Apple Initiates iPhone 5 Sleep/Wake Button Replacement Program [Updated]

[frent]

I just got a message that my iphone is in.

On the description it says :
"Vervanging iPhone, new s/n : XXX" (Which means "Replacement Iphone")

And the s/n is of an Iphone that is not activated. Does this mean it is brand new or could they be deactivated?

 

[yanki01]

Curious about this but has anyone actually received an email from Apple alerting them to the existence of this program?

I have not, although my serial number is eligible and it is associated with my Apple ID.

I only know about it from visiting this site... I would have hoped Apple's customer service was a bit more proactive.

same here and I'm sure apple had a work around any lawsuits of not notifying people who are affected somewhere in fine print when we bought the iPhone. sucks for those who are affected and are not active members on here or any other social media site on this. I, however did tell anyone I knew about the replacement program.

 

[dannyrob11]

Finally got a call after 2 weeks to say mine was ready (UK). Picked it up and returned the loaner today and they replaced the battery for free.

The day I dropped it off the Genius told me the battery was in service condition and I could pay £55 to have it replaced but I declined and they did it anyway, bonus!

Further to my earlier post after i got home and used the phone for a while I noticed a black mark that appeared to be under the screen. I booked a genius appointment and took it back and they confirmed that debris had been trapped under the screen during the repair. They replaced it for a new one free of charge - great service again!

 

[dc89]

Just got my phone back from Apple Trafford Centre. On the Genius Bar paperwork, it lists quite a few 'parts' they replaced but they are all code numbers. Is there anyway I can find out what they did exactly?

The parts are:

605-3371
605-3898
605-3912
605-4027

 

[LarsMarkelson]

Took my 16gb iPhone in for repair and got a immaculate loaner unit. The contract they had me sign has this:

2)Failure to return Loaner Phone. In the event that you fail to return the Loaner Phone to Apple by the Return Date Apple will obtain full ownership rights in the Customer Phone, and may use or dispose of the Customer phone as apple sees fir; and (ii) you will obtain full ownership rights in the loaner phone and acccept the loaner phone provided to you as a full replacement of the Customer Phone. All original terms of sale, including the remainder of any warrenty terms still in effect, that applied to the Customer Phone shall continue in force and shall apply to the Loaner Phone.


Does that mean i could just keep the loaner?

I was wondering the exact same thing. Just got back from the Apple store with my loaner phone and read this clause in the agreement. The loaner appears to be brand new out of the box. I restored from my backup in iTunes and am wondering at this point why I'd go back for my old phone at all.

A concern would be that this loaner phone is not currently registered to me and I'm not sure if that would be a problem if I ever wanted to trade it in when I'm eligible for an upgrade. But I suppose I could trade it through Gazelle or a third party if need be. Either way- the way I'm reading this, there doesn't appear to be any penalties in place for keeping the loaner...someone correct me if I'm wrong!

Same here, heh. I don't see why they just didn't present the option of swapping for a refurbished phone if this is the case. For me it's a simple economics question, transportation to the Apple Store is about $10 (don't have a car unfortunately). Why not just keep it me thinks, save the time and money of getting over there....

 

[inaka]

May 27th (Wednesday) afternoon : Turned in my broken iPhone 5 (got a loaner)
May 30th (Friday) morning: Picked up fixed/repaired iPhone 5.

Wow, fastest repair ever?
Have to say, I'm pretty impressed.

 

[chris_61]

Got this email from apple:

Hi xxxxxxxx,

I left a message with a relative of yours on your landline but this is just a quick email to make sure that you're aware that, as per the iPhone Loan Agreement Terms and Conditions, if you do not collect your repaired iPhone 5 C39JCDXXXXXX by this Friday 6 June we will begin the abandonment process which states:


2. Failure to Return Loaner Phone. In the event that you fail to return the Loaner Phone to Apple by the Return Date (i) Apple will obtain full ownership rights in the Customer Phone, and may use or dispose of the Customer Phone as Apple sees fit; and (ii) you will obtain full ownership rights in the Loaner Phone and accept the Loaner Phone provided to you as a full replacement of the Customer Phone. All original terms of sale, including the remainder of any warranty terms still in effect, that applied to the Customer Phone shall continue in force and shall apply to the Loaner Phone.


Please refer to your iPhone Loan Agreement for full Terms and Conditions.


Do come into store with Photo ID and the Loaner phone to collect your iPhone by the end of day 6 June, or get in touch on the details below if you wish to discuss this further.


Kind regards,

Fine with me.

 

[Barbs]

I hate the thought of having to delete everything on phone before turning it in. I use iCloud backup only. Just afraid that something will happen and I won't get the phone back with all the correct settings and data.

I do not use a computer to do any backups. I have some music that I had ripped from old CDs that I will end up losing. I hope there isn't anything else I could lose.

 

[iMacBooked]

I believe it was just a matter of time this would happen.

 

[3rdiguy]

I have a 64gb iPhone 5 and it's more than halfway full. I cannot get the 16gb loaner because I need more space. What to do? I really need my sleep/wake button repaired too

 

[Ann P]

I have a 64gb iPhone 5 and it's more than halfway full. I cannot get the 16gb loaner because I need more space. What to do? I really need my sleep/wake button repaired too

Just deal with it for a week I guess.

 

[AznTakumi]

Could we still get the repaired if the iphone is jailbroken?

 

[binaryskies]

Could we still get the repaired if the iphone is jailbroken?

Your iPhone 5 is going to be erased and updated to iOS 7.1.1 before it is shipped out. Just like any other repair you would be getting, as long as the iPhone 5 comes in with a non-jailbroken version of iOS 6 or 7 it doesn't matter. In other words, if you come in with it jailbroken, you most likely will be told to go home and install a non-jailbroken version of iOS 7. Also, when it comes back it will have iOS 7.1.1 installed so not sure how restoring to a jailbroken backup goes unless you have the .ipsw downloaded on your mac (or pc) or have access a previous version for download. (Hopefully this all makes sense, I've been working 18 hours days the past three days so I'm tired)

As far as everyone saying it makes more sense to keep the loaner phones, I can see why you would say that if you own a 16GB iPhone 5, but think of it this way.. would you want to keep a loaner car that was given to you? It may work perfectly for the couple days to a week you have it.. but who knows what will happen after a month or two.

 

[Kendo]

May 27th (Wednesday) afternoon : Turned in my broken iPhone 5 (got a loaner)
May 30th (Friday) morning: Picked up fixed/repaired iPhone 5.

Wow, fastest repair ever?
Have to say, I'm pretty impressed.

They gave you your exact phone back? Any chance they would just replace it with a refurbished?

 

[mungo2k]

My sleep/wake button is fine, but my iPhone is eligible. My battery is rubbish. It's tempting to get it replaced and not return the loaner, as I'm likely to get a better battery. However the terms of the replacement program state that they will verify that there is an issue with the button. Has anyone had theirs replaced / repaired even though their button was OK?

 

[inaka]

They gave you your exact phone back? Any chance they would just replace it with a refurbished?

They gave me my exact phone back, repaired.
I know it's my exact phone because I had a gash in the bezel that is still there after the repair.

 

[Iphoneuserwa]

My sleep/wake button is fine, but my iPhone is eligible. My battery is rubbish. It's tempting to get it replaced and not return the loaner, as I'm likely to get a better battery. However the terms of the replacement program state that they will verify that there is an issue with the button. Has anyone had theirs replaced / repaired even though their button was OK?

I had an iphone 5 with eligible serial# that i bought used. Sometimes the power button would not work and phone screen would flash on and off as if sleep button was repeatedly being pressed. I took it in and they could not replicate the issue in store as it happens randomly. Eventually they agreed to send it in for repair. My worry was that phone being out of warranty if something more went wrong because of my sleep button issue they may not apply recall rules to me.

I got a nice loaner which seems a year old but in good condition otherwise. I was told they may not replace sleep button in my original phone. In case they don't repair my original pjone, per their loaner agreement as i am allowed to keep loaner if i give up my original, i will probably keep it.

On a side note loaner/replacement phone was not activated. When i activated it asked which carrier i wanted, since my phone was off contract from sprint, i picked Verizon just to see if it would become unlocked. It worked, i have checked that it still work on sprint (only checked on ring plus, a sprint mvno, not sure if will work with sprint), works on t-mobile as well so it is essentially factory unlocked now. I don't own the loaner yet and nor have i decided for sure of keeping it just yet. If something changes i will update here. Hope this info can hep others in same situation.

 

[otisjones]

My sleep/wake button is fine, but my iPhone is eligible. My battery is rubbish. It's tempting to get it replaced and not return the loaner, as I'm likely to get a better battery. However the terms of the replacement program state that they will verify that there is an issue with the button. Has anyone had theirs replaced / repaired even though their button was OK?

They will confirm that the sleep/wake button has failed in order to meet repair/replacement criteria (my return with loaner was at an Apple store). I received my original phone back & it is working great. They also replaced the battery & they told me at the store that battery replacement is routinely included with this particular service.

 

[unclegrumpyinc]

hmmmm
not good
at least they acknowledge it though

 

[CKohkah]

Does anyone know if they are still offering extra trade in value for the devices with this issue incase you want to get an upgrade instead of getting it fixed? I think they were offering $350 in credit when this program started.

 

[Iphoneuserwa]

Does anyone know if they are still offering extra trade in value for the devices with this issue incase you want to get an upgrade instead of getting it fixed? I think they were offering $350 in credit when this program started.

Yes they offered me $350 off on an iPhone 5C, i think they quoted me $269 after credit if i am not mistaken. Personally, i didn't find value in that and would rather have my original than 5C. I think if you are considering that, then wait for iPhone 6, your credit will be better spent. Wish i had done that lol.

 

[DAZ11]

Ahem....

Just read this forum is disbelieve, whats up with people wanting to keep the loaner phone!

Surely you understand that Apple DOES NOT have to provide loaner devices, and are likely doing so for YOUR conveniance while YOUR device is repaired.

One would presume that the loaner phones serial numbers are recorded? It'll likely flag up somewhere if you did keep it and if you have problems with it what you going to do, take it back to the store and complain 🙄

But morally, it's other customers you're really affecting. If people start keeping the loaner phones then Apple will simply stop handing them out. Sorry you'll have NO PHONE WHATSOEVER while yours is repaired - GREAT.

Some people have no morals!

 

[Iphoneuserwa]

Ahem....

Just read this forum is disbelieve, whats up with people wanting to keep the loaner phone!

Surely you understand that Apple DOES NOT have to provide loaner devices, and are likely doing so for YOUR conveniance while YOUR device is repaired.

One would presume that the loaner phones serial numbers are recorded? It'll likely flag up somewhere if you did keep it and if you have problems with it what you going to do, take it back to the store and complain 🙄

But morally, it's other customers you're really affecting. If people start keeping the loaner phones then Apple will simply stop handing them out. Sorry you'll have NO PHONE WHATSOEVER while yours is repaired - GREAT.

Some people have no morals!

Hi Daz11 I think you didn't understand that this particular program and issuing of a loaner is for a manufacturing defect of an iPhone 5. Prior to this loaner program, most people with such an issue would get a replacement refurbished or new phone issued at an apple store, no questions asked. Apple has basically retained this through the loaner program but changed it such that you can either get your original phone fixed or keep the replacement phone which is basically a refurbished phone. So, morally, a person who is using the clause in the loaner program to keep the loaner phone is not affecting anyone or otherwise Apple would have taken the clause out of their loaner agreement already. If you have not, please read the loaner agreement. It does not seem to discourage anyone from keeping a loaner as there are no penalties associated with it. In 90% of cases people would rather keep their original phone anyways. In some less common cases people just don't want to deal with the hassle of going back and forth to apple store and depending on where you live it can be a big enough of a hassle to just keep the loaner and it doesn't mean you are getting a better phone than your original.

I also think that you don't understand that, for example you don't pick up your repaired phone, it essentially becomes a loaner phone for the next person who comes in. So, again, you are not affecting anyone but yourself as even the warranties are transferred over to loaner phone. So please don't judge others without knowing all the facts...

 

[emory531]

When I took my phone in for the power button issue, I also asked them to run a battery diagnostic because it would consistently die at 30-40% and would only give me a few hours of battery life.

The person at the Apple Store told me they could only replace the power button if I had a fully functioning phone, i.e. I had to pay to replace my battery before they would fix the power button.

Did anyone else encounter that response?

Anyhow, I paid the $85 to replace the battery and then it turns out there was an "issue during repair" and they're giving me a new phone any way. Unfortunate, because I would have dealt with the battery issue until I could get an upgrade in October.

 

[Iphoneuserwa]

When I took my phone in for the power button issue, I also asked them to run a battery diagnostic because it would consistently die at 30-40% and would only give me a few hours of battery life.

The person at the Apple Store told me they could only replace the power button if I had a fully functioning phone, i.e. I had to pay to replace my battery before they would fix the power button.

Did anyone else encounter that response?

Anyhow, I paid the $85 to replace the battery and then it turns out there was an "issue during repair" and they're giving me a new phone any way. Unfortunate, because I would have dealt with the battery issue until I could get an upgrade in October.

I got the feeling reading other replies that they pretty much change battery and (even camera in most cases cuz of its location in phone next to power button, probably cuz lens and power button are hosted by same internal part). So even if you had not mentioned battery issue most likely they would have replaced it if your phone was fixsble. Battery alone would not make them give you a new phone. Probably they either broke or damaged something like motherboard and figured it would be easier to replace your unit than to fix it.