Apple specialist says not to listen to Mac rumors forums

[Esoom]

I was wandering out of the Apple Store in Pasadena, CA, after they swapped out a used iP6 I'd been having problems with, and ended up doing an Apple Watch appt just to see what they said, the specialist went through the talk, and mentioned he'd seen customers even using bands from 38 and 42 mm watches on the wrong size watches, said they didn't look great, but that it's being done, LOL.

After he was done, I showed him my 3rd party link band, he said it was the first non Apple band he'd seen

 

[iPhysicist]

All Bands within a watch size are interchangeable. It is that way because Apple already released the 3rd party watch band connector guidelines. They only differentiate between 42mm and 38mm - not the material of the watch. The Apple employees need to read their guideline papers again. To say a Milanese won't fit the AWS is lying. Its not recommended - maybe. But it will work without harming the watch or the band. That's why the Apple representative is not 'playing dumb' but spreading misinformation. Apple does make a lot of money from the Bands and wants you to get them all at best no matter what watch you have.

 

[BradDylan]

All Bands within a watch size are interchangeable. It is that way because Apple already released the 3rd party watch band connector guidelines. They only differentiate between 42mm and 38mm - not the material of the watch. The Apple employees need to read their guideline papers again. To say a Milanese won't fit the AWS is lying. Its not recommended - maybe. But it will work without harming the watch or the band. That's why the Apple representative is not 'playing dumb' but spreading misinformation. Apple does make a lot of money from the Bands and wants you to get them all at best no matter what watch you have.

My opinion is it's more reasonable to say "The employee made a mistake" instead of "Spreading misinformation" the latter implies an active intention to deceive. There is no proof of that.

B

 

[ParishYoung]

There are different black bands for whether you got Aluminium or Stainless Steel.

 

[GrimmsGirl]

There are different black bands for whether you got Aluminium or Stainless Steel.

No, there aren't. There are different black bands for whether you got the space grey aluminum (black pin) or the silver aluminum or the stainless (stainless pin).

 

[ParishYoung]

No, there aren't. There are different black bands for whether you got the space grey aluminum (black pin) or the silver aluminum or the stainless (stainless pin).

Yeah my wording was off, that's what I meant. They will both work with either model though.
They don't do the same for the white sport band though.

 

[GrimmsGirl]

My opinion is it's more reasonable to say "The employee made a mistake" instead of "Spreading misinformation" the latter implies an active intention to deceive. There is no proof of that.

B

It is more accurate to say "gave out misinformation". We, and that includes you, have no way of knowing if it was a mistake or deliberate. While the word misinformation can imply deliberation to deceive, it does not have to be so for the word to be correctly used.

 

[BradDylan]

It is more accurate to say "gave out misinformation". We, and that includes you, have no way of knowing if it was a mistake or deliberate. While the word misinformation can imply deliberation to deceive, it does not have to be so for the word to be correctly used.

There is no reason or benifit to believing ill intent. Living a life assuming people are out to intentionaly do you harm will only increase unhappiness and decrease peace, love, and joy.

But technicaly I agree with you.

B

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Just curious but those of you assuming ill intent. What do you believe her motive was? I mean if your right it wouldn't suprise you that someone would be so petty or that they would care enough to want to deceive a stranger over a $50 band?

B

 

[Gohawks!!!]

In the review by CNET he has a stainless steel with a blue sport band in a couple pictures. Apple knows that the sport works with the stainless steel because why else would they give them a sport band for the watch.

http://www.cnet.com/products/apple-watch/

 

[bunnicula]

Yeah my wording was off, that's what I meant. They will both work with either model though.
They don't do the same for the white sport band though.

They sell that band with the darker pin (it is also SS) to go with the SG aluminum (and it also matches the SB SS watches).

They don't do it for all of them because the sport bands were made to be packaged with specific watches. The white, pink, blue, and green all were packaged with the silver aluminum sport. The black with dark pin was packaged with that SG aluminum sport.

The white was also packaged with the SS. The black with the regular SS pin was packaged with the black SS watch.

They can all be used with all the watches. Lots of the phone reps have only had brief exposure to the Watch. I know because one of them told me (when I called because UPS lost the link band I ordered) that they'd gotten an intro to them shortly before release and they could try them on and such. He'd ordered a SS w/link band, but his hadn't even shipped yet and this was more than two weeks after launch.

We got ours on launch day. I'm pretty sure we had more product knowledge at that point than the average phone rep.

Hell, I had one the other day that told me Apple had an Apple Store app. He was an older gentleman. I told him I had been using the app for years. He kept right on describing it to me and telling me where to find it, anyway. LOL. I let him.

I never assume the reps are more knowledgeable.

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My opinion is it's more reasonable to say "The employee made a mistake" instead of "Spreading misinformation" the latter implies an active intention to deceive. There is no proof of that.

B

I think the employee was misinformed. And she spread her misinformation to others. I'm sure she wasn't telling deliberate lies about products that do work together. That said, I absolutely do believe they're told to play dumb about product issues that Apple isn't acknowledging.

 

[BradDylan]

Hell, I had one the other day that told me Apple had an Apple Store app. He was an older gentleman. I told him I had been using the app for years. He kept right on describing it to me and telling me where to find it, anyway. LOL. I let him.

What do you mean by this? There is an Apple store app. I'm sure you know that but the wording of the first part sounded like you don't.

B

 

[bunnicula]

What do you mean by this? There is an Apple store app. I'm sure you know that but the wording of the first part sounded like you don't.

B

Of course there's an Apple Store app. If you told me there was one, and I said "Yes, I know, I ordered all my watches on it and I've been using the app to track their statuses," would you continue to describe the app to me and explain how to download the app?

Because, if you would, I have to ask...

Are you that older gentleman who answered my support call on May 12th? If so? You were super friendly. Thanks for that.

You weren't remotely helpful and you kept referring to my 38mm link bracelet as a 38mm Apple Watch with link bracelet, even after I corrected your mistake, but I let that slide because you were nice and grandfatherly.

 

[BradDylan]

Of course there's an Apple Store app. If you told me there was one, and I said "Yes, I know, I ordered all my watches on it and I've been using the app to track their statuses," would you continue to describe the app to me and explain how to download the app?

Because, if you would, I have to ask...

Are you that older gentleman who answered my support call on May 12th? If so? You were super friendly. Thanks for that.

You weren't remotely helpful and you kept referring to my 38mm link bracelet as a 38mm Apple Watch with link bracelet, even after I corrected your mistake, but I let that slide because you were nice and grandfatherly.

Ok I missunderstood. Thanks for clarifying.

B

 

[GrimmsGirl]

There is no reason or benifit to believing ill intent. Living a life assuming people are out to intentionaly do you harm will only increase unhappiness and decrease peace, love, and joy.

But technicaly I agree with you.

B

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Just curious but those of you assuming ill intent. What do you believe her motive was? I mean if your right it wouldn't suprise you that someone would be so petty or that they would care enough to want to deceive a stranger over a $50 band?

B

Funny, my husband loves to tell me how naive I am. I like to think I'm just a positive person who would prefer to see the good in the world than constantly thinking people are out to get me and each other.

That said, sometimes it's detrimental to bury your head in the sand. Not saying this is one of those times. Just sayin' is all.

 

[BrandonRose]

I was told my told by an Apple employee, that they didn't carry the sport bands at my store that it was online only (they in fact did, I had already seen them the day before, just wanted to make sure the stock was still there). Then they told me that black sport band wasn't compatible with the silver sport watch. And that's the reason it wasn't an option to buy together. I already knew they would work together, so I wasn't skeptical. But it was the fact she argued with me, told me I was misinformed, and that she was right because she worked at Apple..

 

[bunnicula]

I was told my told by an Apple employee, that they didn't carry the sport bands at my store that it was online only (they in fact did, I had already seen them the day before, just wanted to make sure the stock was still there). Then they told me that black sport band wasn't compatible with the silver sport watch. And that's the reason it wasn't an option to buy together. I already knew they would work together, so I wasn't skeptical. But it was the fact she argued with me, told me I was misinformed, and that she was right because she worked at Apple..

Looks nice! I mean, for an incompatible band and all.

 

[flur]

To be straight up about it, I don't appreciate being lied to, for any reason, ever. Apple encouraging or requiring employees to lie (if that's what's happening) to customers is disgusting. The idea that Apple is deliberately misinforming (aka lying to) employees so that they can spread that lie to consumers is also disgusting.

 

[BrandonRose]

Looks nice! I mean, for an incompatible band and all.

Oh yeah!! Totally!

 

[Blakjack]

Apple employee here. The same way bands cannot be swapped for a SKU that does not exist, we can not tell you other bands work. We are not misinformed, just not able to tell you otherwise because that's what apple wants. We have to play dumb.

Thats just dumb.

Not you Apple employee.....but having to say that is dumb. What purpose does it serve.

I use my green sports band with my SS all the time when I workout.

 

[BradDylan]

To be straight up about it, I don't appreciate being lied to, for any reason, ever. Apple encouraging or requiring employees to lie (if that's what's happening) to customers is disgusting. The idea that Apple is deliberately misinforming (aka lying to) employees so that they can spread that lie to consumers is also disgusting.

If this is happening then what do you believe Apples motive is? Is it to sell fewer bands?

B

 

[flur]

If this is happening then what do you believe Apples motive is? Is it to sell fewer bands?

B

Apple's motive is irrelevant. A lie is a lie is a lie.

 

[BradDylan]

Apple's motive is irrelevant. A lie is a lie is a lie.

I was trying to get you to see how silly your being.

 

[flur]

I was trying to get you to see how silly your being.

Lol. I'm not being silly. You are. An Apple employee just told us upthread that Apple won't let them tell customers the bands are compatible, even though they know better. That is, by definition, requiring employees to lie to consumers.

Could that poster be lying? Of course, but I don't think he is. It's fairly standard for companies to require employees to push what's being sold, and right now only certain combos are being sold. And companies will do anything to avoid unexpected issues, such as issues with stainless and aluminum rubbing up against each other, and it's easier to say no, none of the bands are compatible if they're not sold that way, than that some are and some aren't. So maybe the motive is protecting their warranty. Or maybe it's just laziness and a lack of desire to educate the consumer. But like I said, a lie is a lie is a lie.

 

[KPOM]

Apple employee here. The same way bands cannot be swapped for a SKU that does not exist, we can not tell you other bands work. We are not misinformed, just not able to tell you otherwise because that's what apple wants. We have to play dumb.

Is that what you are told to say, or is it just that bands can't be substituted (i.e. you can't order a stainless steel watch with a pink sport band instead of the white one, you need to buy it separately)?

The sport bands are the only bands that technically match all lines as they have stainless steel pins but fluoroelastomer connections (and thus no risk of galvanic corrosion). However, Tim Cook made it a point that all the bands work with all the watches, and they sell the bands separately, so why would Apple discourage anyone from buying a second band?

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Lol. I'm not being silly. You are. An Apple employee just told us upthread that Apple won't let them tell customers the bands are compatible, even though they know better. That is, by definition, requiring employees to lie to consumers.

Could that poster be lying? Of course, but I don't think he is. It's fairly standard for companies to require employees to push what's being sold, and right now only certain combos are being sold. And companies will do anything to avoid unexpected issues, such as issues with stainless and aluminum rubbing up against each other, and it's easier to say no, none of the bands are compatible if they're not sold that way, than that some are and some aren't. So maybe the motive is protecting their warranty. Or maybe it's just laziness and a lack of desire to educate the consumer. But like I said, a lie is a lie is a lie.

Perhaps he is misunderstanding what they are being asked to say. I doubt very seriously if I walk into a store and ask to purchase a pink sport band they'll try to talk me out of it (provided it is in stock). It's the same with the leather and metal bands. They can correctly point out that it wasn't "designed for" the Sport, might clash, eventually cause corrosion, etc. but I have a hard time believing Apple Retail leadership is really instructing people to say that the bands are not compatible.

 

[thebutlerdunnit]

Working in a call center (or customer facing) is tough sometimes. People who are less experienced tend to just do whatever their training tells them even if it's obvious that they are lying, or that what they are saying makes no sense. I have a hard time coaching these people to be honest.

I think if I had to, my approach would be more like this: "We have been trained on specific combinations which are for sale from Apple. It is possible that you could mix/match the different cases and bands but I am not aware which ones work together. You're welcome to try them, but as they are not an official SKU, you would be doing so at your own risk."

It's still a lie, but you sound like less of an idiot. In all honesty I'd probably just tell them "yeah, it's fine, have at it".