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BUYER BEWARE! My experience with a 13 day old 3G iphone

S

seantyas

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 12, 2003
75
0
Hello all,

I don't usually post much but so many of your posts have helped me macke many decisions in the past, and I felt this may affect some choices others make in a positive way.

I am certainly an iphone lover, I got one 2 weeks after the 3G had been released here in Switzerland, but lost it in an airport only months later.

After a while of trying to get used to another windows mobile phone a friend had lent me, I decided to just go purchase another 3G iphone, THIS TIME AT FULL PRICE.

Starting 11 days after purchase, several times a day I would notice 2 green stuck pixels on my display, and also a small section of the display that was SLIGHTLY darker than the rest. I decided to go try and get myself a replacement new phone on the 13th day according to my receipt.

WRONG! I just left Orange (my provider here) and they have sent my phone out for REPAIR, with NO POSSIBILITY for replacement, after paying full price for this device, essentially I will receive back a REFURBISHED PHONE, in every sense of the word!

To be quite honest, this is appalling and outrageous. Any electronic device I own (and it's a lot, I work daily in a sound studio) , if there is a problem so soon after purchase, any shop is happy to replace the defective item.

I did some research on the web and this is a common defect, and it is exactly that, a DEFECT. I got Apple Support on the phone just now, and they said this is just the way it is. Wow, really disappointed in Apple.

I will still use my iphone happily when it comes back, BUT now I know their true colors, and what kind of scummy policies they have. That is shameful.
 
In the US I think you would be able to return it before 14 days. I'm pretty sure I would have gotten my way on this one though.
 
This is why you should always read the fine print. I bet yours says they can repair or replace. They chose to repair.
 
trust me I definitely said "Well in America I would have received a new one". I don't think they appreciated my sense of patriotism there.

"Well here this is what we do" is what I got.
 
So you haven't actually seen your replacement/refurbished phone yet? Why don't you wait a few days, or at least update us on the condition of the new one. with pictures! :)
 
let's see if I understood your post. You're complaining because Apple/Orange exchanged your iPhone for 2 stuck pixels with a refurbished one? How do you know it's refurbished? Should they throw away your "stuck pixeled" one? Do you know how cost effective it would be to not fix your phone?
Many companies out there don't exchange the phone, they just fix it for you.
For most companies 2 pixels aren't enough,especially if not dead, to guarantee an exchange.
Apple care states the new item is either new or refurbished. Apple's refurbs are often better than new ones, why? Because they stand a better quality control. Can you tell it's refurbished and not new? I doubt it, because they exchange the screen, the back and the battery.
 
svndmvn said:
let's see if I understood your post. You're complaining because Apple/Orange exchanged your iPhone for 2 stuck pixels with a refurbished one? How do you know it's refurbished? Should they throw away your "stuck pixeled" one? Do you know how cost effective it would be to not fix your phone?
Many companies out there don't exchange the phone, they just fix it for you.
For most companies 2 pixels aren't enough,especially if not dead, to guarantee an exchange.
Apple care states the new item is either new or refurbished. Apple's refurbs are often better than new ones, why? Because they stand a better quality control. Can you tell it's refurbished and not new? I doubt it, because they exchange the screen, the back and the battery.
Click to expand...


Oh I have no idea what I will be getting back, it was sent in (for two weeks they said) for repair by an authorized repair company. Keep in mind it is the 20th of January and I purchased it on the 7th. 13 days after purchase, I will be without the phone (which for the equivalent of the 800 dollars I paid, should have been PERFECT for quite a while longer).

A fully refurbished phone is not even what they say I will get back. Simply a screen replacement . So essentially I have paid full price for a refurbished iphone, that "happened to seem new" for 13 days.

I think anyone would be dissapointed if not outraged by this.
 
seantyas said:
Oh I have no idea what I will be getting back, it was sent in (for two weeks they said) for repair by an authorized repair company. Keep in mind it is the 20th of January and I purchased it on the 7th. 13 days after purchase, I will be without the phone (which for the equivalent of the 800 dollars I paid, should have been PERFECT for quite a while longer).

A fully refurbished phone is not even what they say I will get back. Simply a screen replacement . So essentially I have paid full price for a refurbished iphone, that "happened to seem new" for 13 days.

I think anyone would be dissapointed if not outraged by this.
Click to expand...

I know how you feel, but just wait to get it back. If you talked to Apple staff only, I think everything will be ok. If you had to talk to Orange people or some other 3rd company, that could be the problem.
I bought an iPhone 3g through vodafone in Italy, and payed it about your same amount, the full price that is. Got back home and noticed a real bad light leak, didn't even activate it and tried to get it exchanged pretty much a couple of hours after having bought it. The people at vodafone were really stupid I guess, didn't want to hear about it and said they got an email from vodafone that said iPhones don't have a DOA policy, so they can just send it in for repairs, I was really pissed and refused to make it get fixed, talked to Apple/Vodafone/Consumers' right Association and they all agreed with me. Anyway, a week later, I hadn't even activated it yet, since that would have complicated it all even more since there's like a half an hour of use policy regarding phones in order to have them exchanged, they exchanged it with a new one. Ever since, I've only talked to Apple Care for my concerns, have exchanged it through them a few times, with either new or refurbished ones. Good luck to you!
 
i would have loved to, only in Switzerland we have no Apple stores. Only authorized sellers (which look like apple stores)

But they cannot do swaps since it was purchased through my provider at one of their shops (Orange)

EDIT: OK just have gotten off the phone with Orange, they said the apple repair center says they decide there if the person recieves back a replacement or his/her same phone, fixed .

Though she did conveniently leave out what the Apple guy just told me an hour ago, that if it is a replacement, it's a refurb.

Money well spent I think. Pfffft
 
seantyas said:
Hello all,

I don't usually post much but so many of your posts have helped me macke many decisions in the past, and I felt this may affect some choices others make in a positive way.

I am certainly an iphone lover, I got one 2 weeks after the 3G had been released here in Switzerland, but lost it in an airport only months later.

After a while of trying to get used to another windows mobile phone a friend had lent me, I decided to just go purchase another 3G iphone, THIS TIME AT FULL PRICE.

Starting 11 days after purchase, several times a day I would notice 2 green stuck pixels on my display, and also a small section of the display that was SLIGHTLY darker than the rest. I decided to go try and get myself a replacement new phone on the 13th day according to my receipt.

WRONG! I just left Orange (my provider here) and they have sent my phone out for REPAIR, with NO POSSIBILITY for replacement, after paying full price for this device, essentially I will receive back a REFURBISHED PHONE, in every sense of the word!

To be quite honest, this is appalling and outrageous. Any electronic device I own (and it's a lot, I work daily in a sound studio) , if there is a problem so soon after purchase, any shop is happy to replace the defective item.

I did some research on the web and this is a common defect, and it is exactly that, a DEFECT. I got Apple Support on the phone just now, and they said this is just the way it is. Wow, really disappointed in Apple.

I will still use my iphone happily when it comes back, BUT now I know their true colors, and what kind of scummy policies they have. That is shameful.
Click to expand...

I'm also in Switzerland. I have an iPhone that I bought through Swisscom in August. I recently had a problem with my screen. I discovered a small crack on one side. I went to the Apple Store in Geneva last week and they replaced my phone. I don't know if the new one is refurbished, but I can tell you that it seems to be much better than the former one, from the point of view of QC.

I think you should have gone to an Apple Store and not to Orange. They would have taken good care of you.

On the other hand, the person you talked to probably didn't even know what was going to happen to your phone. They probably just sent it to Apple and you will receive a replacement. I don't see why they would pay for a screen replacement when the phone is covered by a warranty from Apple.

I wish you good luck.
 
arubinst said:
Oops... not true! We have one apple store in Zurich and one in Geneva. They're both REAL Apple Stores.

I'm sorry you didn't know that...
Click to expand...

Wow I really DIDN'T! oops! but still, If I went to this store would they have given me a new phone (considering the guy on Apple support said that I only get refurb back)

EDIT: None in Zurich, just called a number that is listed on telsearch and the number is dead, and upon calling the other number listed , the woman says no apple store in Zurich at all. "Nur Handler" ( I am assuming this means only resellers)
 
Who cares if it is a refurb. It will be in absolutely perfect condition, and if it isn't, Apple will swap it out again.
 
netdog said:
Who cares if it is a refurb. It will be in absolutely perfect condition, and if it isn't, Apple will swap it out again.
Click to expand...

When I paid for a new one, yea, I care.

Would you pay full price for something if you knew it would be refurbished 13 days after purchase?

I really hope they see the activation date when they receive it and just logically replace the whole unit. This is a manufacturing defect not something that wear and tear would cause. Not in 13 days of use.
 
Wow

Wow, it should also be noted at this point, that after posting this same story on Apple iPhone discussions, the thread has mysteriously vanished with no trace.
 
What's that sound? Oh... I think it might just be the Waaaambulance coming. Make way! Make way!

So you get a phone and it's defective. You take it in and it's going to be repaired. I fail to see what all the whining is about. So what if it's been repaired? It's still your phone. It's not like you bought a refurbished phone that someone dropped in a toilet or something.
 
Just so you know... Refurbished iPhones are the same as new. In fact, refurbished iPhones are usually higher quality since they take the time to put it together right instead of rushing it off a production line. I always get better stuff when it's refurbished.
 
If I had a brand new iPhone, I'd find a problem with it so I could exchange it for a refurb. They're better products
here's what you get
BRAND NEW back
BRAND NEW screen
BRAND NEW chrome hardware
BRAND NEW battery
VERY CAREFULLY repaired interior (motherboard, cpu, etc)

basically what they keep are the parts that would either
a) be re used in a refurb or
b) melted down and recycled into parts that are then pressed again and put into a "new" phone

with an Apple refurb, you get a phone that you know they took the time to make sure its done right. You wont be able to tell the difference. In fact, you may think that the refurb is new when compared with a new phone.

would you be throwing a fit if you bought a computer, and found out that the heavy metals/plastic used for the motherboard were recycled? I hope not, or you might as well not use a computer
 
Not sure about Switzerland, but in the UK you are entitled to an exchange if a product fails within 28 days of purchase. After that, the retailer can chose to repair.
 
I don't see any problem in this situation. You will be getting fixed, new iphone. Do you have OCD or something??
Jesus..
 
hahahha, i know it seems quite urgent doesnt it? :)

I know we are all apple fans here and I definitely expected quite a hardcore bit of defense on the apple side (trust me i've done it)

But to be without the iphone that i bought only 13 days ago, for the next 2 weeks, is quite annoying as well.

I read all the stuff you guys wrote about the refurb/repair quality, I really hope that is the deal. I used to work for a warranty repair company (we specialized in literally ONE model of a dell laptop only, each person had to do 15-25 repairs a day), and after that experience I'd still choose a new model over refurbed. I suppose it is the mentality they yes, I worked to pay for something, and I expect that IT WORKS 100% as well.

Though in all fairness if it comes back absolutely perfect, I will eat all these words and will post accordingly. Somehow I am expecting an "unable to replicate customers said intermittent problem" letter.
 
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