I pride myself on maintaining my devices and keeping them pristine. Whenever I have had a problem with a Mac or an iPhone, I receive compliments from the Genius servicing the device. However, I have grown very weary of the build quality of Apple's iPhone 6 Plus.
I purchased it (rather, ordered it) on the first day and received it in November. About eight months later, my iPhone 6 Plus became very hot--too hot to hold--so an Apple representative instructed me to turn it off. I took it in to an Apple store and after a quick diagnostic check, the Apple Genius informed me the iPhone was malfunctioning and swiftly replaced it with a refurb. (I did purchase AppleCare.) Kudos to Apple.
Fast forward to two months ago. My iPhone's apps began to crash and then it would also begin to reset to a black screen and then reboot. Back to the Apple store. After a quick diagnostic, the Genius and the manager could not decide if it was a software or hardware problem. They thought it might be a software issue since the iPhone did not fully reset (i.e., it went to a black screen instead of a black screen with an Apple logo.) I agreed to wipe the iPhone, perform a fresh install, and monitor the situation.
The problems persisted intermittently and gradually became much worse until today my iPhone finally did a full reset (i.e., it shut down on its own and displayed a black screen with an Apple logo). Back to the store I went and as providence would have it, I was assigned the same Genius. After a quick diagnostic check, the Genius showed me the results. The iPhone had no green check boxes, only yellow caution symbols and a red symbol. Again, the Genius kindly replaced my iPhone with a refurb.
Here is my concern: I have four months of AppleCare remaining, but in the last 18 months, I have had to have my iPhone 6 Plus replaced twice because of hardware malfunctions. In both cases, I also noticed the upper left corner of the screen (as you look at it) was slightly warped, i.e., three corners laid flat but one would not; rather it would rock slightly even when cool. The area seemed to be lifted/warped primarily in the area under which there is an internal screw which was the focal point of some "Bendgate" discussion. I am not sure if I have simply been the recipient of multiple lemons or if the way I use my iPhone (as a mini tablet for all my business needs) is the source of the problem or if it is simply a result of poor design (the internal design was changed for the 6S Plus), but I am feeling a little jittery about what to expect 6-9 months from now.
So I am curious, has anyone else had similar (restart) issues with the iPhone 6 Plus which was later traced to a physical defect with the iPhone? If so, are you keeping the phone? Did you sell it?
Seriously, since the phone is a new refurb, I think I am going to sell it and buy the 5SE or 6S (Plus). I just don't want to chance it and I can sell in good conscience knowing (1) it is [a] new [refurb] and (2) it will come with 4 more months of AppleCare.
Thoughts?
PS--I don't want to reopen the whole Bendgate discussion. I am just asking if others have seen similar problems with this specific model of iPhone.
PSS--Both iPhones which were replaced were manufactured earlier than the current refurb because both had qualified for the iSight Camera Recall, but this one does not. Any hope the failures were related to the fact that both previous iPhones were early models?
I purchased it (rather, ordered it) on the first day and received it in November. About eight months later, my iPhone 6 Plus became very hot--too hot to hold--so an Apple representative instructed me to turn it off. I took it in to an Apple store and after a quick diagnostic check, the Apple Genius informed me the iPhone was malfunctioning and swiftly replaced it with a refurb. (I did purchase AppleCare.) Kudos to Apple.
Fast forward to two months ago. My iPhone's apps began to crash and then it would also begin to reset to a black screen and then reboot. Back to the Apple store. After a quick diagnostic, the Genius and the manager could not decide if it was a software or hardware problem. They thought it might be a software issue since the iPhone did not fully reset (i.e., it went to a black screen instead of a black screen with an Apple logo.) I agreed to wipe the iPhone, perform a fresh install, and monitor the situation.
The problems persisted intermittently and gradually became much worse until today my iPhone finally did a full reset (i.e., it shut down on its own and displayed a black screen with an Apple logo). Back to the store I went and as providence would have it, I was assigned the same Genius. After a quick diagnostic check, the Genius showed me the results. The iPhone had no green check boxes, only yellow caution symbols and a red symbol. Again, the Genius kindly replaced my iPhone with a refurb.
Here is my concern: I have four months of AppleCare remaining, but in the last 18 months, I have had to have my iPhone 6 Plus replaced twice because of hardware malfunctions. In both cases, I also noticed the upper left corner of the screen (as you look at it) was slightly warped, i.e., three corners laid flat but one would not; rather it would rock slightly even when cool. The area seemed to be lifted/warped primarily in the area under which there is an internal screw which was the focal point of some "Bendgate" discussion. I am not sure if I have simply been the recipient of multiple lemons or if the way I use my iPhone (as a mini tablet for all my business needs) is the source of the problem or if it is simply a result of poor design (the internal design was changed for the 6S Plus), but I am feeling a little jittery about what to expect 6-9 months from now.
So I am curious, has anyone else had similar (restart) issues with the iPhone 6 Plus which was later traced to a physical defect with the iPhone? If so, are you keeping the phone? Did you sell it?
Seriously, since the phone is a new refurb, I think I am going to sell it and buy the 5SE or 6S (Plus). I just don't want to chance it and I can sell in good conscience knowing (1) it is [a] new [refurb] and (2) it will come with 4 more months of AppleCare.
Thoughts?
PS--I don't want to reopen the whole Bendgate discussion. I am just asking if others have seen similar problems with this specific model of iPhone.
PSS--Both iPhones which were replaced were manufactured earlier than the current refurb because both had qualified for the iSight Camera Recall, but this one does not. Any hope the failures were related to the fact that both previous iPhones were early models?
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