Apple is investigating 'ghost touches' on Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches

Apple is looking into a touch-related fault affecting some Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 screens, according to a leaked internal memo. 

The note - shared by the company to its Apple Authorized Service Providers - suggests that it's aware of and investigating an issue relating to "false touches" on its smartwatch displays.

"Some customers may report their Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 is experiencing false touches on their display," reads the memo, first reported by MacRumors.

Apple also notes that customers may describe the issue as being "ghost" touches, with both Series 9 and Ultra 2 models seemingly experiencing unexpected behavior such as erratic jumps, accidental phone calls, or an inability to receive a passcode. 

While it searches for a fix for the problem, Apple is recommending that users keep their device up to date, which hints that it believes a solution can, at least, be rolled out via software and isn't a terminal hardware issue. It also instructs authorized service technicians not to repair devices in the meantime.

However, given the limited information provided in the memo, it's not clear what proportion of devices is affected. 

If your device is affected (and also up to date), Apple also recommends performing a forced restart of the Apple Watch. You can do so by holding the Digital Crown and side button simultaneously for around 10 seconds, at which point the Apple logo should appear. 

It's relatively rare for an issue like this to affect Apple Watch devices - at least in a widespread manner - so we'll be sure to keep our eye on this one over the coming weeks.