Outraged Stranger Things Viewers Thought They Spotted Will Wearing Apple Watch

Stranger Things fans were convinced they had caught out the Duffer Brothers when they spotted Will Byers wearing what looked like an Apple Watch in the new season.

While streaming the dramatic season four finale, viewers were confused to see Noah Schnapp's character rocking a full 1980's fit, complete with what looked like an Apple product that didn't drop until 2014.

Thinking that they had spotted Netflix's answer to the infamous Starbucks cup on the Game Of Thrones set, fans took to social media to thoroughly dissect Will's look.

Recording a clip from the season four finale and posting it to TikTok, user @alinuribragimova asked fellow fans: "Is that an apple watch!??? In 1986??"

And according to the comment section, she wasn't the only person who noticed.

"I THOUGHT THAT TOO", read one comment while another suggested: "I's just a recording mistake."

Meanwhile, on Twitter, more Stranger Things fans had been wondering the exact same thing.

"Why the hell is Will wearing an Apple Watch???" asked one.

Checked out @Stranger_Things … did will have an Apple Watch or am I trippin? pic.twitter.com/9OaOE1VLSB

— sfstctd !gnrnce (@sfstctdignrnce) July 1, 2022

Whaaaaaat?? Is that an apple watch in 1986??? @Stranger_Things #StrangerThings4 spoiler alert pic.twitter.com/yWvT12XKNd

— alina (@alinur_i) July 1, 2022

In the stand-out scene, Will is leaning over a make-shift bath tub at an empty Surfer Boy Pizza restaurant, nervously waiting for Eleven to fight off Vecna with her telekinetic abilities. So just standard Stranger Things stuff, then.

At first glance, it really does look like Will is flashing an Apple watch on his wrist, but other Stranger Things fans were quick to clear up the confusion.

It turns out, Will's watch didn't come from a time machine or continuity error. What viewers first thought was a Apple Watch actually turned out to be a classic 1980s Nelsonic watch.

Nelsonic Industries was a major electronics company in the 1980s, which produced children's toy-themed watches and Game Watches.

Themes for Nelsonic Game Watches ranged pretty broadly from Super Mario and Donkey Kong to Tetris and Pac Man to Ghostbusters and Power Rangers.

"No, is a Nelsonic Qbert Game Watch" one fan clarified.

"I’m pretty sure it’s one of the watches you can play games on from the 80’s", another pointed out.

And a third tweeted: "When you think you spot an apple watch in #strangerthings but it's actually an 80s Nelsonic arcade watch.. amazing detail in this show."

Others claimed that Will had been wearing the Qbert Game Watch since season three.

When you think you spot an apple watch in #strangerthings but its actually an 80s nelsonic arcade watch.. amazing detail in this show. pic.twitter.com/VbFXh6OJ24

— Bass Stewart (@BassStewart) July 6, 2022

After doing some digging, we can confirm this Game Watch has been a regular addition to Will's wardrobe for at least the last season.

The troubled teen can be seen with the Game Watch on his wrist as early as the kids' stand-off against the Mind Flayer in the Starcourt Mall.

So, in conclusion... Duffer Brothers 1, Stranger Things fans 0.

The fourth season of Stranger Things is available to stream now on Netflix.