Meh I miss force touch on my iPhone X but I’ve moved on with my iPhone 11 Pro. My new series 6 is so much better then my 4. I bought it mostly because I wanted the sapphire glass and SS over my aluminum series 4.
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A very bad day for my Series 4
- Thread starter stanza.richi
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Meh I miss force touch on my iPhone X but I’ve moved on with my iPhone 11 Pro. My new series 6 is so much better then my 4. I bought it mostly because I wanted the sapphire glass and SS over my aluminum series 4.
Today mail from me to Apple Support (sorry for the bad english, I wrote in Italian to them and I haven’t enough strength to translate in a good way so I used google translate).
My sad adventure with Apple, Apple Care Plus and Apple Support.
16/10/2020: I buy a new Apple Watch Series 4 SS on Amazon taking advantage of the black friday. Happy with the purchase, as always active AC +.
06/12/2020: the beginning of the odyssey. During a software update, the clock crashes and shows the screen with the red exclamation mark. Follow the instructions found on the support page and I get to contact an operator by phone who reassures me, organizing a home collection and claiming that the repair or replacement will be either free or at most within the AC + deductible.
11/12/2020: the smartwatch arrives at the repair center from which bad news reaches me. I am notified of a quote of € 353.44 + tax for the replacement due to hardware damage. I contact the support again and the operator justifies this by claiming that there was probably an error in loading the procedure. He suggests that I refuse the repair and resubmit. In good faith, I accept.
12/15/2020: the smartwatch is returned to my home and, as agreed, the same support operator contacts me to organize a new repair. Due to software problems (so I am told) he is unable to organize a collection with the courier and suggests that I bring the smartwatch to the Apple Store in Bologna.
18/12/2020: I take half a day off work and go to the AS as indicated. Upon my arrival the Genius of the Genius Bar reassures me, claiming that he will charge the repair and that, again, the repair or replacement will be either free or at most within the AC + deductible.
22/12/2020: new notification from the repair center that re-submits me a request for € 353.44 + taxes. I contact support again and ask for explanations about it: the operator contacted cannot provide me with information on the hardware damage because "he cannot speak directly to the repair center" but I must be the one to "contact the AS of Bologna because the file is managed by their". After two phone calls for a total of at least 90 minutes of calls, I am again offered to refuse the repair, receive the Apple Watch back and try to send it again.
Now, given that in both cases the coverage that should guarantee the stipulation of AC + has been deliberately ignored, in my opinion an error during the software update that involves a complete blocking of the smartwatch (on some forums other users speak of consequent damages to the logic board of the device) cannot be attributed to the consumer. Since this is a device purchased two months ago, the repair for a defect like this is, according to the consumer protection in force in Italy, at the manufacturer's expense. So I find the attitude of the support and the unwillingness to solve the problem on your part scandalous. I ask to receive a detailed description of the alleged hardware damage (the support contacted on 22/12 and 23/12 has raved about a damage to the screen that absolutely does not exist and I have photos that prove it) found by the repair technicians and I expect a proposal of a much better solution than rejecting the repair again and trying to send it back for assistance hoping to be able to re-enter the repair with AC +.
Please note that my trust in Apple has drastically dropped after this experience. In the future, before buying your product again, I will make careful evaluations. I reserve the right to send a copy of the documentation in my possession to a consumer association and to a lawyer to see if I can assert my rights in other offices.
My sad adventure with Apple, Apple Care Plus and Apple Support.
16/10/2020: I buy a new Apple Watch Series 4 SS on Amazon taking advantage of the black friday. Happy with the purchase, as always active AC +.
06/12/2020: the beginning of the odyssey. During a software update, the clock crashes and shows the screen with the red exclamation mark. Follow the instructions found on the support page and I get to contact an operator by phone who reassures me, organizing a home collection and claiming that the repair or replacement will be either free or at most within the AC + deductible.
11/12/2020: the smartwatch arrives at the repair center from which bad news reaches me. I am notified of a quote of € 353.44 + tax for the replacement due to hardware damage. I contact the support again and the operator justifies this by claiming that there was probably an error in loading the procedure. He suggests that I refuse the repair and resubmit. In good faith, I accept.
12/15/2020: the smartwatch is returned to my home and, as agreed, the same support operator contacts me to organize a new repair. Due to software problems (so I am told) he is unable to organize a collection with the courier and suggests that I bring the smartwatch to the Apple Store in Bologna.
18/12/2020: I take half a day off work and go to the AS as indicated. Upon my arrival the Genius of the Genius Bar reassures me, claiming that he will charge the repair and that, again, the repair or replacement will be either free or at most within the AC + deductible.
22/12/2020: new notification from the repair center that re-submits me a request for € 353.44 + taxes. I contact support again and ask for explanations about it: the operator contacted cannot provide me with information on the hardware damage because "he cannot speak directly to the repair center" but I must be the one to "contact the AS of Bologna because the file is managed by their". After two phone calls for a total of at least 90 minutes of calls, I am again offered to refuse the repair, receive the Apple Watch back and try to send it again.
Now, given that in both cases the coverage that should guarantee the stipulation of AC + has been deliberately ignored, in my opinion an error during the software update that involves a complete blocking of the smartwatch (on some forums other users speak of consequent damages to the logic board of the device) cannot be attributed to the consumer. Since this is a device purchased two months ago, the repair for a defect like this is, according to the consumer protection in force in Italy, at the manufacturer's expense. So I find the attitude of the support and the unwillingness to solve the problem on your part scandalous. I ask to receive a detailed description of the alleged hardware damage (the support contacted on 22/12 and 23/12 has raved about a damage to the screen that absolutely does not exist and I have photos that prove it) found by the repair technicians and I expect a proposal of a much better solution than rejecting the repair again and trying to send it back for assistance hoping to be able to re-enter the repair with AC +.
Please note that my trust in Apple has drastically dropped after this experience. In the future, before buying your product again, I will make careful evaluations. I reserve the right to send a copy of the documentation in my possession to a consumer association and to a lawyer to see if I can assert my rights in other offices.
I would be very frustrated as well. Given what has occurred, I think a email to Tim Cook is in order. tcook@apple.com
Be brief but concise with the facts. Make sure to let them know you wish to be contacted.
Be brief but concise with the facts. Make sure to let them know you wish to be contacted.
I think the problem is that it’s a Series 4. They stopped selling that model in 2019.
When you buy an older model new, you’re supposed to immediately go to your iCloud device list and establish the purchased date by uploading a receipt. That will prevent problems when you need the 1 year warranty.
But if you always buy the current model within 12 months of launch, you’d never run into this problem either.
When you buy an older model new, you’re supposed to immediately go to your iCloud device list and establish the purchased date by uploading a receipt. That will prevent problems when you need the 1 year warranty.
But if you always buy the current model within 12 months of launch, you’d never run into this problem either.
Ouch that's painful. Good luck OP - Hope the make it right - definitely terrible customer service.
Could be an idea. Thank you.
2 months after buying it. Register in my device list with AC+. A software upload brick the watch and they try to make me pay 350€. The problem is not the Series 4 itself: they could offer an update with a 5 if they haven’t got replacement (and I doubt that all over the world Apple haven’t got a SS gold AW S4).
Finally after more than one month, substitution approved!! 🎉
Congratulations! Ridiculous that it took this long, but glad you're getting your watch replaced.
I don't get it.. the guy recently bought a watch, got AppleCare, something went wrong with update and apple still wanted to charge him 350 whatevers to fix it? He shouldn't even need to use his AppleCare - doesn't it come with the standard 1 year warranty?
Bought it in October 2020. 6th December 2020 brick it. Both time I sent it to Apple for repair they ignore AC+ and propose a full price replacement. Both time I ask to use my AC+ replacement and they told me that I had to refuse the estimate, receive back the AW and send again for a new repair.
In Italy we have got 1st year warranty by manufacturer and 2nd year warranty by seller.
After long time (more than 1 month) and a lot of anger with customer service, I found a guy at Apple Store that could really help me.
I just find it odd that apple gave you a hard time in rectifying the issue seeing that the watch was only 2 months old and prolly just needed a reflash. And the solution they provided you was to basically buy another watch!
Glad you finally got a replacement approved. That took too long.
With the “red exclamation mark” the reflash is not enough: it seems that the update errors brick logical board, the only way is to replace the device.
Yes: too long and too difficult. But I hope that this afternoon, when I will go to pick up the replacement one, this never ending story will finally end well
For what I know, in Italy they don’t repair AW in Store. They have always to send them to a european repair center.
I look forward to hearing that you've been made whole and are satisfied with the results of such a ridiculously complicated and unreasonable lack of customer care. I commend you on your composure and patience. Respect. 👍
Same here in the US, all the stuff you bring into the store gets shipped to Texas for repairs. Sounds like Apple Italy customer service is on the same level as Apple Korea 😫
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It’s back!!!
I ensured you that I was not so composed and patient during some phone call where the poor guy repeated me “it’s hardware problem, probably the screen is damaged” 😂
I ensured you that I was not so composed and patient during some phone call where the poor guy repeated me “it’s hardware problem, probably the screen is damaged” 😂
Maybe this is their company's regulations, giving customers a familiar feeling.
Today I received an email and suddenly a call by someone of the executive contact from Apple as a consequence of my email to Tim Cook. The lady that contact me said that she will investigate about my experience and let me know what she will find out.
Thank you again for your suggestion ✌🏻
The Executive Relations Department is excellent in situations like this. I have never been let down when I had to contact them.
Awesome and I’m sorry about your recent experience with Apple. It’s absolutely unacceptable, especially you have purchased AC+. All the best and hopefully they can offer you a good compensation for the trouble.
Night ward with it back with Milanese Loop. I’ve missed it too much.
