Following the rollout of watchOS 9.5, numerous Apple Watch users have reported encountering a surprising issue. A distinct green tint has surfaced on their watch screens, most noticeably while engaging with certain UI elements. This anomaly is documented in user complaints shared on various platforms including Reddit and the MacRumors Forums.
watchOS 9.5 casts a green shadow
The green tint phenomenon seems to mainly affect Apple Watch Series 8 and earlier models. Interestingly, users of these older models appear to encounter a more pronounced green effect.
When examining the instances where this green tint becomes visible, a few patterns emerge. Users report observing the tint during a variety of actions. For instance, the green hue becomes evident while entering their passcode.
Similarly, when users engage with the Control Center, the tint again surfaces. Moreover, the odd green shade also pops up when users are receiving notifications on their watch. According to these reports, a relatively smaller number of Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Ultra models are facing this issue.
A few individuals have hypothesized that Apple might have deliberately incorporated the green tint. However, this seems highly unlikely as most users concur that the tint is unpleasant and inconsistent with the usual interface aesthetics. One user even likened it to a “faded LCD” display instead of the deep OLED blacks they are accustomed to on their watch.
Unfolding the green mystery
The origin of this odd tint remains uncertain, but according to user reports, its manifestation coincided with last week’s watchOS 9.5 update, hinting at a software issue rather than a hardware malfunction. While some users have been able to eliminate the tint by restarting their device, this solution doesn’t seem to work for everyone.
Apple has previously rectified similar color tint issues on iPhones, which were attributed to software bugs. If this green tint issue is truly tied to software, there is a promising prospect for resolution. Apple, in such cases, has a track record of effective problem-solving. Therefore, it’s highly plausible that they will address and rectify this issue in a forthcoming watchOS update. However, it remains unclear whether the current watchOS 9.6 in testing will effectively eliminate this issue.
We value your thoughts on this unusual situation! What are your experiences with the latest watchOS update? Have you encountered the odd green tint on your Apple Watch? We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!
