[doublepost=1532008990][/doublepost]Wow......how tacky could you get Apple. A 900 billion dollar company, with 14 billion in quarterly earnings cant fix a poorly designed component on a 700+ dollar phone. I seriously hope this comes back to bite apple 100x more than me who is sitting here with a phone that can do everything except make calls. What a joke.
A few months ago, in an internal document obtained by MacRumors, Apple acknowledged that some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users may experience a grayed-out speaker button during phone calls, or not be heard during phone calls or FaceTime chats. Apple didn't identify a cause for the issues.
If an affected iPhone is no longer covered by warranty, Apple's document said Genius Bars or Apple Authorized Service Providers could escalate the case to Apple, and the company would grant an exception, resulting in a free repair for the customer. Of note, this was never a full-out service program.
"I just had my wife's iPhone 7 replaced this morning," said one MacRumors forum member, in a discussion thread about these issues. "Out of warranty and Apple took care of the bill. The mic on the device had failed."
As of last week, however, Apple appears to have stopped offering that exception. Reliable sources at multiple Apple Authorized Service Providers informed MacRumors that Apple has now deleted its internal document related to these issues, and they are no longer able to put through free repairs via Apple's system.
Instead, if an affected iPhone is past its warranty period, Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers must charge a standard out-of-warranty fee for the repair to be completed, according to the sources we spoke with.
While only a limited number of customers are affected, one source told us that the microphone issues are still prevalent, and do not appear to have been resolved, so it's unclear why Apple chose to stop offering exceptions. We've reached out to Apple for comment on the matter -- we'll update if we hear back.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices still within Apple's limited one-year warranty period or covered by AppleCare+ should remain eligible for a free repair.
Repairs can be initiated by booking an appointment at a Genius Bar, or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider, via the Contact Apple Support page: iPhone -> Repairs & Physical Damage -> Unable to Hear Through Receiver or Speakers -> Built-in Speaker -> Bring In For Repair and select a location and time.
Article Link: Apple No Longer Offering Free Out-of-Warranty Repairs of iPhone 7 Models With Grayed-Out Speaker Button
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Apple No Longer Offering Free Out-of-Warranty Repairs of iPhone 7 Models With Grayed-Out Speaker Button
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Same issue here. I’ve been to the Genius Bar twice and have called customer twice. Each person I spoke to said they escalated the issue or spoke with a manager then came back and said there nothing they can do. That unfortunately I have to pay the $319 or upgrade my device. Even though there is nothing wrong with my phone other than I can’t make or take phone calls. Very very frustrating. I emailed them twice with the link you provided. Hoping that I get a response back.
I think it started, their recent quarter earnings is less.
Let our experiences heard & read. Post our experiences on many sites & social medias.
I didn’t have account at Apple Community or MacRumors. But, I created account because Apple swindles their way out of fixing an error that they caused.
I’ll created Twitter account and more to let more people know about my frustrating experiences with iPhone 7 defects & the terrible services at Apple’s Genius Bar. All I want is my iPhone 7 back to its normal state. I will not pay for a refurbished replacement to have the same errors occur.
@Apple Support, Don’t take years to build a good reputation & ruin it by hushing customers. I’ll rally up, protest in front of your store.
Let our experiences heard & read. Post our experiences on many sites & social medias.
I didn’t have account at Apple Community or MacRumors. But, I created account because Apple swindles their way out of fixing an error that they caused.
I’ll created Twitter account and more to let more people know about my frustrating experiences with iPhone 7 defects & the terrible services at Apple’s Genius Bar. All I want is my iPhone 7 back to its normal state. I will not pay for a refurbished replacement to have the same errors occur.
@Apple Support, Don’t take years to build a good reputation & ruin it by hushing customers. I’ll rally up, protest in front of your store.
Doesn't quite seem like that's the case: https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-earnings-second-quarter-2018/
lol my apple.com account is banned in the apple discussion forum. I guess it's for spreading about my experience in everything related thread i can find.
Wow, shameful of Apple is that @mrgodai I've had three warning myself for simply linking to a tweet (Which is NOT against their user agreement that they linked me to).
Keep the topics/posts active and share your experiences where you can guys.
Keep the topics/posts active and share your experiences where you can guys.
so i got off the phone with customer relations and supposedly he talked with senior engineering. now the explanation for not replacing out of warranty is different from what the tech support tell me (senior tech support says only affects 11.3/11.3.1, not 11.4). apparently they can replace it out of warranty IF the grey out mic is only in calls and not in voice memo. so if your voice memo works but calls dont, they supposedly can replace it.
Now this could be something that they made up since the stories dont match up and they all seem to be prohibited from emailing the details to me in writing. But you can give it a shot if you have a working voice memo.
Now this could be something that they made up since the stories dont match up and they all seem to be prohibited from emailing the details to me in writing. But you can give it a shot if you have a working voice memo.
Yeah that's BS about the greyed out speaker icon/voice memos. The hardware (Mic/Speaker) aren't being recognised, either through being physically damaged, or unusable due to software fault. Both the phone calls and voice memo functionality will be rendered unusable due to this single fault.
PS: I also got banned off Apples forum, I've thoroughly read their terms of use and have NOT broken any of the guidelines. As soon as I'm back on there I'm gonna be detailing my next actions. Trading standards. And hoping others will get on board too.
I'm not having somebody else break my phone and not be compensated. No chance.
PS: I also got banned off Apples forum, I've thoroughly read their terms of use and have NOT broken any of the guidelines. As soon as I'm back on there I'm gonna be detailing my next actions. Trading standards. And hoping others will get on board too.
I'm not having somebody else break my phone and not be compensated. No chance.
Ok, a little update for errbody. After being offered a replacement phone for 319 at the apple store, I called Apple support again and asked to talk to a senior support person and they were actually able to grant me a one time replacement waiver for the issue. The reason I was able to get one is because they were still offering replacements to out of warranty phones when I first called in about the issue (7/4//2018). I got lucky on this one, hopefully y’all will too.
Has anyone been able to get a free replacement/repair AFTER this article was published?
I was just at an Apple Store - same experience as everyone else - $319 is the only option I was presented with. I asked for 3 escalations - the last person I spoke with was the store manager. The Senior Manager was not there (4th escalation) so I got their contact details. I'll keep on escalating until I get to Tim Cook
My iPhone mic stopped working 4 weeks ago - I've been travelling a lot lately and haven't had the chance to visit an apple store - been using my backup phone. When I asked the manager what would have happened if I had come 2 weeks ago, he said I would've gotten a free replacement and that I was just "UNLUCKY!!!!"
What a shame!! I've been an Apple customer for 10+ years. Zero respect for the customer.
I was just at an Apple Store - same experience as everyone else - $319 is the only option I was presented with. I asked for 3 escalations - the last person I spoke with was the store manager. The Senior Manager was not there (4th escalation) so I got their contact details. I'll keep on escalating until I get to Tim Cook
My iPhone mic stopped working 4 weeks ago - I've been travelling a lot lately and haven't had the chance to visit an apple store - been using my backup phone. When I asked the manager what would have happened if I had come 2 weeks ago, he said I would've gotten a free replacement and that I was just "UNLUCKY!!!!"
What a shame!! I've been an Apple customer for 10+ years. Zero respect for the customer.
Well, great.
I convinced my girlfriend early last year to buy a 7 Plus instead of going Android -- because I said iPhones are WAY more reliable than Androids.
Now her phone is doing this greyed-out speakerphone / no mic / long boot thing.
Thanks for making me look stupid, Apple.
Any updates on this? Or is this the end of the line? Does anyone offer reasonable repairs?
I've been an Apple customer for 10 years, too. Since the iPhone 3G. Super disappointing... there's no way in heck am I upgrading to the next $1,000 phone if its going to crap out.
I convinced my girlfriend early last year to buy a 7 Plus instead of going Android -- because I said iPhones are WAY more reliable than Androids.
Now her phone is doing this greyed-out speakerphone / no mic / long boot thing.
Thanks for making me look stupid, Apple.
Any updates on this? Or is this the end of the line? Does anyone offer reasonable repairs?
Has anyone been able to get a free replacement/repair AFTER this article was published?
I was just at an Apple Store - same experience as everyone else - $319 is the only option I was presented with. I asked for 3 escalations - the last person I spoke with was the store manager. The Senior Manager was not there (4th escalation) so I got their contact details. I'll keep on escalating until I get to Tim Cook
My iPhone mic stopped working 4 weeks ago - I've been travelling a lot lately and haven't had the chance to visit an apple store - been using my backup phone. When I asked the manager what would have happened if I had come 2 weeks ago, he said I would've gotten a free replacement and that I was just "UNLUCKY!!!!"
What a shame!! I've been an Apple customer for 10+ years. Zero respect for the customer.
I've been an Apple customer for 10 years, too. Since the iPhone 3G. Super disappointing... there's no way in heck am I upgrading to the next $1,000 phone if its going to crap out.
I’m dealing with the same issue. Anyone know where that document went? Would be nice to bring to the store as evidence that the issue was acknowledged.
Here is Tim Cook's email addressHas anyone been able to get a free replacement/repair AFTER this article was published?
I was just at an Apple Store - same experience as everyone else - $319 is the only option I was presented with. I asked for 3 escalations - the last person I spoke with was the store manager. The Senior Manager was not there (4th escalation) so I got their contact details. I'll keep on escalating until I get to Tim Cook
My iPhone mic stopped working 4 weeks ago - I've been travelling a lot lately and haven't had the chance to visit an apple store - been using my backup phone. When I asked the manager what would have happened if I had come 2 weeks ago, he said I would've gotten a free replacement and that I was just "UNLUCKY!!!!"
What a shame!! I've been an Apple customer for 10+ years. Zero respect for the customer.
tcook@apple.com
Here is the link to file a complaint against Apple with he BBB
https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/cupertino/profile/home-electronics/apple-inc-1216-198239
[doublepost=1536822868][/doublepost]Glad to find this thread. I have the same problem, not just with one iPhone, but 3 of 5 iPhone in the family have this!
A few months ago, in an internal document obtained by MacRumors, Apple acknowledged that some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users may experience a grayed-out speaker button during phone calls, or not be heard during phone calls or FaceTime chats. Apple didn't identify a cause for the issues.
If an affected iPhone is no longer covered by warranty, Apple's document said Genius Bars or Apple Authorized Service Providers could escalate the case to Apple, and the company would grant an exception, resulting in a free repair for the customer. Of note, this was never a full-out service program.
"I just had my wife's iPhone 7 replaced this morning," said one MacRumors forum member, in a discussion thread about these issues. "Out of warranty and Apple took care of the bill. The mic on the device had failed."
As of last week, however, Apple appears to have stopped offering that exception. Reliable sources at multiple Apple Authorized Service Providers informed MacRumors that Apple has now deleted its internal document related to these issues, and they are no longer able to put through free repairs via Apple's system.
Instead, if an affected iPhone is past its warranty period, Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers must charge a standard out-of-warranty fee for the repair to be completed, according to the sources we spoke with.
While only a limited number of customers are affected, one source told us that the microphone issues are still prevalent, and do not appear to have been resolved, so it's unclear why Apple chose to stop offering exceptions. We've reached out to Apple for comment on the matter -- we'll update if we hear back.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices still within Apple's limited one-year warranty period or covered by AppleCare+ should remain eligible for a free repair.
Repairs can be initiated by booking an appointment at a Genius Bar, or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider, via the Contact Apple Support page: iPhone -> Repairs & Physical Damage -> Unable to Hear Through Receiver or Speakers -> Built-in Speaker -> Bring In For Repair and select a location and time.
Article Link: Apple No Longer Offering Free Out-of-Warranty Repairs of iPhone 7 Models With Grayed-Out Speaker Button
- speaker grey out when making or receive call
- cannot hear other party
- microphone does not work either, with phone or face time.
- can only make or receive call through bluebooth!
First my son's iPhone 7 had this in July. Took to apple support and they tested it and say yeah it's their problem and
replced the phone.
Then last month, same thing happed to my iPhone 7 and my other son's iPhone 7 plus. took to apple support,
they see the issue but said that they covered it for a while now they think it's not their problem and we are out of luck!
the only way is we pay to have them fixed. How could not be a systematic issue when 3 of the 5 phone have the exact failure and all happen close to each other? all of my phones are well cared for and were in protective case. no cracked
screen or any physical damage nor water damage!
All five phone were bought together through T-Mobile 2 years ago as a family plan. So must be a problem batch.
I am so angry with apple. Anybody know how to pursue this? expose somewhere? where? my local TV has
a consumer show and I will give them a call and see if they could help. I am ******! #!#!
Apple gave me a free replacement today. 4 months ago, they issued replacements as an exception to out of warranty phones. Then they stopped it. But I got lucky today. So, try your luck in couple of apple stores. Initially, they were trying to pin it on me but I insisted that I came in July too but they didnt process it. The rep knew they bricked it, so guilt may have played a part in replacing it. Good luck.
My sons 18 month old iPhone 7 just started having this issue. Greyed out speaker button and no mic or camera during calls. On top of that, the WI-FI has been really buggy. Sometimes it doesn't work at all. Is that also a known symptom? I guess I could try the Apple trade-in program. I just wonder if I take the phone into the store if they will know it's having a problem. Everything seems to work until you try to place call. Do they actually inspect it in the store for trade-ins or do they send it off somewhere else to be inspected?
I replied on your tweet, my daughter's iPhone 7 plus now has this issue.
In her case, the phone was working fine up until she upgrade to iOS 12.3.1. Not sure what she was running prior to 12.3.1. I have setup a Genius appointment for tomorrow. Will see how that goes, will post outcome.
The thing is, I can replace the mics myself with a kit form iFixit, but not even sure if that will fix the issue or for how long. Extremely weird that software is causing a hardware component to malfunction.
I recently had the same problem with my daughters iPhone 7. Getting nowhere with Apple and angry that a well looked after phone less than 3 years old had greyed out speaker and couldn't record memos. For the first time I went for an unauthorised repair, its the Audio IC Replacement, and needs micro soldering, not a job you can do at home.
I researched sellers on eBay read tons of feedback on repairs - this is a huge problem. I settled on a seller charging £25 (some are charging up to £80) I sent off recorded post and got it back 3 days later working now, no data loss. In the meantime I'd bought my daughter and XR so now have a spare 256GB iPhone 7 that I'll use for emergencies and iPod. Happy with repair/service but not happy that a phone that was less than 3 years old failed - I'd expect 5 years at least from a modern iPhone thats been cared for. Hope this helps.
I researched sellers on eBay read tons of feedback on repairs - this is a huge problem. I settled on a seller charging £25 (some are charging up to £80) I sent off recorded post and got it back 3 days later working now, no data loss. In the meantime I'd bought my daughter and XR so now have a spare 256GB iPhone 7 that I'll use for emergencies and iPod. Happy with repair/service but not happy that a phone that was less than 3 years old failed - I'd expect 5 years at least from a modern iPhone thats been cared for. Hope this helps.