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Apple refused to fix my iPhone 4 home button
- Thread starter Sensamic
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It's definitely a 4 and most likely will be a 4S problem... I don't know why but pre 4 buttons hold up much better. My 3GS button works as new, same for another person I know that still uses a 3G. My iPhone 4, I had to replace the button this past summer, and quite a few others I know have had issues with their 4 home button. You can see plenty of reports of this online. My button would still work but I had to press it a lot, lot harder and that was annoying using the double touch for tasking, or trying to close an app/go back to home screen and having to press it harder again.
It's not hard to replace though to fix if you've opened and worked on iPhones before. Much cheaper then paying Apple to do so lol.
3GS home button works great just like iPad 1 and 2 because you don't have to press so much for it to work. I mean, the iPhone 4 is thicker, so the home button can be pressed further down. I believe this is the problem. The lowest you need to press down a button the better and this way it will last longer.
the extra space lets more dust/dirt accumulate, interfering with the button. try your vacuum cleaner crevice tool across the dock connector, then button, see if that helps. have seen that restore home button operation on a number of units.
Sounds like your second year of warranty is with your carrier, and not Apple. I would be pissed at my carrier not Apple. It doesn't matter that your carrier usually uses Apple's official repair service, they sold you the extra year, so they should be held responsible for the repair.
My wife's iPhone 4 through AT&T that she bought July 2010 has the same issue with an unresponsive home button. I think $50 is worth it to get it fixed so she can hold off until the iPhone 5 comes out. I am getting her an iPad 2, so maybe she'll start using that more than her crippled iPhone.
I wish I made enough money to make statements like that. He's hoping to get a replacement for a $700 piece of equipment the size of a deck of cards.
I am having the same issue with my iPhone 4 as well. Not a happy camper with the direction that this thread seems to have taken in regards as to what Apple should and should not do.
Having an the first iPhone since day one, and never an issue - I am dismayed with having an issue with my iPhone 4 with the home button. Does seem that the quality is hitting the bricks as time goes on.
Having an the first iPhone since day one, and never an issue - I am dismayed with having an issue with my iPhone 4 with the home button. Does seem that the quality is hitting the bricks as time goes on.
I have a better solution. Take this phone and shove it up Apple's $ss. Then go and buy Android phone. Not sure you'll get better service but it will be cheaper.
If it were me, I would still take it into the Apple store and see if you can get a Genius to have a look at it. I had an issue with my phone at one time where my voice was sounding garbled to people I called. I took it in to them and they opened it up and cleaned it out. Turns out that keeping it in my pocket is maybe not the best idea. Apparently the microphone had become full of pocket lint 
They cleaned it out, and the voice quality improved dramatically. Long story short, they may have a quick fix for it at the store. If not, you may want to explore doing it yourself. They may be able to blow it and or vacuum it.
They cleaned it out, and the voice quality improved dramatically. Long story short, they may have a quick fix for it at the store. If not, you may want to explore doing it yourself. They may be able to blow it and or vacuum it.
No he does not have a legitimate complaint. He has a problem yes. I don't know what planet you and people like you live on. EVERYTHING you buy , Cars, Refrigerators , TV's, Radios, GPS's , Cameras, Toasters, Pool filters, Golf Clubs , (you get the point) has a warranty that lasts a specific time. If you have a problem that requires repair and your warranty is over you pay for the repair.
Why, in your distorted view on the world, should your iPhone be different. You can be a big baby and stomp your feet and slunk with hurt feelings but the fact remains that you should have been aware of this BEFORE you shelled out the cash. If you didn't know, then welcome to world of grown ups.
Apple is certainly not required to fix an out of warranty phone free, but there ARE companies who will do such things, Apple is often one of the few who will, just not in this case. You can argue that a premium product should have customer svc to match.
I think a lot of luck is involved, I had an out of warranty 4 that had an intermittent issue, they couldn't duplicate it at the Apple store, the genius said sorry, nothing we can do. I politely asked to speak to the manager, he gave me a brand new phone. I guess it depends on who you talk to, being friendly helps too.
I think a lot of luck is involved, I had an out of warranty 4 that had an intermittent issue, they couldn't duplicate it at the Apple store, the genius said sorry, nothing we can do. I politely asked to speak to the manager, he gave me a brand new phone. I guess it depends on who you talk to, being friendly helps too.
You guys need to work on your reading comprehension.
OP explained that where he lives, by law, the device has a two year warranty.
There's no dispute that it's covered under warranty.
OP said that they indicated that nothing was wrong with the device and returned it.
OP explained that where he lives, by law, the device has a two year warranty.
There's no dispute that it's covered under warranty.
OP said that they indicated that nothing was wrong with the device and returned it.
Depending on your ethics you can make up a new 'problem' that can't be easily tested then they will replace it.
When I deal with warranties and require a replacement on the spot rather than waiting for them to diagnose (which I my self am very capable of doing) I just make up a problem they can't test easily.
"It randomly turns off and doesn't turn back on.. The screen just goes black and stays that way. It happens randomly during phone calls or just using the phone. I tried restoring to a back up and even tried a complete restore".
To those saying a faulty home button is not important/required by warranty to fix.. YOU ARE INSANE! The home button is the ONLY button a user has to interact with the device! When apple only gives you 1 button to control functions of the OS it better work properly.
When I deal with warranties and require a replacement on the spot rather than waiting for them to diagnose (which I my self am very capable of doing) I just make up a problem they can't test easily.
"It randomly turns off and doesn't turn back on.. The screen just goes black and stays that way. It happens randomly during phone calls or just using the phone. I tried restoring to a back up and even tried a complete restore".
To those saying a faulty home button is not important/required by warranty to fix.. YOU ARE INSANE! The home button is the ONLY button a user has to interact with the device! When apple only gives you 1 button to control functions of the OS it better work properly.
Why not take it back in for repair, and draft a letter that you want to be sent along with it explaining, in detail, how to reproduce the problems you're having and why it is a problem.
They can't simply say its not a problem if you spell it out for them.
They can't simply say its not a problem if you spell it out for them.
You are absolutely correct that you have 2 years of warranty (I live in Europe as well). For those saying he is out of warranty, warranty doesn't go through the manufacturer but through the seller.
So let's say if you buy an Apple product at Store X, than Store X handles the warranty. As a customer you have nothing to do with Apple over here (unless you buy a product via Apple's website).
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What I advice you to do, OP, is to go back to the store and ask the employees over there if it is normal that you can't use your home button anymore.
If they agree with you, than tell them (politely) you want to make use of your warranty. Always be polite to the employees (let them know it's not their fault Apple didn't want to repair it), but tell them that the iPhone is now practically defect (the home button is very important) and that you want it repaired. Tell them it's not your problem how it gets fixed, as long as it will be fixed. Also tell them, politely, that you have nothing to do with Apple because you bought the phone at their company (T-Mobile, Vodafone, KPN, BASE, etc.?).
I don't know where you are from in Europe. If you are from the Netherlands, than it might be handy to go to "consuwijzer.nl". It's a website set up by the Dutch government and Dutch organisations. It tells you all about your rights when it comes to warranty.
Follow these steps if your telecom provider is unwilling to repair the iPhone:
http://www.consuwijzer.nl/Ik_wil_ad...bij_een_product_dat_niet_goed_ondeugdelijk_is
The first step is to send a letter, requesting a repair.
If your telecom provider still refuses to repair the iPhone, than you can step in. The second step is to again send a letter, urging your telecom provider to repair the iPhone. In this letter, you will also state that if they are still unwilling to repair the iPhone, you are going to let another company repair the iPhone. Tell your telecom provider that the repair costs will be send to them.
Three: the telecom provider still refuses. You are going to repair the iPhone at some company which does iPhone repairs. You send the bill to your telecom provider.
NOTE! The above steps are in compliance with the Dutch law. You might have to take different steps somewhere else in the EU.
The topic starter is European. Generally, in Europe, if you want to make use of your warranty you go back to the store - NOT the manufacturer. So if you buy an iPad and it breaks down, you go back to the store and you will never have to go to Apple.
In most European countries, you have two years of warranty by law.
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Ive never bought Apple care because here in Europe we have 2 years of warranty by law and I consider this more than enough. Im sure that if I had bought Apple care with the iPhone then Apple would have repaired it. They didnt because they try to avoid it in order for people to buy apple care instead. In the end its their business. If this is how Apple works then Im very dissapointed. The problem is very real and every day I use the button it gets worse and worse.
Maybe in 4 months the button finally fails completely and then they will have to repair it by force. They even agreed that the button was not working 100% fine and said that it was due to natural degradation over time. So they did confirm it was not working 100% fine, but just wasnt enough bad for them to repair... If I, the owner, feel it doesnt work enough good for me then they should have repaired it.
Maybe in 4 months the button finally fails completely and then they will have to repair it by force. They even agreed that the button was not working 100% fine and said that it was due to natural degradation over time. So they did confirm it was not working 100% fine, but just wasnt enough bad for them to repair... If I, the owner, feel it doesnt work enough good for me then they should have repaired it.
as someone who PAID for an extended warranty on my 4s, it's hard for me to have sympathy for someone who DIDN'T pay for an extended warranty but wants the SAME treatment as me (who paid) would expect a year or so down the road...
just sayin.
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If you have a 2 year warranty BY LAW in europe, why not take legal action?
just sayin.
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If you have a 2 year warranty BY LAW in europe, why not take legal action?
Some of the people in this thread are forgetting what company we are talking about. Apple is infamous for having top notch customer service. I suggest the OP take advantage of said customer service and speak to an APPLE EMPLOYEE about the problems he is having. I have personally taken my MacBook Pro and iPhone in for problems out of warranty and had no problems getting serviced. The computer was repaired, and the iPhone replaced free of charge. No, they don't have to do this, but this is the service that keeps customers like us coming back. You guys need to lighten up, i don't know what happened here to make everyone so uptight all of a sudden, but this place use to be a lot more friendly.
hardware buttons are so 2007. When is apple going to enter the present day and go with a capacitive or virtual home button?
Now there's a real solution. Hoping the iP5 eliminates the physical home button.
And touching it by accident all the time? No, thanks.
Again, if you probably bought extended warranty because you only get 1 year of warranty in the US. In Europe you have two years of warranty: the SELLER deals with everything that has to do with warranty. Topic Starter has nothing to do with Apple at all. His telecom provider is the one that must take care of warranty.
And with that legal action: that's obviously very expensive. He can, however, follow the steps I posted here earlier (steps provided by the Dutch government if a store refuses to repair something within the warranty period). If he isn't Dutch, he should go to his local customer-help site.
You are also forgetting something: there are very few Apple Stores in Europe. Next to that, TS has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Apple. He bought his iPhone at a telecom provider, and the telecom provider should providing the warranty. Not Apple.
In the US you might take your AT&T iPhone to an Apple Store to replace it under your warranty. In Europe you would take your AT&T iPhone back to AT&T and than AT&T would (should) deal with Apple.
Oh by the way, over here Apple is only infamous for providing great customer service as long as you are still in your first year of warranty. Else, Apple is nothing but trouble.
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So you think that somebody who's bought an extended warranty should receive better service than somebody with a standard warranty even though both people are within the warranty periods? That's crazy.