple representatives said that they were not aware of the problem. However, those that have the watch are more than aware that the expensive timepieces aren’t working as they should be.

Seemingly, Apple will work on fixing some of these issues, though it’s hard to determine how the company will fix the tattoo issue. Aside from creating sensors that can read through thick black ink, people that have tattoos might not be able to use this watch at all. Of course, this isolates part of Apple’s market (which no company wants to do), but it’s hard to see how the company will fix the problem otherwise.

Feedback from Apple

So far, Apple representatives have been really quiet about responding to any of the issues mentioned. As stated, though, any new device is going to have its share of issues, so the fact that the Apple Watch has a few problems isn’t entirely shocking. It will likely take the company a few months to fix many of the issues (all that can be fixed), but if you do have tattoos on your arm or wrist, you may want to move the watch to the other arm, or find out what kind of return policy is happening with the Apple Watch.

An Apple Watch that can’t detect a heartbeat kind of defeats the purpose of this watch, so hopefully Apple will be able to fix the problem - but that’s not likely to happen until the next version of the watch appears sometime next year.