Will Apple Always Replace A Phone With Water Damage?

sparkles61785 · Aug 12, 2009, 04:07 PM

If my iPhone had water damage, would apple replace it for $199 if I'm under warranty? What about an iPhone with a broken screen? I am asking this because I am considering canceling the Squaretrade warranty that I purchased for my 3GS. Thanks.

fireshot91 · Aug 12, 2009, 05:11 PM

Yes, any phone that is out of warranty (Water, User damage, etc), will be replaced for $199 with a refurb.

sinsin07 · Aug 12, 2009, 06:00 PM

I think the OP wants to know "Will Apple Always Replace A Phone With Water Damage?" because the OP wants to cancel their current warranty. It appears the OP is looking for a guarantee of the future.

In all honesty, I don't see how anyone can answer that question. Your asking for a future prediction on what a policy of a company would be.

Any answer someone gives you would just a valid as using one of these:

sinsin07 · Aug 12, 2009, 06:00 PM

delete

-aggie- · Aug 12, 2009, 06:12 PM

An out of warranty (see the apple website for the definition) iPhone WILL be replaced for $199, period.

Roessnakhan · Aug 12, 2009, 06:13 PM

You'll have to pay for it, but it'll still cost you less than the full priced device. I think the only case where you have to pay full price is if the device was lost or stolen, since no exchange is made.

sinsin07 · Aug 12, 2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iphone.aggie

An out of warranty (see the apple website for the definition) iPhone WILL be replaced for $199, period.

Yes this is true, but he is asking Always. No one can know that. The OP is banking on that Always to get rid of his current warranty.

semlohde · Aug 12, 2009, 07:06 PM

I went to the Genius store with a cracked screen in June. 1st thing they did was flashlight the earphone plug and said I had water damage, poof, it's not under warranty any more. I asked how much to replace it and was told $199 PLUS the full cost of another iPhone. Perhaps you have had a different experience but they wanted about $500 total with my water damage. I sent it to missionrepair, they replaced the screen and digitizer with a 3 day turnaround for about $130. Guess I rambled some, but they did not want to replace my water damaged phone for $199 as it cancelled the warranty. ed

sparkles61785 · Aug 12, 2009, 07:47 PM

For future reference, I'm a woman.

Gin Gin · Aug 13, 2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semlohde

I went to the Genius store with a cracked screen in June. 1st thing they did was flashlight the earphone plug and said I had water damage, poof, it's not under warranty any more. I asked how much to replace it and was told $199 PLUS the full cost of another iPhone. Perhaps you have had a different experience but they wanted about $500 total with my water damage. I sent it to missionrepair, they replaced the screen and digitizer with a 3 day turnaround for about $130. Guess I rambled some, but they did not want to replace my water damaged phone for $199 as it cancelled the warranty. ed

This is wrong. Either you misunderstood or the genius gave you the wrong information. IN warranty replacement is free. Out of warranty replacement is $199 + tax. Not full price + $199. Dropping it and cracking the screen or getting water on it voids the warranty, so you get the $199 out of warranty replacement. I just went through this. Dropped my nearly new 3GS in water, made appointment with genius, told him it was water damaged, got my OOW replacement $199 + tax. The info is on apple's site plain as day.
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/...faq/#warranty7 Down near the bottom of the page, 7 b.

Interstella5555 · Aug 13, 2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkles61785

For future reference, I'm a woman.

Silly Rabbit, the internet is for white, straight men only! :-)

goosnarrggh · Aug 14, 2009, 06:47 AM

Note that even Out-of-warranty coverage doesn't apply to every type of damage.

Apple's website lists a few (non-exclusive) examples: an iPhone whose body has broken up into multiple pieces, or an iPhone where the damage was the result of unauthorized modifications (I assume this applies to improperly jailbroken phones that become bricked as a result).

Such phones are theoretically ineligible for even the $199 out-of-warranty replacement - but individual retail representatives may either not be aware of this policy or may choose to ignore it.

sikkinixx · Aug 24, 2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gin Gin

This is wrong. Either you misunderstood or the genius gave you the wrong information. IN warranty replacement is free. Out of warranty replacement is $199 + tax. Not full price + $199. Dropping it and cracking the screen or getting water on it voids the warranty, so you get the $199 out of warranty replacement. I just went through this. Dropped my nearly new 3GS in water, made appointment with genius, told him it was water damaged, got my OOW replacement $199 + tax. The info is on apple's site plain as day.
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/...faq/#warranty7 Down near the bottom of the page, 7 b.

Rather than start up another thread....

I basically got a water damaged iPhone given to me (he was gonna smash it!!) and want to get it fixed. In Canada its the $230 fee etc. I know they take the phone from you, which is fine, but on the phone buddy at the Apple store said that I need an appointment with a Genius to do the swap etc. Do I just give them the phone and the cash and be on my way? The phone is locked to Rogers (Canadian GSM provider) but I am with Fido (rival GSM provider who also offers the iPhone since they are owned by Rogers), do they need a SIM to activate and such while I am there? I just wanna get it home and unlock it.

TB07-NJ · Aug 25, 2009, 07:40 AM

April Fools! Oh wait, it's only August.

Quote:

Originally Posted by semlohde

I went to the Genius store with a cracked screen in June. 1st thing they did was flashlight the earphone plug and said I had water damage, poof, it's not under warranty any more. I asked how much to replace it and was told $199 PLUS the full cost of another iPhone. Perhaps you have had a different experience but they wanted about $500 total with my water damage. I sent it to missionrepair, they replaced the screen and digitizer with a 3 day turnaround for about $130. Guess I rambled some, but they did not want to replace my water damaged phone for $199 as it cancelled the warranty.

Gin Gin · Aug 25, 2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sikkinixx

Rather than start up another thread....

I basically got a water damaged iPhone given to me (he was gonna smash it!!) and want to get it fixed. In Canada its the $230 fee etc. I know they take the phone from you, which is fine, but on the phone buddy at the Apple store said that I need an appointment with a Genius to do the swap etc. Do I just give them the phone and the cash and be on my way? The phone is locked to Rogers (Canadian GSM provider) but I am with Fido (rival GSM provider who also offers the iPhone since they are owned by Rogers), do they need a SIM to activate and such while I am there? I just wanna get it home and unlock it.

Yeah they won't do anything without an appointment. I went to my appointment, showed it to the guy, told him it fell in water. He looked at the water sensors, says he can give me the $199 replacement. Had done my research and knew that & that's why I was there. He took my 3GS and told me he'd be right back with the replacement. Came back a few minutes later and said they were out of stock & he ordered me one. If they had been in stock I would've walked out with one, $199 lighter of course. I can't answer your question about needing a proper SIM, I'm on at&t. They did ask me for my SIM and activated the phone before I left. I don't know what they do if you don't have a SIM/contract, someone else can maybe answer that.

sikkinixx · Aug 25, 2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gin Gin

Yeah they won't do anything without an appointment. I went to my appointment, showed it to the guy, told him it fell in water. He looked at the water sensors, says he can give me the $199 replacement. Had done my research and knew that & that's why I was there. He took my 3GS and told me he'd be right back with the replacement. Came back a few minutes later and said they were out of stock & he ordered me one. If they had been in stock I would've walked out with one, $199 lighter of course. I can't answer your question about needing a proper SIM, I'm on at&t. They did ask me for my SIM and activated the phone before I left. I don't know what they do if you don't have a SIM/contract, someone else can maybe answer that.

Thanks for the advice. My dad has a SIM I can use for the purpose of getting the phone. But of course, the online Genius booking thing tells me "We are full, sorry, please try again later"... ugh.

matty1551 · Aug 25, 2009, 07:29 PM

I have a related question,

in theory couldnt i get someones broken 3gs and take it in and buy a new one for 199 without updating my contract?

sikkinixx · Aug 25, 2009, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matty1551

I have a related question,

in theory couldnt i get someones broken 3gs and take it in and buy a new one for 199 without updating my contract?

I hope so since that's what I am doing

matty1551 · Aug 25, 2009, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sikkinixx

I hope so since that's what I am doing

the question is how much does a broken 3gs go for?

labman · Aug 25, 2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matty1551

the question is how much does a broken 3gs go for?

I checked ebay a found one wow people are crazy out there.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPhone-3GS...d=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-broke...d=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-broke...d=p3286.c0.m14

matty1551 · Aug 26, 2009, 04:02 AM

Wow

inf · Aug 26, 2009, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by labman

I checked ebay a found one wow people are crazy out there.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPhone-3GS...d=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-broke...d=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-broke...d=p3286.c0.m14

OH LOL!

maflynn · Aug 26, 2009, 06:11 AM

As others have stated, there's no way for anyone to know what apple will do in the future.

At the moment, they are replacing water damaged iPhones, not for free of course but at a cost. That policy may change with or without any notice. Trying to pin down the future is like trying to nail jello to a tree.

alent1234 · Aug 26, 2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by labman

I checked ebay a found one wow people are crazy out there.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPhone-3GS...d=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-broke...d=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-broke...d=p3286.c0.m14

there are a few non-apple affiliated iphone repair places on the internet. they are probably buying these for the spare parts.

where i work we deal with a used parts dealer that sells stuff made in the 1990's. there are still organizations using some big ticket items like backup libraries made 10 years ago

Aug 12, 2009, 04:07 PM	#1
sparkles61785 macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New York	Will Apple Always Replace A Phone With Water Damage? If my iPhone had water damage, would apple replace it for $199 if I'm under warranty? What about an iPhone with a broken screen? I am asking this because I am considering canceling the Squaretrade warranty that I purchased for my 3GS. Thanks. __________________ iPhone 3GS 16gb Black iPod Classic 120gb Black Will always be a PC girl (HP DV5T, 2.53GHZ, 160gb 7200rpm HD, 4GB Ram, 512mb Nvidia 9600m GT)
	0

Aug 12, 2009, 06:00 PM	#3
sinsin07 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Mar 2009	I think the OP wants to know "Will Apple Always Replace A Phone With Water Damage?" because the OP wants to cancel their current warranty. It appears the OP is looking for a guarantee of the future. In all honesty, I don't see how anyone can answer that question. Your asking for a future prediction on what a policy of a company would be. Any answer someone gives you would just a valid as using one of these: Attached Images
	0

Aug 12, 2009, 06:12 PM	#5
-aggie- macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Where bunnies are welcome.	An out of warranty (see the apple website for the definition) iPhone WILL be replaced for $199, period. __________________ Google with site:macrumors.com as a parameter. DFU Mode........People with Obama in White Face avatars – proving how stupid they are one post at a time
	0

Aug 12, 2009, 06:13 PM	#6
Roessnakhan macrumors 68030 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Albuquerque, USA	You'll have to pay for it, but it'll still cost you less than the full priced device. I think the only case where you have to pay full price is if the device was lost or stolen, since no exchange is made. __________________ "I reject your reality and substitute my own." - Adam Savage portfolio \| twitter \| flickr \| last.fm MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, iPad mini, iPhone 5, AppleTV, iPod Classic, iPod nano
	0

Aug 12, 2009, 07:47 PM	#9
sparkles61785 Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New York	For future reference, I'm a woman. __________________ iPhone 3GS 16gb Black iPod Classic 120gb Black Will always be a PC girl (HP DV5T, 2.53GHZ, 160gb 7200rpm HD, 4GB Ram, 512mb Nvidia 9600m GT)
	0

Aug 12, 2009, 05:11 PM	#2
fireshot91 macrumors 601 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Northern VA	Yes, any phone that is out of warranty (Water, User damage, etc), will be replaced for $199 with a refurb.
	0

Aug 12, 2009, 07:06 PM	#8
semlohde macrumors member Join Date: Dec 2008	I went to the Genius store with a cracked screen in June. 1st thing they did was flashlight the earphone plug and said I had water damage, poof, it's not under warranty any more. I asked how much to replace it and was told $199 PLUS the full cost of another iPhone. Perhaps you have had a different experience but they wanted about $500 total with my water damage. I sent it to missionrepair, they replaced the screen and digitizer with a 3 day turnaround for about $130. Guess I rambled some, but they did not want to replace my water damaged phone for $199 as it cancelled the warranty. ed
	0

Aug 14, 2009, 06:47 AM	#12
goosnarrggh macrumors 68000 Join Date: May 2006	Note that even Out-of-warranty coverage doesn't apply to every type of damage. Apple's website lists a few (non-exclusive) examples: an iPhone whose body has broken up into multiple pieces, or an iPhone where the damage was the result of unauthorized modifications (I assume this applies to improperly jailbroken phones that become bricked as a result). Such phones are theoretically ineligible for even the $199 out-of-warranty replacement - but individual retail representatives may either not be aware of this policy or may choose to ignore it.
	0

Aug 25, 2009, 07:29 PM	#17
matty1551 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2009	I have a related question, in theory couldnt i get someones broken 3gs and take it in and buy a new one for 199 without updating my contract?
	0

Aug 26, 2009, 04:02 AM	#21
matty1551 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2009	Wow
	0

Aug 26, 2009, 06:11 AM	#23
maflynn Demi-God (Moderator) Join Date: May 2009 Location: Boston	As others have stated, there's no way for anyone to know what apple will do in the future. At the moment, they are replacing water damaged iPhones, not for free of course but at a cost. That policy may change with or without any notice. Trying to pin down the future is like trying to nail jello to a tree. __________________ I know that I know nothing ~ Socrates
	0

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