Apple’s quality control has been called into question again this week with reports that Apple Watch users are seeing the text printed on the rear of their watches peeling off.

Dubbed “Logogate” by Forbes, keeping not only with the tradition of post Watergate naming conventions, but also Apple dramas including Bendgate, Antennagate and Updategate, involves multiple reports by unhappy Apple Watch Sport edition users complaining that the lettering and logo on the rear of the watch that touches their wrist is wearing away.

Reports of the issue have come in from various places, including Apple’s own support forums and the r/AppleWatch subreddit on popular social sharing site Reddit.

One user on Apple’s support forums described in a submission called “Apple Watch peeling at the etching on the back” that along with some issues with the band the text on the rear of the watch was “peeling off,” before being joined by multiple other users who also described the same thing, complete with photographs of their various watches as evidence.

On Reddit, a post by user RyMiDo specifically showed how the Apple symbol wearing away at the back of watch, before being joined by others who also were experiencing the same thing; a later post by user amznfx showed an even more graphic picture of how bad the “peeling” at the back of the watch is.

Along with the submissions to Apple’s support forum the evidence and pictures from both clearly indicate that these are not isolated incidents and may actually be a quality control issue with the sports version of the watch.

Recall or replace

Apple Insider notes separately that they spoke to one affected user who said they were given a call back by someone at the company and promised a free replacement watch so that engineers could study the problem.

Apple’s line to the user was that the fault could be due to local climate, activity levels, and whether the device was immersed in water, but went further and suggested that other people have reported the problem.

Of note with many of the complaints is that they appear to be space gray sport models, suggesting that the fault may lie with how the text is printed onto the rear of that specific watch.

Whatever is causing it the fault appears to be widespread, and although the peeling/disappearing text does not affect any of the functionality of the watches themselves, it’s still not a great look for Apple.

The company has two options: they could recall the affected watches (presuming it’s limited to the space gray sport models alone), or they could simply replace affected watches on demand; a recall is unlikely given the immense damage it would cause Apple and the Apple Watch brand, but likewise these early complaints are likely only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to users who will be experiencing the same problem in the months ahead.

Image credit: Reddit user amznfx