A company called MFC claims to have built a solution to the issue. The device is called the iBus Data Cable and it’s basically a small dongle that plugs into the Apple Watch’s maintenance port that sites behind the watch strap. Most Apple Watch owners don’t even know that the port exists and speculation suggests that it is mostly built for Apple use — but MFC says that through the port, the dongle can completely restore the Apple Watch’s software.
The iBus Data Cable comes in two separate parts — the dongle itself, and a two-in-one adapter pilot pin. That adapter pilot pin connects to the iBus data cable on one end and your Mac on the other end.
It’s important to note that there are a few caveats here. For example, the device only works with the Apple Watch Series 1 and the company may not provide the actual software files you’ll need for the device, but you can find a few links to use in the comments section on the MFC website. There is another issue here, though. Apple only makes the software files available for an over-the-air update and you will need a file that is currently approved by Apple.
In other words, most people will still want to take their device to the Apple Store but the more tech-advanced among us may have a simpler way of doing things. Assuming they have an Apple-signed copy of the Apple Watch software, that is.
The iBus itself comes at $90 but keep in mind that we have not verified how well it works or if it works at all. If you really still want one, you can get one from the MFC website.
