I don't have any cracks but I do now see 2 tiny little dead pixels. They're only noticable on a black screen but knowing they're there is tough!
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Dust under iPhone 3G screen - Anybody successfully exchanged?
- Thread starter sallythemac
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I don't have any cracks but I do now see 2 tiny little dead pixels. They're only noticable on a black screen but knowing they're there is tough!
I thought for sure my 2 dots on the screen were dead pixels and when I took it to the Apple Store, they said it was dust. They replaced it, but I had something else wrong with it too: a rattle when you shook it... so I'm not sure what they replaced it on
I just got my fifth iPhone replaced, so I'm on number six now! 
This is the second time I've had it replaced due to dust, but the staff told me they would only do it this once - they said too many people are doing it and as a result Apple (Cupertino?) has told them to stop replacing them for that reason alone. I'll have to see what else I can find wrong with this one when it starts to get dust under the glass in a few months. I know it will happen, it's just a matter of time. And I'm not spending thousands of dollars on a twenty-six month contract to have a phone with large pieces of dust under the glass, where they cannot be removed.
This is the second time I've had it replaced due to dust, but the staff told me they would only do it this once - they said too many people are doing it and as a result Apple (Cupertino?) has told them to stop replacing them for that reason alone. I'll have to see what else I can find wrong with this one when it starts to get dust under the glass in a few months. I know it will happen, it's just a matter of time. And I'm not spending thousands of dollars on a twenty-six month contract to have a phone with large pieces of dust under the glass, where they cannot be removed.
I just got my fifth iPhone replaced, so I'm on number six now!
This is the second time I've had it replaced due to dust, but the staff told me they would only do it this once - they said too many people are doing it and as a result Apple (Cupertino?) has told them to stop replacing them for that reason alone. I'll have to see what else I can find wrong with this one when it starts to get dust under the glass in a few months. I know it will happen, it's just a matter of time. And I'm not spending thousands of dollars on a twenty-six month contract to have a phone with large pieces of dust under the glass, where they cannot be removed.
And you thought I was anal? You would die if you saw my iPod touch. There's about 500 pieces of dust under the screen shooting out from the dock connector. It doesn't bother me much. Also, I've never seen a cell phone NOT get dust under the screen. It's happened on every phone I've ever owned and even on my iPod touch. It's just the nature of mobile devices that are put in pockets.
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G (white): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)
Now see, that's funny. Because the iPhone is the first cell phone I've seen collect dust like this - and I actually worked in the industry for years! I've never seen a phone with such poor QC.
TheSpaz said:I just got my fifth iPhone replaced, so I'm on number six now!
This is the second time I've had it replaced due to dust, but the staff told me they would only do it this once - they said too many people are doing it and as a result Apple (Cupertino?) has told them to stop replacing them for that reason alone. I'll have to see what else I can find wrong with this one when it starts to get dust under the glass in a few months. I know it will happen, it's just a matter of time. And I'm not spending thousands of dollars on a twenty-six month contract to have a phone with large pieces of dust under the glass, where they cannot be removed.
And you thought I was anal? You would die if you saw my iPod touch. There's about 500 pieces of dust under the screen shooting out from the dock connector. It doesn't bother me much. Also, I've never seen a cell phone NOT get dust under the screen. It's happened on every phone I've ever owned and even on my iPod touch. It's just the nature of mobile devices that are put in pockets.
Now see, that's funny. Because the iPhone is the first cell phone I've seen collect dust like this - and I actually worked in the industry for years! I've never seen a phone with such poor QC.
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G (white): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)
That would be one possible explanation.
Anyway, I'm serious - I worked for Verizon for several years and I never saw a non-free phone built so cheaply. It's really quite pathetic.
TheSpaz said:
That would be one possible explanation.
Anyway, I'm serious - I worked for Verizon for several years and I never saw a non-free phone built so cheaply. It's really quite pathetic.
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G (white): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)
That would be one possible explanation.
Anyway, I'm serious - I worked for Verizon for several years and I never saw a non-free phone built so cheaply. It's really quite pathetic.
Especially considering that the *actual* price for an iPhone 3G is $700!
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G (white): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)
Exactly my point. It's closer to $800 here in Japan, and between that and the monthly service, I'm spending a fortune on this thing. Which is why I'm insistent on having a defect-free one.
TheSpaz said:Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G (white): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)
That would be one possible explanation.
Anyway, I'm serious - I worked for Verizon for several years and I never saw a non-free phone built so cheaply. It's really quite pathetic.
Especially considering that the *actual* price for an iPhone 3G is $700!
Exactly my point. It's closer to $800 here in Japan, and between that and the monthly service, I'm spending a fortune on this thing. Which is why I'm insistent on having a defect-free one.
I've had one replaced for dust under the screen, in the crevices between the glass and the bezel. Also noted an uneven glass screen, and the Genius' said "this is a onetime replacement!" I brought my 3G iPhone box and components and received a brand new in box 16GB 3G iPhone; experiencing the "open box experience a 2nd time" was definitely as fun as the first time around.....
I'm thinking about returning my iPhone again due to the dust. Seeing how many people are getting replacements is making me jealous. I really want a brand new iPhone again. Mine's also starting to crack too. I've got the infamous gray lines. I'm going to restore my iPhone 3G tonight and either bring it in tonight or tomorrow to see if they can exchange it for me. Does anyone know if they'll do a color trade? I have a white iPhone 3G... do you think they'd be able to give me a black 16GB model instead? I've seen others with more luck with no cracks on the black. Also, the black iPhones look like they're built better for some reason. Hmm... any thoughts?
Dust is always going to happen. I think blacks are built as poorly as whites. Its easier to notice cracks on the white iPhones. Im done replacing phones for cracks. In my opinion they will all crack. If you have a pixel perfect LCD I would keep the phone. The new iPhone will be out soon enough anyways.
That's your solution? A new iPhone will be out soon so who cares? That's ridiculous! I paid $500 for my iPhone... I expect the quality to be $500 worth. These freakin' iPhones look like they were built like $5.99 kids toys. (Yes, I am exagerating, but it still doesn't feel like a $700 phone.) Yes, the iPhone costs $700 to buy it outright. The quality control on these, plus the design make me wonder why it's so popular. Do other phones have issues like this? Bringing them back 6 or 7 times until a new one comes out?
Trust me I agree with you, but the reality is that the iPhone 3G is built like crap (and while it sells for $299 (and subsidized) I think the build cost is around $200). I think the sole purpose of the iPhone 3G was to pad Apple's gross margins and they succeeded with this goal.
The quality control also sucks. Dust and cracks will continue to occur. I baby my phone and take great care of it, but im tired of replacing phones only to see the same issues creep up at a ater date.
All of my iPhones have cracked. I dont even care about dust or light leakage, but if I did I dont think I would ever see what I consider a perfect iPhone 3G. So if you want keep replacing your phone, but its an exercise in frustration.
Well... I was going to leave because people only seemed to just wanna rip on me for the sake of ripping on me... then I decided to not care. So say whatever you want to say about me... I still feel like I have something to contribute to the community.
I found that old Sony stuff was the worst for dust.
Can't speak for new Sony stuff, but this MD player I had with an LCD got FILLED with dust under the screen. It was ridiculous.
Can't speak for new Sony stuff, but this MD player I had with an LCD got FILLED with dust under the screen. It was ridiculous.
I hope you're ready for a long and educational post. Here's what happened.
Last night I set up a genius appointment at my local Apple Store. Well, when I got there, the guy said that he cannot replace my iPhone for dust under the screen because he said that dust gets there from dropping the iPhone or getting it hit. I wasn't too upset... I just said... okay, thanks and went on my way.
Here's the fun part!
This morning, I woke up with a BRILLIANT idea! I decided that I wanted to just take my iPhone apart and get the dust out myself. After watching a couple youtube videos on how to disassemble the iPhone 3G... it looked really easy to take apart the stuff that *I* needed to get at in my particular situation. Here's what I did:
1. Take out the 2 small screws at the bottom of the screen near the dock connector
2. Take a small suction cup and attach it to the glass and pull up with a little bit of force. (Not too hard as to rip it from the electronic connectors)
3. Undo the 3 tabs that connect the screen to the rest of the iPhone. Undo them in numerical order. On the 3rd connector, you have to use a small tool and pull up on a little white piece that is securing the tab in place.
4. Unscrew 6 screws that are holding the digitizer on. Note: Some of the screws are under black tape... so look for those too.
5. Gently put a little pressure on the frame that is holding the digitizer on to pull it off. I recommend slightly bending the metal outward on both sides and GENTLY wiggle the digitizer out. Warning: Some people have cracked their digitizer by trying to force it out... it should come out gently and easy.
6. Once the digitizer is disconnected from the glass, remove the dust. I used one of those little hand squeeze blower things that you can get at a camera store for blowing the dust off of lenses and such. Don't use compressed air.
7. Re-assemble the iPhone.
8. Here's where I had some trouble. I had trouble re-connecting the LCD connectors #1 and #2. You have to get them just right and then press down on them with some force and you'll here a click sound. The first time I did this, I didn't press them in hard enough and parts of my touch screen would work and some parts wouldn't... it really freaked me out.
9. Put the bottom screws back in and reboot your iPhone.
I got all the dust out of mine and I'm happy again! Good luck to anyone who wants to try this. By the way... you can't tell at all that I opened my iPhone up... it looks just like it did before I started this (minus the dust of course).
Thanks for reading my post! Not all of my posts are pointless you know
Last night I set up a genius appointment at my local Apple Store. Well, when I got there, the guy said that he cannot replace my iPhone for dust under the screen because he said that dust gets there from dropping the iPhone or getting it hit. I wasn't too upset... I just said... okay, thanks and went on my way.
Here's the fun part!
This morning, I woke up with a BRILLIANT idea! I decided that I wanted to just take my iPhone apart and get the dust out myself. After watching a couple youtube videos on how to disassemble the iPhone 3G... it looked really easy to take apart the stuff that *I* needed to get at in my particular situation. Here's what I did:
1. Take out the 2 small screws at the bottom of the screen near the dock connector
2. Take a small suction cup and attach it to the glass and pull up with a little bit of force. (Not too hard as to rip it from the electronic connectors)
3. Undo the 3 tabs that connect the screen to the rest of the iPhone. Undo them in numerical order. On the 3rd connector, you have to use a small tool and pull up on a little white piece that is securing the tab in place.
4. Unscrew 6 screws that are holding the digitizer on. Note: Some of the screws are under black tape... so look for those too.
5. Gently put a little pressure on the frame that is holding the digitizer on to pull it off. I recommend slightly bending the metal outward on both sides and GENTLY wiggle the digitizer out. Warning: Some people have cracked their digitizer by trying to force it out... it should come out gently and easy.
6. Once the digitizer is disconnected from the glass, remove the dust. I used one of those little hand squeeze blower things that you can get at a camera store for blowing the dust off of lenses and such. Don't use compressed air.
7. Re-assemble the iPhone.
8. Here's where I had some trouble. I had trouble re-connecting the LCD connectors #1 and #2. You have to get them just right and then press down on them with some force and you'll here a click sound. The first time I did this, I didn't press them in hard enough and parts of my touch screen would work and some parts wouldn't... it really freaked me out.
9. Put the bottom screws back in and reboot your iPhone.
I got all the dust out of mine and I'm happy again! Good luck to anyone who wants to try this. By the way... you can't tell at all that I opened my iPhone up... it looks just like it did before I started this (minus the dust of course).
Thanks for reading my post! Not all of my posts are pointless you know
I've gotta say, I can certainly understand why you folks would be upset to have bits of dust under your glass. I too had dust on the first iPhone I had. However, there is a much more serious and irritating issue I have started to notice now that I'm on my 6th/7th iPhone (don't remember exactly). Every iPhone I've had since my original has dust between the actual LCD and the diffuser (which is behind the LCD). What does this look like? Well, it looks ALMOST like stuck white pixels, except they shimmer and change color slightly depending on the angle of the phone. Go ahead, turn your phone on/off and look at the boot screen (which is mostly black), then look all over the screen while moving it around at different angles and I'm sure many of you will notice it that didn't before. What makes this worse than normal dust is it can't simply be blown out by opening up the phone, and it's visible all of the time on dark images. And get this; according to Apple it is WITHIN SPEC.
Is this only the iPhone 3G, because I have an original iPhone that I've owned for nearly a year, and it doesn't have any dust under the screen, and I keep it in my pocket all the time.
I'm just curious if Apple changed the way they put the screen on or something with the 3G.
I'm just curious if Apple changed the way they put the screen on or something with the 3G.
Yes they did actually. Instead of glueing the screen down to the digitizer, they just screwed the digitizer to the glass. This makes it very cheap and easy to replace the screen if it gets cracked.
Surely you could find something else wrong with it to get it replaced? It took me about twenty seconds to find a replacement-worthy defect on iPhone #6 here. The vibrate is really weak compared with every other iPhone I've owned (not to mention other phones altogether) ... I figure when the dust really starts accumulating, I'll get it replaced for that. There's always something, right? The build quality on this thing is pathetic.