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FSMBP

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 22, 2009
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I have an appointment at the Genius Bar for my iPhone 5's finicky lock-button. The Lock-button won't register some times when pushed on the right (pretty reproducible).

What am I expect at the Genius Bar? Will they replace my iPhone with a refurb or will they attempt to repair it?

Thanks in advance!
 
Its a toss up. The lock button may be one of the easier parts of the phone to be replaced (compared to the silent switch and volume buttons); but just as well, they may not want to deal with such repairs and give you a refurbished one.

Back up your data just in case, and let us know what they do when you get back :]
 
I've never had them repair a phone, always replace. My wife's home button was rotating (you could turn it back and forth easily.) After opening it up, they offered to replace the whole screen assembly or give me a new phone. I took the new phone. I think a lot depends on your local store though.
 
Ok, thank you both! I will report back after my appointment.
 
The ifixit guide does NOT look easy for a lock button! If they agree it's bad, I would expect they would just replace the phone.
 
The ifixit guide does NOT look easy for a lock button! If they agree it's bad, I would expect they would just replace the phone.

Oh yeah that is pretty bad. The volume and silence buttons actually might be the easier ones. I dont remember it being that complicated, but then again its been over 2 years since I did it >.< (and it wasnt on the iPhone 5)
 
I just had mine replaced last weekend due to the button not working. It worked a little for a month or so but by the time I got around to setting an appointment it no longer worked at all.

When I saw the guy he said what was wrong. I showed him the button not working and he took the sim out and went and got a replacement. It took only about 5 minutes from the time I saw him and leaving.
 
After that one I looked up the home button. They had most of the steps for the home button done and still replaced my phone. lol
 
Most likely you'll get a re-manufactured iPhone (not a refurbished one as suggested by SonicRobby).
The lock button isn't easy or quick to fix unless its something else causing the failure. So instead they'll do a quick replacement for you in a most likely sense.
Let us know how it turns out.
 
I just had mine replaced last weekend due to the button not working. It worked a little for a month or so but by the time I got around to setting an appointment it no longer worked at all.

When I saw the guy he said what was wrong. I showed him the button not working and he took the sim out and went and got a replacement. It took only about 5 minutes from the time I saw him and leaving.

Likewise. Had an appointment last week for a lock button which had progressively become less respondent over the last few months, to then not working at all.

The guy took one look at it, clicked a few times, and got me a brand new handset (manufactured in July) as a replacement within 5 minutes.
 
Had the same problem about 5 months ago. Set up an appointment, walked in. Dude took about 20 seconds testing it out, walked to the back and came out with another iPhone.
 
What's the warranty on the replacement phone? 90-days from date of replacement or until the end of warranty of the replaced phone?
 
In the UK they never seem bothered about repairs. They just replace the phone. Well the Apple store I use does this all the time.
 
Most likely you'll get a re-manufactured iPhone (not a refurbished one as suggested by SonicRobby).
The lock button isn't easy or quick to fix unless its something else causing the failure. So instead they'll do a quick replacement for you in a most likely sense.
Let us know how it turns out.

You can and should expect to walk away with a functional iPhone.

Its a toss up. The lock button may be one of the easier parts of the phone to be replaced (compared to the silent switch and volume buttons); but just as well, they may not want to deal with such repairs and give you a refurbished one.

Back up your data just in case, and let us know what they do when you get back :]

Just had my appointment. They replaced my iPhone - no questions asked. Amazing service.
 
I have an appointment at the Genius Bar for my iPhone 5's finicky lock-button. The Lock-button won't register some times when pushed on the right (pretty reproducible).

What am I expect at the Genius Bar? Will they replace my iPhone with a refurb or will they attempt to repair it?

Thanks in advance!

I had a similar thing. They denied me because they said it wasn't meant to be pushed there but rather in the center. I tried explaining how my hand wraps around the phone tends to have me hit the button off center and they told me to hold it different

wasn't that pleased
 
FWIW, mine was replaced back in March for the same issue. Obviously that was a few months ago, but it was an easy, no-questions-asked swap.
 
Had the same issue, only one side of the button would work. They replaced the whole phone, no questions asked.
 
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