iPod touch Apple Rep tells me to return Touch and wait 6-8 months for Apple to sort out issues

[jmpage2]

I just called Apple technical support and had a long chat with one of their reps about the problems I've had with two iPod touch units.

You know, lovely screen problems and what not.

I was sort of hoping that the rep would acknowledge the issue or even say 'Apple is working on it', etc.

Instead after talking to me for about 20 mins and then looking at some stuff online the rep says (and I quote) "Ya, well, it's a new product, it sounds like there are some kinks but I certainly don't think anyone here is aware of this, your best bet is to return the iPod for your money back and wait 6-8 months for all of this to blow over and then buy one, you should also think of the iPod Classic, that's a great device, videos look good on it".

So, anyways, this wasn't a supervisor, this just sounded like some college kid who worked at Apple as a CSR, but that's what they are telling people like me who call in and complain about the screen performance. To say that I was disappointed that they have nothing in their knowledge base about the problem and fail to acknowledge it is an understatement to say the least.

 

[aidanpendragon]

That sucks! However:

1. With Apple, it always seems a mix of ignorance and deception. In some cases, one hand doesn't know what the other 8 are doing ("they aren't selling Touches until the 28th!") So it's entirely possible this kid has no clue. It's also possible they're just doing the normal BS (e.g., if a problem is in the papers, any Apple rep. will invariably say "your case is the first I've heard about it")

2. Waiting 6-8 months is probably not a bad idea when buying any new Apple product. My father's rule of thumb is to wait a revision or 2 for anything, as the first versions (from iMac G3s to iMac G5s) tend to be buggy.

In this case, I think it's just a matter of perseverance. My Touch looks really good. Just keep returning them (assuming a store is handy) and being a pain in the ass until you get a good one.

You or any customer shouldn't have to go through this rigamarole. But it is Apple, which is always a tempestuous lover.

 

[TheSpaz]

That sucks! However:

1. With Apple, it always seems a mix of ignorance and deception. In some cases, one hand doesn't know what the other 8 are doing ("they aren't selling Touches until the 28th!") So it's entirely possible this kid has no clue. It's also possible they're just doing the normal BS (e.g., if a problem is in the papers, any Apple rep. will invariably say "your case is the first I've heard about it")

2. Waiting 6-8 months is probably not a bad idea when buying any new Apple product. My father's rule of thumb is to wait a revision or 2 for anything, as the first versions (from iMac G3s to iMac G5s) tend to be buggy.

In this case, I think it's just a matter of perseverance. My Touch looks really good. Just keep returning them (assuming a store is handy) and being a pain in the ass until you get a good one.

You or any customer shouldn't have to go through this rigamarole. But it is Apple, which is always a tempestuous lover.

Yeah, you shouldn't have to wait 6-8 months for Apple to get their crap together and ship quality products. Why didn't they test this more in-house before announcing it? The screen is like one of the most important parts of a media player... is it not?

 

[MichaelThomas]

Yeah, you shouldn't have to wait 6-8 months for Apple to get their crap together and ship quality products. Why didn't they test this more in-house before announcing it? The screen is like one of the most important parts of a media player... is it not?

well it aint called the iPod touch for nothing

 

[ivi7]

Yeah, you shouldn't have to wait 6-8 months for Apple to get their crap together and ship quality products. Why didn't they test this more in-house before announcing it? The screen is like one of the most important parts of a media player... is it not?

it sure is I think they should stop shipment and sort out the issues first

 

[uburoibob]

Yeah, you shouldn't have to wait 6-8 months for Apple to get their crap together and ship quality products. Why didn't they test this more in-house before announcing it? The screen is like one of the most important parts of a media player... is it not?

So, what you're saying is they should have waited 6-8 months and tested it more, releasing it to all of us next spring/summer?

 

[aidanpendragon]

well it aint called the iPod touch for nothing

iPod Touchy! Ha!

 

[madmaxmedia]

This is why reps and salespeople are told to stick to the script. What you heard was the opinion of some guy who probably doesn't know any more than you do. He has seen complaints, but he probably hasn't seen the problem first hand, nor does he have ANY idea what percentage of units are affected.

The Touch literally started showing up in stores 3-4 days ago. There's no way Apple will have figured out all the details, figured out how to deal with problem units, and have announced something so quick. I understand your frustration (I have a problem unit too). But all you can do is give Apple some reasonable time to sort things out.

I am going to return my unit to Best Buy, and wait for the outcome before I decide what to do. Besides the screen issue, it is a pretty impressive device. Not perfect, but it's a pretty amazing piece of technology.

 

[parrotheadmjb]

This is why reps and salespeople are told to stick to the script. What you heard was the opinion of some guy who probably doesn't know any more than you do. He has seen complaints, but he probably hasn't seen the problem first hand, nor does he have ANY idea what percentage of units are affected.

The Touch literally started showing up in stores 3-4 days ago. There's no way Apple will have figured out all the details, figured out how to deal with problem units, and have announced something so quick. I understand your frustration (I have a problem unit too). But all you can do is give Apple some reasonable time to sort things out.

I am going to return my unit to Best Buy, and wait for the outcome before I decide what to do. Besides the screen issue, it is a pretty impressive device. Not perfect, but it's a pretty amazing piece of technology.

yes, but I will twice about buy something from apple again f if they cant resolve this issue in the next month. i just want some type of announcement, "we're aware of this problem and we're working to fix it". acknowledgement is hard, microsoft cant even do it with their 360

 

[Stang68]

yes, but I will twice about buy something from apple again f if they cant resolve this issue in the next month. i just want some type of announcement, "we're aware of this problem and we're working to fix it". acknowledgement is hard, microsoft cant even do it with their 360

actually microsoft did it with 360 by recently extending everyones warranty another year and refunding everyone who got a 360 with the "three red lights of death" on their console. Microsoft handled that amazingly well...and the 360 is amazing. If Microsoft could do that, then Apple surely will.

 

[RumMunkey]

Jesus. I'd have said the same thing to get you off the phone. You call before a product if officially, actually, released and are surprised there isn't much help documentation available?

 

[madmaxmedia]

actually microsoft did it with 360 by recently extending everyones warranty another year and refunding everyone who got a 360 with the "three red lights of death" on their console. Microsoft handled that amazingly well...and the 360 is amazing. If Microsoft could do that, then Apple surely will.

Um, how long was it before Microsoft issued the warranty extension?

How long has the iPod been out?

I'm not arguing we don't deserve a response from Apple. I'm just saying people need to take a step back, everyone got all worked up over the weekend. The world isn't going to end if it takes Apple say a week or so to accurately diagnose the problem, and figure out a solution.

Microsoft took a LOT longer than that (well over a year actually, the XBox 360 launched in November of 2005.) Did they actually handle it amazingly well? I would say they handled it adequately. But I doubt you'd be happy if Apple issued some sort of Touch exchange program 16 months from now.

 

[aidanpendragon]

Yeah, the Microsoft, "let's deny the problem for year until the press and pressure are too much to bear" approach.

...Actually, that does sound like a page from the Apple playbook on bad capacitors, etc.

Jesus. I'd have said the same thing to get you off the phone. You call before a product if officially, actually, released and are surprised there isn't much help documentation available?

I wish people would stop with this myth of "isn't not officially released yet." Apple is selling it in its damn stores across the U.S., complete with retail displays. How much more official does it need to be?

 

[Stang68]

Microsoft took a LOT longer than that (well over a year actually, the XBox 360 launched in November of 2005.) Did they actually handle it amazingly well? I would say they handled it adequately. But I doubt you'd be happy if Apple issued some sort of Touch exchange program 16 months from now.

lol, this is true. But at least they DID do something about it. I guess I was exaggerating when i said "amazingly well" haha. Apple will definitely fix this problem soon.

 

[madmaxmedia]

lol, this is true. But at least they DID do something about it. I guess I was exaggerating when i said "amazingly well" haha. Apple will definitely fix this problem soon.

Yeah, their actual response was very good, I agree. And they sorta compensated for the time it took, by refunding out-of-warranty repair costs.

So hopefully Apple will issue a suitable response as well, in less time.

 

[jmpage2]

Jesus. I'd have said the same thing to get you off the phone. You call before a product if officially, actually, released and are surprised there isn't much help documentation available?

The support page is up and per the reps own admission they have received training on it.

Apple Support has a database for problems to be reported, and information shared with customers.

 

[Shanesan]

I think all this flak on the Touch is a great thing for the people who did online pre-orders. They haven't been shipped yet, and I'm sure, for a good reason. The management has probably gotten a hold of this issue and have stopped preparing pre-orders for shipment. First step: do some QA.

Its better to spend that extra 15 minutes per Touch than to have them returned by Apple's expense, repaired by Apple's expence, and shipped back per Apple's expence, right?

 

[awmazz]

I don't believe for even one second that Apple are unaware of it. This has registered as more than a blip on their radar screens.

This situation is the exact same quality control issue as the Rev 1 Macbook with yellowing casing and dead batteries. The Apple forums were lit up like a talkback radio switchboard, and returns and complaints to the stores began from day one of the first units shipped.

Yet for weeks after the returns and complaints began it was all 'what problems? Haven't heard anything about that no...'

Three months later I got my replacement battery.

 

[savar]

Apple indeed has a communication problem -- especially involving its lowest tier of workers.

I noticed this at the Apple Stores where employees had no idea which products they had in stock. When a highly anticipated product ships early, retail employees should KNOW about that. And when a highly anticipated product has a huge defect, customer service reps should KNOW about that. It should be broadcast loud and clear down to the lowest level. "This is a known issue and here is what our corporate response is. Communicate this to all customers that you interact with."

Apple is great at design and marketing, but the rest of their business is still very typical Fortune 50 corporate bureaucracy.

 

[864646]

i was just wonderin wat is the screen issue?? like can u explain wat it is?? and how u can tell if u got this problem
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