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Jonnywhoops

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2022
8
49
I updated my iPhone 12 Pro to iOS 16 yesterday afternoon. The phone turned on after the update and worked for about a minute before shutting down and wouldn't turn on again. The Apple Store today told me the software update "likely revealed an underlying hardware problem" and then they made me pay for a new phone because "it probably would have broken soon anyway."
 
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Jonnywhoops

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2022
8
49
Any other hot takes?
 

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Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,157
10,163
You’ve got it hard over there. A couple of years ago my XS Max died on me. Thanks to UK consumer rights law, it was replaced by Apple - gratis.
If this would have happened within 12 months of purchase date or if OP had AC, it would have been covered. Isn't UK consumer law two years? So its an extra year over standard warranty.
 

katbel

macrumors 68040
Aug 19, 2009
3,553
31,332
I updated my iPhone 12 Pro to iOS 16 yesterday afternoon. The phone turned on after the update and worked for about a minute before shutting down and wouldn't turn on again. The Apple Store today told me the software update "likely revealed an underlying hardware problem" and then they made me pay for a new phone because "it probably would have broken soon anyway."
Very sorry to read that and your bad luck! I hope you can get some refund
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,157
10,163
lmao...Phone is working fine. Updates to iOS 16. Phone immediately dies. Shrug, who knows man.
If it was a wide-spread issue, or even a more common issue, we would have heard about it by now. iOS 16 has been in RC for almost a week. Its likely a one-off and is a hardware defect of your device that coincided with upgrading to iOS 16.
 

Jonnywhoops

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2022
8
49
If it was a wide-spread issue, or even a more common issue, we would have heard about it by now. iOS 16 has been in RC for almost a week. Its likely a one-off and is a hardware defect of your device that coincided with upgrading to iOS 16.
Wonderful. My phone was working fine. I installed Apple software. My phone broke. It's pretty ****ed to make me pay for something they acknowledge their own software caused.
 

fdw777

macrumors regular
Mar 7, 2012
238
179
I updated my iPhone 12 Pro to iOS 16 yesterday afternoon. The phone turned on after the update and worked for about a minute before shutting down and wouldn't turn on again. The Apple Store today told me the software update "likely revealed an underlying hardware problem" and then they made me pay for a new phone because "it probably would have broken soon anyway."
Goodness..........If they would have gave me that lame excuse (which was speculation on their part) I would have said then it was probably defective on day one so my replacement should be covered under warranty!!!!
 

Sheepish-Lord

macrumors 68020
Oct 13, 2021
2,479
5,055
Been awhile since I heard of software bricking a phone but I guess anything is possible. Super weird they couldn't put it into recovery mode either, sounds like fate was sealed for that poor phone.
 
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antiprotest

macrumors 601
Apr 19, 2010
4,277
15,555
Been awhile since I heard of software bricking a phone but I guess anything is possible. Super weird they couldn't put it into recovery mode either, sounds like fate was sealed for that poor phone.
I have heard cases of this with every major update. It's just comparatively rare. Still sucks for whoever it happens to, of course.
 

Jonnywhoops

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2022
8
49
I thought they said it was an underlying hardware issue? So how did the acknowledge the software caused it? Surely it’s one or the other.
They said the software update is hardware intensive and likely surfaced an underlying issue. They acknowledged my phone was working before the update but said whatever broke probably would have broken in the future. If it sounds stupid and hurts your brain that's because it is.
 

antiprotest

macrumors 601
Apr 19, 2010
4,277
15,555
They said the software update is hardware intensive and likely surfaced an underlying issue. They acknowledged my phone was working before the update but said whatever broke probably would have broken in the future. If it sounds stupid and hurts your brain that's because it is.
The Minority Report of tech service.

If it would have broken in the future, we break it now and you pay for it.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,157
10,163
Amazing how some people defend Apple to the death.

Why have they done for you lately that you have not paid for?
It has nothing to do with defending Apple. But more likely than not, there are facts missing. This was OP's first ever post. People are more vocal when they are upset. Something does not add up. I'm a plaintiff's attorney. I deal with this type of stuff on a daily basis. If I thought Apple was in the wrong, I would say so. But based on the facts as presented, something doesn't add up.

As for your question about what has Apple done for me for free without paying, quite a lot actually.

In 2014, I had my 2011 iMac replaced, free of charge. In 2017, I had my 2014 iMac replaced, free of charge. In 2020 I had my 2017 iMac replaced free of charge. Apple is very good to their customers, and especially so when you buy AppleCare. My AppleCare had expired on all three of these replacements, however, because I had made the effort to purchase AppleCare, Apple authorized the replacements free of charge. My most recent one was even a huge upgrade. I went from a 21.5" iMac to a 27" 5k, free of charge.

And before you say I'm an attorney and probably used that to get replacements. This was all transpired before I became a lawyer. I was barred in Jan 2021.

The point being, there are missing facts here. If OP could prove at all that iOS caused the issue, Apple would more likely than not fix the issue for free. The fact that I have not seen other posts about it shows its more likely coincidence. If I'm wrong and it turns out to be an issue, you can be certain there will be a class action and OP will get his money back. But again, it does not appear to be so.
 

antiprotest

macrumors 601
Apr 19, 2010
4,277
15,555
It has nothing to do with defending Apple. But more likely than not, there are facts missing. This was OP's first ever post. People are more vocal when they are upset. Something does not add up. I'm a plaintiff's attorney. I deal with this type of stuff on a daily basis. If I thought Apple was in the wrong, I would say so. But based on the facts as presented, something doesn't add up.

As for your question about what has Apple done for me for free without paying, quite a lot actually.

In 2014, I had my 2011 iMac replaced, free of charge. In 2017, I had my 2014 iMac replaced, free of charge. In 2020 I had my 2017 iMac replaced free of charge. Apple is very good to their customers, and especially so when you buy AppleCare. My AppleCare had expired on all three of these replacements, however, because I had made the effort to purchase AppleCare, Apple authorized the replacements free of charge. My most recent one was even a huge upgrade. I went from a 21.5" iMac to a 27" 5k, free of charge.

And before you say I'm an attorney and probably used that to get replacements. This was all transpired before I became a lawyer. I was barred in Jan 2021.

The point being, there are missing facts here. If OP could prove at all that iOS caused the issue, Apple would more likely than not fix the issue for free. The fact that I have not seen a single other post about it shows its more likely coincidence. If I'm wrong and it turns out to be an issue, you can be certain there will be a class action and OP will get his money back. But again, it does not appear to be so.
This is kind of a case in point concerning the lengths that some would go to defend Apple.

And you did pay for all of that actually. When you pay a large margin for a product, you always pay for service and warranty that you likely will not use. And when you use them, you already paid for them.

My point is just that Apple is not a charity. Customers pay for everything they get. This is a business relationship, and customers have the right to expect Apple to hold up their end.
 

Mlrollin91

macrumors G5
Nov 20, 2008
14,157
10,163
Goodness..........If they would have gave me that lame excuse (which was speculation on their part) I would have said then it was probably defective on day one so my replacement should be covered under warranty!!!!
Except, it wasn't covered under warranty. If it had been, it would been free. OP is outside the one-year warranty.

OP: If you paid for the original device with a CC, you might be able to submit the claim to your card provider.
 
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Jonnywhoops

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2022
8
49
Thank you counsel, I didn't come here to prosecute Apple. I posted because I updated within the first 12 hours and wanted to put it out here in case other people do have a similar experience and come looking to see if there are others.

You are welcome to think I'm leaving out details. Like I said, if it sounds stupid and hurts your brain that's because it is. Maybe I'm the idiot in this equation. Maybe I'm pissed and came here to write a rant leaving out key details just to make myself somehow feel better. Or maybe the "geniuses" working didn't really care to go the extra mile and replace my phone for free like they should have. Or maybe they didn't know there was another option. Or maybe Apple is a giant corporation and sometimes you get ****** service.

Obviously, since the phone is bricked and unresponsive, it's impossible to determine what exactly caused the problem. Everyone involved agreed the update likely triggered something. So, counsel, if Apple admitted the update broke something, even if by exacerbating an underlying weakness, doesn't logic dictate they should replace the phone?
 
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Toratek

macrumors 6502a
Oct 10, 2019
517
1,076
When I consider that my iPhone 13 pro got so warm during the iOS 16 update that it stopped charging, I can readily accept that a device with an underlying problem- a battery problem, end-of-life capacitor, or circuit board solder flaw- might very well be pushed over the edge.

I also think it's reasonable to think that such a flaw would very likely have resulted in a failure sooner than later regardless of the update.

AC+ would have paid for itself in a situation like this. Cold comfort to the OP, but warranty deadlines are what they are.
 
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