As far as I know they won't touch it if its had water damage, as that invalidates the warranty.
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Dust under iPhone 3G screen - Anybody successfully exchanged?
- Thread starter sallythemac
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As far as I know they won't touch it if its had water damage, as that invalidates the warranty.
I've got a 3G still under the limited hardware warranty, and there is basically an infestation of dust behind the glass of the screen. I'm bringing it in tonight to see if they'll replace my phone or repair it.
My question is, how would they replace it? It's a 16GB black 3G, which they don't sell anymore.
My question is, how would they replace it? It's a 16GB black 3G, which they don't sell anymore.
Excess dust under screen
I had over half of my screen covered in dust .It looks as if it was coming in from the silent switch ( My phone is almost always kept in the silent position and i keep it in my pocket some of the time ) . I tried to live with it but in bright light it was really obvious and annoying .
I booked an appointment with the genius bar last month to see what could be done with the dust . They guy at the genius told me that they usually blow the dust out with compressed air but the compressor was broken tat day so he told me to go away and buy a can of compressed air used for cleaning keyboards etc. I asked if they could take the screen off and clean it but they said they couldn't do that .
I went away and tried to blow the dust out but it did nothing except almost blow the front of the screen off . After looking on this forum and seeing that others have been given replacement screens i decide to give it another go . So i booked another appointment this morning at the genius bar and he swapped my screen over no problem .
Im quite surprised about the advice i got from the genius bar the first time round .
It also looks like they changed the front part of the screen as well it now feels different . Is it possible that the new replacement screen has the oleophobic coating?
I had over half of my screen covered in dust .It looks as if it was coming in from the silent switch ( My phone is almost always kept in the silent position and i keep it in my pocket some of the time ) . I tried to live with it but in bright light it was really obvious and annoying .
I booked an appointment with the genius bar last month to see what could be done with the dust . They guy at the genius told me that they usually blow the dust out with compressed air but the compressor was broken tat day so he told me to go away and buy a can of compressed air used for cleaning keyboards etc. I asked if they could take the screen off and clean it but they said they couldn't do that .
I went away and tried to blow the dust out but it did nothing except almost blow the front of the screen off . After looking on this forum and seeing that others have been given replacement screens i decide to give it another go . So i booked another appointment this morning at the genius bar and he swapped my screen over no problem .
Im quite surprised about the advice i got from the genius bar the first time round .
It also looks like they changed the front part of the screen as well it now feels different . Is it possible that the new replacement screen has the oleophobic coating?
Okay, I'm considering an appointment for this issue. I need to know if anyone in the US has exchanged iPhones, I have a 8GB 3G. I've read blogs and stuff that claim they exchanged without issues and just some paperwork. (That, and I really wanna get a newer 3G cause mine is all scratched up! 
)
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Okay, I'm considering an appointment for this issue. I need to know if anyone in the US has exchanged iPhones, I have a 8GB 3G. I've read blogs and stuff that claim they exchanged without issues and just some paperwork. (That, and I really wanna get a newer 3G cause mine is all scratched up!
I've got the same situation. Has anyone done this lately?
I've had bad luck with problems on my iPhones too but finally got one that was perfect (on my 4th).
Also, when I had a lot of dust under my screen they just did a screen replacement, but then a couple of weeks later the bezel started separating from the case so I had to get the whole thing replaced.
If the genius bar is giving you trouble about the dust issue, you can always try it yourself. A decent suction cup can take off the screen assembly, and a few more screws and you can remove the LCD. It's not a very involved process if the dust is driving you crazy.
I agree. I've done this before, but I somehow scratched the glass while I was doing it... no idea how.
I wonder if they can replace screens at all genious bars now. Other than a couple specks of dust under my 3GS screen, the phone is totally perfect. Just wish it did not have the dust. I already had to exchange once for a ton of other issues with my first 3GS. Felt like l got real lucky with the new one, but now dust all of a sudden shows up after having the new one for just one week. Arrggg.
Went out to the beach this weekend and when I got home I noticed about 5 pieces of what I assumed to be sand inside my 3GS.. Took it down to Apple thinking that they might tell me I am S.O.L becuase its sand and not technically "dust", however with little explanation the gentleman at the genius bar exchanged it and I was on my way. Thanks 
lol alright thats my feel good story of the day
lol alright thats my feel good story of the day
I successfully had a screen replaced last night. I had some dust under my screen as well and figured I was getting a replacement. I was very happy to find out that the genius' at apple can do it in the store in about 15 minutes. Prior to my screen replacement I had a noticeable gap between my screen and bevel as well which is now gone. My iPhone is in brand new condition so I didn't care for a swap. Underneath the new screen is dust free, feels like a brand new iPhone again anyways without the work of restoring from a backup. Minor though.
Same problem with iPod touch 2nd gen
So guys, I wanna give a quick explanation on how dust gets underneath the screen.
It happened to my iPod touch 2nd gen as well before, but not my 1st gen. Here's the problem. Unlike the 1st gen's screen which is screwed onto the metal bezel (also applies to 1st gen iPhone), the screen for 2nd gen iPod touches and the 3G(s) is simply taped onto the glass. First of all, tape is obviously not as strong as 16 screws holding the screen against the glass/bezel, and also if you look closely at your iPhone 3G(s)/iTouch 2G, between the metal backing and the glass, there's a piece of black "elastic band". Now I'm kind of a neat freak, so when I had my iPod touch 2nd gen, when dust would get on the thin rubber band, I'd use my fingernail to get it out. Unfortuneatly, little did I know that when I did that, it also pushed down the rubber band, leaving a small gap between the metal backing and the glass. Just this small tiny slither, would allow lots of particles of dust to get in. Some of them end up on the screen, under the glass. Even if you never used your fingernail to push down the rubber band, it could also be a bad assembly, or something else pushed it down, like keys perhaps.
TIP: At night, turn off the lights, close the doors, blinds etc, and turn on your iPhone/iTouch, and put on an application which puts on a white screen (such as the app iLight, etc, just get a free one), and see if any appear through the crack between the screen and the backing. Turn it on many angles to see.
For me, I returned my iPod touch 2nd gen, and didn't buy a new one because it would probably happen again.
So guys, I wanna give a quick explanation on how dust gets underneath the screen.
It happened to my iPod touch 2nd gen as well before, but not my 1st gen. Here's the problem. Unlike the 1st gen's screen which is screwed onto the metal bezel (also applies to 1st gen iPhone), the screen for 2nd gen iPod touches and the 3G(s) is simply taped onto the glass. First of all, tape is obviously not as strong as 16 screws holding the screen against the glass/bezel, and also if you look closely at your iPhone 3G(s)/iTouch 2G, between the metal backing and the glass, there's a piece of black "elastic band". Now I'm kind of a neat freak, so when I had my iPod touch 2nd gen, when dust would get on the thin rubber band, I'd use my fingernail to get it out. Unfortuneatly, little did I know that when I did that, it also pushed down the rubber band, leaving a small gap between the metal backing and the glass. Just this small tiny slither, would allow lots of particles of dust to get in. Some of them end up on the screen, under the glass. Even if you never used your fingernail to push down the rubber band, it could also be a bad assembly, or something else pushed it down, like keys perhaps.
TIP: At night, turn off the lights, close the doors, blinds etc, and turn on your iPhone/iTouch, and put on an application which puts on a white screen (such as the app iLight, etc, just get a free one), and see if any appear through the crack between the screen and the backing. Turn it on many angles to see.
For me, I returned my iPod touch 2nd gen, and didn't buy a new one because it would probably happen again.
Screen Change
Just got back from the Apple Store (Indianapolis, IN, USA). I had dust under the screen of my iPhone I bought from an AT&T store last November. The guy switched out my screen and put a new rubber seal around it. He said he also cleaned it all out with compressed air while it was open.
Looks good as new.
Just got back from the Apple Store (Indianapolis, IN, USA). I had dust under the screen of my iPhone I bought from an AT&T store last November. The guy switched out my screen and put a new rubber seal around it. He said he also cleaned it all out with compressed air while it was open.
Looks good as new.
The original iPhone's screen is not screwed into the bezel. The glass is GLUED to the LCD screen. There is no way for dust to get under the glass on the first gen iPhone. My first generation iPod touch has about 200 pieces of tiny dust particles under the screen, so they are not immune to dust. Also, I've taken apart my iPhone 3G and nothing is taped. The LCD is screwed onto metal brackets coming from the glass panel. No tape. I've never taken apart a second gen iPod touch, but I'm assuming it's built the same way as the iPhone 3G.
Also, I don't believe dust is getting in through the gaps on the side of the iPhone screen. I didn't have any light leak on my iPhone 3G and dust still got in there... you know how?... I'll tell you. When I dropped my iPhone 3G, I must have jolted it enough to make dust, that was already inside the iPhone, fall under the glass.
Yup, same thing happened to me. Dropped my old iPhone 3G once when I had to lie down on an examining table at the ER, picked it up to find not cracks (whew!) but numerous chunks of dust under the glass.
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Apple replaced my dusty screen 2 days ago. Took 10 min. and no hassles. The genius even told me if I got a yellow screen as a replacement, he'd replace that too. I did in fact get a screen that is a bit yellowish, but it's contrastier than my previous screen and I'm keeping it.
Apple replaced my dusty screen 2 days ago. Took 10 min. and no hassles. The genius even told me if I got a yellow screen as a replacement, he'd replace that too. I did in fact get a screen that is a bit yellowish, but it's contrastier than my previous screen and I'm keeping it.
