Apple has acknowledged that some Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra users may be experiencing microphone issues when trying to use Siri, make a phone call, and other tasks.
Users have reported that the mic can become persistently unresponsive after an unspecified amount of time, causing apps that rely on the mic to throw up errors and stop working.
Users are discussing the issue, where users see the following error notification from the Noise app. (The issue also prevents system functions including Siri, Dictation, and Handwashing detection from working):
Measurement Suspended
The Noise app cannot check sound levels when Apple Watch is in Water Lock or while the microphone or speaker is in use.
In a new memo shared by MacRumors, Apple says it’s aware of the bug affecting users, specifically saying customers could face problems with Siri not being able to hear them, recording voice memos, and conducting phone calls. A “Measurement Suspended” message may also appear in the Noise app.
Apple says that restarting the Apple Watch may temporarily fix the problem and indicates the problem is not hardware related. Apple Watch users should remain updated to the latest watchOS version, as a fix may be imminent.