Apple iPhone 5 Exchange/Replacement Thread

Like for like replacement, brand new.
Was the interference type issue on the screen/keyboard

No questions asked about it either


Dave

My phone that arrived Friday had a small "chip" on the bezel.

Swapped it at the store today. They swapped it without issue but did not offer me anything...and I didn't ask.

I tried to get a replacement phone for $50 because it was cracked, but they told me my AppleCare+ order was still processing so I had to wait a few days.

Swapped for discoloration along all four antenna seams. They didn't offer any free stuff, didn't ask.

Didn't bother asking if it was a widespread problem because they won't admit stuff like that.

I got my iphone 5 replaced at an apple store ... the replacements come in new white slim boxes (instead of the black ones)

I was concerned with refurb units - but keep in mind that the phone launched only 2 days ago.. so how would there be any refurbs available?

In addition to this, i checked the serial number of my replacement and learned that it is even newer than the original phone that i got (in regards to the production week) - and that it was also produced BEFORE September 21st... I checked this on the website that has been posted on other threads where a link was provided to check your phone's production week. Since it was made before September 21, it was made before launch day.

Therefore, no phones that have been sent back since launch day would have parts that could possibly be in the phone I received... If that makes any sense lol

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@ cactushawk & jmann

Did your guys' phone come in a slim white box as well?

Yes, it was a slim white box. I had the option to get a new one but that would mean waiting until they had phone stock in.

My thinking was like yours, no way the white box iPhones are actually refurbs.

jmann said:

Yes, it was a slim white box. I had the option to get a new one but that would mean waiting until they had phone stock in.

My thinking was like yours, no way the white box iPhones are actually refurbs.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! Yea.. they can't be because the phone just launched.. probably haven't even received the phones that are to be sent back yet lol

ND643LL Model for iPhone 5 ?

For those that got an exchanged phone, what is the model number you see in Settings -> General -> About ?

My original pre-order (AT&T 64GB white) had nicks and I got it replaced from the apple store. The model number on the replacement phone reads ND643LL. The first phone with the nicks had MD645LL.

Serial number on the replacement unit starts with F2XXXXXX -> So this does not seem refurbished (5KXXXXX series) that I read on other forum posts.

Anyone knows what ND643LL means ?

mine's being shipped to me now, 64GB black. Mine has aluminum showing through at the antenna seams, top right near the power button was nicked and paint was missing out of the box.

Was quite a hassle getting the replacement since I pre-ordered through Verizon. Verizon was very understanding of the issue, but because they had no units available and their 14 day no worry guarantee, the only way I could get the replacement was to ship my iPhone back first, which I wouldn't agree to. I sold my 4S on launch day and wasnt going to go back to a dumb phone for a month.

I worked it out via 2 phone calls to Apple and they agreed to handle the replacement, didn't acknkowledge it was a widespread issue, but I felt like they have heard others complain about the issue as well.

Are the sending a new phone in box with accessories or the so called "Service phones" that comes with no accessories ? I am guessing the former ? Will wait to hear from you about the model number - pls see if it changes and let me know on this thread.

blue rocket said:

mine's being shipped to me now, 64GB black. Mine has aluminum showing through at the antenna seams, top right near the power button was nicked and paint was missing out of the box.

Was quite a hassle getting the replacement since I pre-ordered through Verizon. Verizon was very understanding of the issue, but because they had no units available and their 14 day no worry guarantee, the only way I could get the replacement was to ship my iPhone back first, which I wouldn't agree to. I sold my 4S on launch day and wasnt going to go back to a dumb phone for a month.

I worked it out via 2 phone calls to Apple and they agreed to handle the replacement, didn't acknkowledge it was a widespread issue, but I felt like they have heard others complain about the issue as well.

Click to expand...

Did you guys make store appointments or just walk in?

I had called apple and they did a store appointment for the replacement.

nrvna76 said:

Did you guys make store appointments or just walk in?

Click to expand...

I ordered from online apple store and got it on launch day. The home button didn't work at all, so I called apple and they scheduled an appointment for me to replace it, but the one I got has two nicks on the front bezel. Does anyone know if it is possible to get this replaced by calling apple? I called apple once and they are saying I have to go to the retail store but the retail store is refusing to replace it.

raj25 said:

For those that got an exchanged phone, what is the model number you see in Settings -> General -> About ?

My original pre-order (AT&T 64GB white) had nicks and I got it replaced from the apple store. The model number on the replacement phone reads ND643LL. The first phone with the nicks had MD645LL.

Serial number on the replacement unit starts with F2XXXXXX -> So this does not seem refurbished (5KXXXXX series) that I read on other forum posts.

Anyone knows what ND643LL means ?

Click to expand...

My original phone out of the brand new packaging started with F2 .. my replacement starts with D .. I've seen original phones out of brand new packaging with both serial numbers starting with F and D

This means that these new replacement phones in the slim white boxes are not refurbs. you can also check the production week of your new phone and see that it was probably made way before launch day, which is what i did.

username008 said:

My original phone out of the brand new packaging started with F2 .. my replacement starts with D .. I've seen original phones out of brand new packaging with both serial numbers starting with F and D

This means that these new replacement phones in the slim white boxes are not refurbs. you can also check the production week of your new phone and see that it was probably made way before launch day, which is what i did.

Click to expand...

Yah.. replacement is W35, original one was W37. There is still a chance that the replacement was refurbished since the Model Number was changed to "NDXXXX" instead of "MDXXXX". Ofcourse, high possibility (~90%) is that it was not a "refurbished-returned" phone. However the Model number change suggests to me that someone worked on it after it was manufactured with original "MDXXX" model number. so far, I have not heard of anyone with out-of-box (OOB) "NDXXX". All forums talk only about "MDXXXX" OOB.

raj25 said:

Yah.. replacement is W35, original one was W37. There is still a chance that the replacement was refurbished since the Model Number was changed to "NDXXXX" instead of "MDXXXX". Ofcourse, high possibility (~90%) is that it was not a "refurbished-returned" phone. However the Model number change suggests to me that someone worked on it after it was manufactured with original "MDXXX" model number. so far, I have not heard of anyone with out-of-box (OOB) "NDXXX". All forums talk only about "MDXXXX" OOB.

Click to expand...

it's not by the model number.. it's by the serial number.

But as mentioned before, if you look at the production day, i'm sure it's made before launch day so it wouldn't be possible for "returned phones" parts to be in the "replacement" phones

username008 said:

it's not by the model number.. it's by the serial number.

But as mentioned before, if you look at the production day, i'm sure it's made before launch day so it wouldn't be possible for "returned phones" parts to be in the "replacement" phones

Click to expand...

I have some knowledge of factory production because of my work. It does not have to be a "returned phone part" - factory itself may do refurbishing to fix -
1. parts not manufactured correctly (from vendor etc.)..
2. parts failing after assembly of the phone

If the model number had not changed or other OOBs reported this model number, I would have safely assumed that they had stored away a batch of "regular production" units for use as replacements for use in initial launch - that does not seem to be the case here..

raj25 said:

I have some knowledge of factory production because of my work. It does not have to be a "returned phone part" - factory itself may do refurbishing to fix -
1. parts not manufactured correctly (from vendor etc.)..
2. parts failing after assembly of the phone

If the model number had not changed or other OOBs reported this model number, I would have safely assumed that they had stored away a batch of "regular production" units for use as replacements for use in initial launch - that does not seem to be the case here..

Click to expand...

Yea that is very true! But I would "assume" that replacement phones that are shipped out with the "normal" batch of phones "should" be on all the same boat... Maybe the model numbers are to establish that these phones didn't come with accessories? Or that these were the phones set aside for replacements? I would like to believe that they should be completely new phones because they were made before the launch day...

Also, i know this is a long shot, but the battery level int he replacement phone was similar, if not, exact to the new phone i got.. this could also be a good sign? haha

username008 said:

Yea that is very true! But I would "assume" that replacement phones that are shipped out with the "normal" batch of phones "should" be on all the same boat... Maybe the model numbers are to establish that these phones didn't come with accessories? Or that these were the phones set aside for replacements? I would like to believe that they should be completely new phones because they were made before the launch day...

Also, i know this is a long shot, but the battery level int he replacement phone was similar, if not, exact to the new phone i got.. this could also be a good sign? haha

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I would like to believe in that as much as you do

raj25 said:

I would like to believe in that as much as you do

Click to expand...

haha .. lets just say... considering the phone is made before launch day... these phones SHOULD be the same as the phones in the original packaging.. and perhaps the model number is different because these "models" came without original packaging? *cross fingers*

Replacement came today.

Received my iPhone 5 on launch as delivered by UPS via Apple.
Medium sized nick in the frame and scratched glass around lens.
Called Apple Care and they arranged a replacement which was shipped overnight and a new retail box arrived today.
Replacement phone has two smaller nicks in the frame but glass looks fine.

Disappointed.

May try to visit an Apple store to check on a damage free phone.

Just a guess, but it looks like when the frames are finished they are laid or dropped on top of each other in a bin thus causing some edge to edge contact and a series of random nicks.

Got my replacement phone today. White box. Was made week 36 and my original phone was made week 37. Both were made in september.

I haven't turned it on yet or swapped sims but the chipmunk website says its model number MD637 which is what my original one was.

Dstopsie said:

Got my replacement phone today. White box. Was made week 36 and my original phone was made week 37. Both were made in september.

I haven't turned it on yet or swapped sims but the chipmunk website says its model number MD637 which is what my original one was.

Click to expand...

the replacement is not original retail packaging like the new iPhone5 ? Does not come with accessories ?
The apple store employee pulled out a white box when I got my replacement _ am wondering if they mailed similar one to you. Please post the model number from the Settings menu on the replacement unit.

chipmunk shows MD645 for mine too, however on the device in Settings it is listed as ND643LL

http://www.chipmunk.nl/cgi-fast/applemodel.cgi