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Upset with Apple store experience- 5s touch ID

K

KoolAid-Drink

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 18, 2013
1,876
968
USA
I had a bad experience at the Apple store tonight. My 5s has been having issues with Touch ID being sporadic - sometimes working, sometimes shaking its 'head' and sending me to the passcode screen. I've removed the fingerprints, re-registered them, and re-touched the sensor during in the settings screen. My camera also kept going in and out of focus. When I went in the store, I had a full iCloud backup ready. I explained the situation to the Genius, asking for a swap (I have AppleCare+). The Genius was very rude throughout, saying she couldn't reproduce it, even though the Touch ID/unlock screen shook its 'head' in front of her! Her fingerprint worked, though. I asked for a manager, explaining the situation, and got nowhere, and was told they couldn't swap the iPhone, and that the manager had to refuse.

I went out of my way to do this... just feeling so upset at the experience.
 
Yeah you demonstrated the issue with your finger. But as you said, it worked fine for the genius. They proved the hardware is working fine.
 
eelw said:
Yeah you demonstrated the issue with your finger. But as you said, it worked fine for the genius. They proved the hardware is working fine.
Click to expand...

They cant really do nothing more with it. Always love when something works 1/50 times and the one time it works is when Im showing it to someone else to try.
 
It would be really unfortunate for anything else to happen with your iPhone.

Erm such as a broken screen
 
aphexacid said:
Won't they just replace the screen at that point? He'd be in the same situation and out $50.
Click to expand...

I did say ;

"It would be really unfortunate for anything else to happen with your iPhone."

From what I've seen in my Apple Stores in the Uk ~ No.
 
Apple care

My experience working at an authorized Apple warranty service center...
Customer would have a "popular" issue with thier device, albeit an iPhone, MacBook, Airport etc and the issue being that it was common knowledge many customers had or have the same issues & isn't easy to verify.
The thing to do was call Apple Care support by phone and speak with a representative and explain your issue demanding politely, that you want a replacement if it can not be serviced.
If that rep doesn't budge or isn't sure what to do for you besides visiting the Genius Bar, explain you have paid for the Apple Care so you wouldn't have to deal with other costly alternatives.

Continue this process until that one rep you get on the phone issues you a case ID for replacement either by mail in or Apple Store swap.

The important thing to achieve here is to obtain that case ID, forgoing the dealings with Genius Bar issues and the next visit will be backed by that case ID from Apple Care.

Good luck
 
To add insult to injury, at the end, I was also planning to swap my cord out as it was becoming a bit loose/jiggly, and I asked the Genius if she could swap my cord out. She rolled her eyes at me, said angrily that they were closing up, and just walked away. Wow. Luckily, I was able to find someone else who quickly swapped the cord without any questions.

Just plain awful service. I promise I wasn't rude or anything, I stayed polite and calm throughout the process, and explained the situation to a manager, who also said he would decline the replacement.

----------
djplaxe2109 said:
He would still have to pay the $50.... OP, you're owed a replacement imo. Just go and complain about another issue, i.e. speaker working "intermittently."
Click to expand...

Wouldn't the speaker be able to be replaced individually? I'm Deaf, so they may suspect I'm lying, as well :(
 
Update: After calling AppleCare and speaking with a senior advisor, I was told that he would love to replace my iPhone, but that if it was sent back, and the Touch ID issue was unable to be reproduced, I would then be charged for a new phone. WTF, is this even possible? Especially if my 5s is under AppleCare+?
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Are you sure it's not your attitude that's the problem if you're causing a couple of people to act that way toward you?
Click to expand...

Positive. I'm very polite, nice, and explain the situation without being rude, ranting. Of course, you can say I'm biased, but I really believe I am always polite and nice when working with employees.

BTW, it was only that one employee. The AppleCare advisor couldn't be nicer, he just gave me some weird information.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
Are you sure it's not your attitude that's the problem if you're causing a couple of people to act that way toward you?
Click to expand...

I live in Modesto, Ca, I have an Apple Store about 10 mins from my house but refuse to go there for the horrible service I always receive for no reason, I have family all throughout the bay area and have more than enough Apple Stores to pick from when I go visit them.

The final straw for the Modesto Apple Store was last summer I took in my iPhone 5, I arrived 20 minutes before my appointment (at 7:00pm), I didn't get called until 20 mins after my apt (7:20pm) and once I was at the table it was one employee helping 4 people, the girl never even acknowledged me or said that it'd be a few minutes, I sat there for 15 minutes while she finished up with the 3 other people. Once she finished she just walked away and didn't return, I saw her a few minutes later walking out for break or lunch, she just left.

Another time a few months after I purchased the iPhone 5 I went in because I noticed dust inside the camera lens, my photos all had spots so I went into Apple. The Genius told me that basically it was my fault for not having a case, that dust under the lens was my fault and would not be covered under warranty and that if I wanted a replacement it would be $229.

Upset, I walked away and the guy who was greeting people at the front door asked me on my way out if all my issues had been resolved, I said "no, apparently dust under the camera lens is my fault", he looked puzzled and asked me for more information. After explaining to him what happened he got a manager who then walked out and asked me what happened, then asked the genius for his side and then returned to me and said that this issue is not my fault and is covered under warranty.

The employee's attitude sometimes is a reflection of the work environment (not just Apple, but any company) and at my local Apple Store they always seem unapproachable or in a rush, so I avoid going here.
 
aphexacid said:
Won't they just replace the screen at that point? He'd be in the same situation and out $50.
Click to expand...

Not on a 5s and with apple care plus it's $79 not $50.

Touch ID not always working can be a software or even 'environmental' issue. I get really dry skin a lot and my fingers stop working when my skin is dry. Could be something that simple

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djplaxe2109 said:
He would still have to pay the $50.... OP, you're owed a replacement imo. Just go and complain about another issue, i.e. speaker working "intermittently."
Click to expand...

And they will test the speaker and see that it can't be reproduced and at best they will suggest you restore it. And likely note the issue report, as they did the Touch ID and the OP could end up getting a rep as someone fishing for a replacement they almost certainly don't really need.

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KoolAid-Drink said:
Update: After calling AppleCare and speaking with a senior advisor, I was told that he would love to replace my iPhone, but that if it was sent back, and the Touch ID issue was unable to be reproduced, I would then be charged for a new phone. WTF, is this even possible? Especially if my 5s is under AppleCare+?
Click to expand...

Actually yes it could be. Check the terms and conditions of the warranty agreement.

That agreement is something many folks ignore and don't bother doing their homework over. You agreed to abide by it so it is in your interest to know what you signed. This 'pay to replace' could be one of those terms. Mind you they will likely charge you at part price which is more like $300 than $700 but still. You agreed to it. Other things you agreed to are they can require verification of the issue, they aren't responsible for your data etc.

I have a cousin in England that likes to be an asshat and toss out 'consumer law' to get what he wants when he wants. Imagine the awakening he got when he was refused use of those laws because he didn't buy the item at Apple but a third party shop. And the laws apply to the seller not the maker. Plus it was just over a year and not only did the issue not happen at the shop he had had zero complaints recorded about that computer in all the time he had it. He went to a lawyer to try to sue to force the shop to replace it and the lawyer looked at all that information and laughed him out of the office.
 
I must get lucky.... I've never had a problem getting a replacement by saying the speaker works intermittently, they don't even test the phone...
 
I've been lucky as well. I brought my iphone in after owning it for a few months and complained of bad battery life and a Funky home button. They ran a test and then asked if I've been dropping calls. I told them yes sometimes, they replaced my phone due to dropped calls. Weird but hey it works for me.
 
KoolAid-Drink said:
I had a bad experience at the Apple store tonight. My 5s has been having issues with Touch ID being sporadic - sometimes working, sometimes shaking its 'head' and sending me to the passcode screen. I've removed the fingerprints, re-registered them, and re-touched the sensor during in the settings screen. My camera also kept going in and out of focus. When I went in the store, I had a full iCloud backup ready. I explained the situation to the Genius, asking for a swap (I have AppleCare+). The Genius was very rude throughout, saying she couldn't reproduce it, even though the Touch ID/unlock screen shook its 'head' in front of her! Her fingerprint worked, though. I asked for a manager, explaining the situation, and got nowhere, and was told they couldn't swap the iPhone, and that the manager had to refuse.

I went out of my way to do this... just feeling so upset at the experience.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you got a bad person there. I would try another store or go back to that one a different time. I have never had a problem getting a swap out, they normally dont even test the phone...

Good luck!
 
Update: I went to another Apple store, this time armed with the notes from a senior AppleCare advisor, and immediately got the swap, even without them trying to reproduce the issue :) thank goodness that was over!
 
touch id is flat out flaky in my experience regardless of what your fingerprint looks like. It works well at first, but then after a few days, it gets progressively worse. It's as if the learning that is supposed to occur goes in reverse.
 
My Touch ID was also acting up but it was sporadic. Sometimes it wouldn't even attempt to scan, there wasn't even a try again, it would just sit there saying "Slide To Unlock", putting a finger on the button yielded zero response.

So I recorded the issue on my iPad and booked the genius appointment. The genius listened to my explanation, I played him the video and he agreed to replace the phone there and then.

And, as an even better bonus, my new phone does NOT have the vertical lines I've been plagued with since getting a 5s.

Double delighted.
 
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