Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

koban4max

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2011
1,582
0
for someone who had to have a 2 yr. contract in order to get iPhone 5, i say apple is subpar in quality.
 

ReneR

macrumors 6502
Jun 18, 2008
342
346
Berlin, Germany
More importantly... exactly "who" sat down and visually inspected 8 million iPhones? :eek: Most likely the OSX coders since they are working on nothing else and have time to spare.

Maybe they just sent everything back they got from customers without any further look from Apple's side. Just the whole RMA return stock?
 

blabliblu

macrumors member
Apr 3, 2013
63
0
The iPhone 5, beside the still un-understandable screen size decision, is a catastrophy.

I have a bump case, which is a failure in itself because it ads weight, size, and covers the iphone, and still there are many scratches on my iPhone 5.

Like many many people reporting it, my lock button is ****ed up (can't reach it since it's too low).

BUT the very worst is the so called "new more durable" cable and socket that is already ****ed as well, and I have to use a piece of paper for it to connect, only on one side (the other doesn't work anymore).

It goes without saying that I'm going to replace my iPhone, but I'm certainly not buying another one anymore, tired of this un-innovative, overpriced, piece of crap.
 

Mackan

macrumors 65816
Sep 16, 2007
1,421
91
I think there's been a problem with bad wifi for some iPhone 5. Could be that...
 

orthorim

Suspended
Feb 27, 2008
733
350
I mean, I'm glad that Apple takes the customer experience enough to force their suppliers to get things right, but still, how does stuff like this happen at this stage in the game? This story comes right on the heels of news that production difficulties were pushing the launch of the 5S back several months. If there are problems that significant for a minor phone upgrade, what happens with a complete redesign for the iPhone 6? Come on, Apple, get your house in order!

Maybe Apple should go back to cheap plastic phones, like the others?

Seriously Apple insists on pushing the envelope, and I'd say at times that's bordering on the obsessive... scratch that, it *is* obsessive in a way that a lot of customers probably can't relate. But they do it, and they have the best looking phone by a mile, so you can't really argue with it.

Like the story of the MacBook Pro webcam. The designers wanted a green camera light when the camera is on, but they didn't want to have an ugly hole when its off. They wanted the light to shine through the aluminum. Well aluminum isn't translucent - but you can make a hole in it so small that the eye cannot see it to get the same effect. All you need is lasers. So Apple bought lasers for over $200M so its manufacturing partners can shoot tiny holes in the aluminum housing so there is no hole visible in the case.

I am sure there's stories like this about the iPhone 5, too. It's what makes it feel, as one review described it, "like a piece of jewelry". Like it was not assembled but formed from a single piece. Like a monolith. And it makes these hard or impossible to copy. You may have noticed there is not a single competitor that makes a phone this small with that many features. Because they can't.

That's why the manufacturers have so many problems making them. Not at all unusual for Apple.
 

TWSS37

macrumors 65816
Feb 4, 2011
1,107
232
I am glad I helped contribute towards this. I returned at least 30 iphone 5s. All had some sort of issue out of the box. I officially gave up and will be moving onto the Galaxy S4.

At least? Really? Having worked in retail before, I would have refunded your money at some point around 3 or otherwise drastically reduced your ability to return it without some level of hassle on your end.

The charge backs alone make you unprofitable alone, not to mention selling all of those phones now as 'recertified'.
 

rtomyj

macrumors 6502a
Sep 3, 2012
812
753
The iPhone 5, beside the still un-understandable screen size decision, is a catastrophy.

I have a bump case, which is a failure in itself because it ads weight, size, and covers the iphone, and still there are many scratches on my iPhone 5.

Like many many people reporting it, my lock button is ****ed up (can't reach it since it's too low).

BUT the very worst is the so called "new more durable" cable and socket that is already ****ed as well, and I have to use a piece of paper for it to connect, only on one side (the other doesn't work anymore).

It goes without saying that I'm going to replace my iPhone, but I'm certainly not buying another one anymore, tired of this un-innovative, overpriced, piece of crap.

Here we have the vocal minority folks. Perfect example too. Firstly, I have a "perfect" iPhone 5 on my first try. The 16:9 screen is awkward at first but I really like it now. Second, you want a new phone but you don't like the weight a bump case adds to a very light phone? So your content with a heavier phone with a case on it just because its not Apple, right? Third, dropped my phone and guess what? Not a scratch (say what!). Use my lightning cable like crazy, with two devices and guess what? Not a nick on it (**** be cray cray!).

Finally, I had buddies ask me for phone advice. I gave them many options, iPhone, Droids, Windows, even BB. Why did they choose the iPhone. For the screen size, apps and many more things. How is Apple not innovating? Better question who is in your opinion, and why? Catch: first Google "Gimmick"
 

oliversl

macrumors 65816
Jun 29, 2007
1,498
426
Is irresponsible to publish such an article, based on bad sources. Does anybody believe 8 million phones are being made with defect and then even be shipped to Apple? And then Apple open them, do a QA and then return them to China?

And then what, Foxconn has to destroy them? Secretly?

Give me a break
 

WannaGoMac

macrumors 68030
Feb 11, 2007
2,722
3,992
Here we have the vocal minority folks. Perfect example too. Firstly, I have a "perfect" iPhone 5 on my first try. The 16:9 screen is awkward at first but I really like it now. Second, you want a new phone but you don't like the weight a bump case adds to a very light phone? So your content with a heavier phone with a case on it just because its not Apple, right? Third, dropped my phone and guess what? Not a scratch (say what!). Use my lightning cable like crazy, with two devices and guess what? Not a nick on it (**** be cray cray!).

Finally, I had buddies ask me for phone advice. I gave them many options, iPhone, Droids, Windows, even BB. Why did they choose the iPhone. For the screen size, apps and many more things. How is Apple not innovating? Better question who is in your opinion, and why? Catch: first Google "Gimmick"

Raise a good point. iOS may not be doing much interesting but it does seem to be more reliable a vehicle than an Android based phone. I am strongly considering switching to the next Nexus Android phone as I want something different and I am tired of some of the iOS limitations (i.e. can't do attachments easily, no file sharing between apps, no default app setting, etc). However, i still hear many bad stories about "polish" issues with android phones which gives me pause. Luckily I can and will wait until iOS 7 and the next iPhone before making a decision...
 

fishmoose

macrumors 68000
Jul 1, 2008
1,851
346
Sweden
Got my White iPhone 5 replaced just last week due to a failing Sleep/Wake button. Replacement phone is perfect thus far.
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
Is irresponsible to publish such an article, based on bad sources. Does anybody believe 8 million phones are being made with defect and then even be shipped to Apple? And then Apple open them, do a QA and then return them to China?

And then what, Foxconn has to destroy them? Secretly?

Give me a break

Unreliable source, translated article at that so it could be a bad translation. Also possible that this wasn't a single batch. The actual truth could be that Foxconn is having to pay penalties for approx 8 million returned iPhones that were found to be defective not because of bad components (which will be charged to those makers) but bad assembly per contracts between the companies.

Or it could be total bunk like Kuo's delay claims all put out there because today is the last day to drop the stock to buy it a little cheaper in case tomorrow actually causes a rise in price with the earnings report, or even something happening Weds. Like say an announcement announcement or a silent release of the new Mac Pro etc
 

JHankwitz

macrumors 68000
Oct 31, 2005
1,911
58
Wisconsin
8 million defective phones returned and no supply problem created. Does this mean that sales aren't strong?

How do you get that interpretation? They don't say what models or how old they are. This sounds like a collection of customer returned for exchange phones from the past several years. Apple is well known for their easy return for exchange program covering most any complaint. Heck, I've done it twice in the past year. Returning them would handle the recycling cost problems.
 

Ralf The Dog

macrumors regular
May 1, 2008
192
0
Is irresponsible to publish such an article, based on bad sources. Does anybody believe 8 million phones are being made with defect and then even be shipped to Apple? And then Apple open them, do a QA and then return them to China?

And then what, Foxconn has to destroy them? Secretly?

Give me a break

Apple does random checks. They open one out of X boxes in each batch, then do a very intense teardown. If they find anything questionable, they take a closer look at the entire batch. This is part of the normal QA process. Every responsible retailer that designs their own stuff does it.

I suppose one question that could be asked is what makes you think the quality of US-based workers would actually be any better or suffer fewer defects?

China is known for low cost products at high volume with bad QC. The United States is known for lower volumes, higher prices but very good QC. A number of manufacturers are begining the process of moving back to the states, because, they are finding the QC issues along with shipping costs more than the additional manufacturing costs.

More importantly... exactly "who" sat down and visually inspected 8 million iPhones? :eek: Most likely the OSX coders since they are working on nothing else and have time to spare.

As I said above, part of the normal QC process is taking random samples of each batch and having engineering teams rip them apart, looking for flaws. If you find anything, you take a larger sample. If that turns out bad, you ship back the entire batch.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,137
31,194
Is the media reporting every rumor about Apple as fact?

Another anonymous source from some translated foreign news service.

No credibility at all....

Funny....the stock is actually up today. So either this rumor hasn't trickled into the Wall Street rumor mill yet or it's being discounted as not credible.

For me, I don't get how 5-8 million phones could be returned. Did Apple actually go through 5 million boxes of phones and test them? Or were 5 million phones returned by consumers because they were faulty? Something doesn't pass the smell test here.

----------

I am glad I helped contribute towards this. I returned at least 30 iphone 5s. All had some sort of issue out of the box. I officially gave up and will be moving onto the Galaxy S4.

It took you 30 times before you gave up? :eek:
 

ssgbryan

macrumors 65816
Jul 18, 2002
1,488
1,420
I mean, I'm glad that Apple takes the customer experience enough to force their suppliers to get things right, but still, how does stuff like this happen at this stage in the game? This story comes right on the heels of news that production difficulties were pushing the launch of the 5S back several months. If there are problems that significant for a minor phone upgrade, what happens with a complete redesign for the iPhone 6? Come on, Apple, get your house in order!

This is what happens when you outsource your manufacturing. Apple is completely at the mercy of Foxconn. What is Apple going do do, switch suppliers?
 

mccldwll

macrumors 65816
Jan 26, 2006
1,345
12
I am glad I helped contribute towards this. I returned at least 30 iphone 5s. All had some sort of issue out of the box. I officially gave up and will be moving onto the Galaxy S4.


LOL. You have zero credibility. Here's an earlier post of your's (and that probably wasn't truthful either):

"Not true. Back in November I did exactly this. I think they let me get through at least 5 phones before saying no more. All had various issues from:
rattling sleep wake buttons
Crooked home..."
 

Scott6666

macrumors 65816
Feb 2, 2008
1,489
939
And as I understand it, all those are only the batch from MacRumors forum members.
 

69650

Suspended
Mar 23, 2006
3,367
1,876
England
That's an amazing percentage of defective units. Something clearly wrong here. Either Foxconn are cutting corners or the iPhone is just too difficult to mass produce. Either way I wish Apple's quality control team were as rigorous when it comes to spotting and returning defective Retina MBP's.
 

Denzo

macrumors 6502a
Sep 10, 2009
735
1,051
Australia
Happened to me.

I bought 4 iPhones. Mum and Dad (who live alone and dont like internet) and my partner and I.

Every one of them got exchanged. My one is currently still getting exchanged. They got theirs exchanged at least twice, with my partners one getting 4 exchanges.

Combination of either terrible battery and/or really bad scratches and chips straight out of the box! It was quite bad, and a first as an owner of all iPhones other than the 2G.

My one, after 2 months and having never left its aftermarket case and a screen protector on, had really, really bad chips and paint missing all over the back - so im getting it exchanged.

Its still better than any other phone out there, hands down, but it is annoying.

Once you iMessage, feel metal, and the ease of use of Apple products.. its just so hard to go elsewhere (which i did with a galaxy phone - what a POS even the SGS3 which so many android fans love lags scrolling through photos lmao at people praising it for its tech).
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.