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Iphone 3g "light leak" thread

Apple Ink said:
I was having some problems with ATT so I recently went in and discussed the issue with an official in a nearby ATT Store! He asked me for the device so I gave it to him... he went inside somewhere! When he came back, my problem was solved but my iPhone's chrome logo was brutally scratched....

So I've decided that I'll be taking it in after all and get a replacement!
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Oh I almost had the same problem. I went to T-Mobile (I live in the Netherlands) about the Speedmanager that is really annoying... anyway, they wanted to see my phone and the sales man had these huge rings on (his fingers), and I was sure he was going to scratch it. But it looks OK. :eek:

snverhallen
 
Apple Ink said:
The manufacturing week is the fourth and fifth digit in the serial number.

I couldnt make much sense of the first part! Saturday as in 12th July? So when did you get it replaced? 2 weeks later as on 26th?
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ya .. the 12th, then replaced about two or three weeks later (the 26th or the 2nd, I suppose) and I've had my current phone since then (about 2 or3 weeks or so).

The manufacturing week of my current phone is "27" (forth and fifth digit of the serial number).
 
before last night as far as i'm concern i have no light leak. so Last night i couldn't sleep i was up late playing with the phone and it does it usual thing - crash. so where it was starting up on the apple logo i flip my phone around the feel my BSE skin. And there it is i saw light leak from behind the phone???:confused: its only noticable in complete darkness and high brightness ie the apple starting logo. but it seems like the plastic back is so thin that the light shown through. I have a black phone is this just happening to me?
 
ARK said:
My black 16G week 30 has light leak as well. I also just noticed my first couple pieces of dust under the glass too. I have an appointment on Saturday to have a genius look at it. I took three photos of my phone in the dark and synced them to the phone. That way I have pics to prove the light leak. Wish me luck!
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I wonder what my chances are of getting a replacement?
 
ARK said:
My black 16G week 30 has light leak as well. I also just noticed my first couple pieces of dust under the glass too. I have an appointment on Saturday to have a genius look at it. I took three photos of my phone in the dark and synced them to the phone. That way I have pics to prove the light leak. Wish me luck!
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I had my appt. and showed the genius the light leak coming from my phone. Also showed him there was some dust coming in under the glass. He exchanged it!
 
ARK said:
I had my appt. and showed the genius the light leak coming from my phone. Also showed him there was some dust coming in under the glass. He exchanged it!
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So hows the new one? What week! I had an appointment as well and the genius was rather helpful..... but he showed me some other demo pieces..... same manufacturing week as my current iPhone and also unsealed some for me (of course he had to use them somewhere else).... but they were all alike.... rather I noticed that most had the "yellow tinge" problem.... which is definitely more serious than my ultra thin light leak and some even had dead pixels!
 
Apple Ink said:
So hows the new one? What week! I had an appointment as well and the genius was rather helpful..... but he showed me some other demo pieces..... same manufacturing week as my current iPhone and also unsealed some for me (of course he had to use them somewhere else).... but they were all alike.... rather I noticed that most had the "yellow tinge" problem.... which is definitely more serious than my ultra thin light leak and some even had dead pixels!
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It seems to be fine. No dead pixels. There is a small amount of light leak at the top by the volume buttons but it is much less light than my old phone exhibited. So I am happier plus there is no dust under the glass. It was built in week 34 and came with 2.02 already.
 
just notice light leak on mine too.... from what i read is different from what you guys experience. Not at the sides of casing but on the top of lcd. Basically the part of the lcd where the black part is unlighted and the part is lighted. Only at the top right hand side and can only be seen at a certain angle. When on a back ground which mainly consists of white light, this could be seen as a thin fine line. Anyone with the same problem? Don't think i would be sending in for a replacement as battery working fine, no dead pixels on LCD. No huge issues actually.
 
I just got a black 3G yesterday, was sitting on the couch with it and noticed what seemed like the chrome shining at me on the left side, except there was not any light shining on it. Upon further inspection it is the same light leak, albeit minor, that others have mentioned on here. I was going to take it back, but after seeing some of the examples on here I think I actually have a good one, lol. I'll stay with this one till they upgrade to 32 gigs. Might go back and purchase Apple care for this as well, just in case.
 
1st time poster, long time lurker, but this problem made me officially join.

I have an appointment on Sunday at my local Genius Bar to swap for light leakage and a MAJOR amount of dust under the screen (no doubt caused by the gap on the left side). My question is for those of you that have successfully swapped- did you get a brand new phone? Do I have to bring everything back with me (box, headphones, charger, etc.)? If I am not going to get a brand new, still shrink wrapped phone I'm not sure that I want to take a chance in getting a refurb that is already messed up.

Your help is greatly appreciated :)
 
headcheese said:
1st time poster, long time lurker, but this problem made me officially join.

I have an appointment on Sunday at my local Genius Bar to swap for light leakage and a MAJOR amount of dust under the screen (no doubt caused by the gap on the left side). My question is for those of you that have successfully swapped- did you get a brand new phone? Do I have to bring everything back with me (box, headphones, charger, etc.)? If I am not going to get a brand new, still shrink wrapped phone I'm not sure that I want to take a chance in getting a refurb that is already messed up.

Your help is greatly appreciated :)
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nope, you don't have to bring all the accessories, box, receipt, etc with you. you will get a replacement unit that live behind the genius bar that comes in a plain white box. it may be a refurb or a new unit- Apple guarantees a replacement device for warranty-related swaps, but implicitly state that it may be new or refurbished. since the 3G is a relatively new device, there's a good chance that it will be new, but not even the geniuses really know what stock levels of new and refurbs they posses. the serial number might give you a clue- the 1st gen iPhone refurbs started with "5K" and there are 3Gs with that distinction. But, an employee of Apple posted on their discussion board that new 3G's now come with 5K serials.

Apple refurbs in general are great. you don't really have a choice and honestly it doesn't much matter. there as much chance for another QC issue with a new iPhone as a refurb.

also, while new iPhone's are only batch-inspected- 1 unit out of a large batch at the factory, refurbs are individually inspected.
 
Bump to see if anyone was getting this problem solved and if the current batch of new phones had the this problem resolved.
 
Thought I would add my experience to this thread. I bought my iPhone in August at the local Apple Store (16GB/Black) and I immediately cased it.

After reading these and other forums I learned about the light leak and discovered my phone had it pretty bad. Nearly 50% of the left bezel was leaking light and in the dark it was very noticeable. Again, since I had my phone in a case all the time it didn't bother me.

Fast-forward a couple months and the missus wants to go to the mall so I set up a Genius appointment to swap out my otherwise fine iPhone for one without a light leak.

The Genius could not see the problem initially but his colleague suggested he take the phone into the back room and turn off the lights -- once he had seen the issue for himself it was no issue to get a replacement. Out comes the white box and he starts setting it up -- when he hands me the phone I start inspecting it and sure enough, this one is leaking light as well. The Genius apologized (not his fault anyway but great service anyway) and brought out three more white boxes.

Each of the four white box phones had a 5xxx serial number and all of them but one were leaking light. We found a dark corner under the Genius bar where I could inspect the phones and I found the flawless one. Ten minutes later I was on my way.

Long-story short: I was able to get my phone replaced for what they called "edge separation" with zero hassle and the Genius really went above and beyond to make sure I was happy with the replacement.
 
Bankerts said:
Thought I would add my experience to this thread. I bought my iPhone in August at the local Apple Store (16GB/Black) and I immediately cased it.

After reading these and other forums I learned about the light leak and discovered my phone had it pretty bad. Nearly 50% of the left bezel was leaking light and in the dark it was very noticeable. Again, since I had my phone in a case all the time it didn't bother me.

Fast-forward a couple months and the missus wants to go to the mall so I set up a Genius appointment to swap out my otherwise fine iPhone for one without a light leak.

The Genius could not see the problem initially but his colleague suggested he take the phone into the back room and turn off the lights -- once he had seen the issue for himself it was no issue to get a replacement. Out comes the white box and he starts setting it up -- when he hands me the phone I start inspecting it and sure enough, this one is leaking light as well. The Genius apologized (not his fault anyway but great service anyway) and brought out three more white boxes.

Each of the four white box phones had a 5xxx serial number and all of them but one were leaking light. We found a dark corner under the Genius bar where I could inspect the phones and I found the flawless one. Ten minutes later I was on my way.

Long-story short: I was able to get my phone replaced for what they called "edge separation" with zero hassle and the Genius really went above and beyond to make sure I was happy with the replacement.
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Geez, based on you and Sally's experience I guess the problem hasn't been solved yet. Come on Apple!

In the meantime, I might use the home fix as it doesn't seem hard and I've been fairly handy with stuff like this.
 
I put a case on my phone so I can't see the light leak on my phone. Mine isn't that bad though but whatever.
 
My phone leaks light on the side. Not on the screen really, but, from along the black plastic and the chrome bezel. I also have a semi-rigid bezel edge from where I don't think it is aligned right. Is this enough reason for a replacement. I understand it's not a HUGE deal, but I just notice it. All the time.
I reeeeally don't want to sound like I'm whining. Ha.
 
Bankerts said:
Long-story short: I was able to get my phone replaced for what they called "edge separation" with zero hassle and the Genius really went above and beyond to make sure I was happy with the replacement.
Click to expand...

Apple service every time if you ask me :)
 
cgentry said:
My phone leaks light on the side. Not on the screen really, but, from along the black plastic and the chrome bezel. I also have a semi-rigid bezel edge from where I don't think it is aligned right. Is this enough reason for a replacement. I understand it's not a HUGE deal, but I just notice it. All the time.
I reeeeally don't want to sound like I'm whining. Ha.
Click to expand...

Yes, they'll happily replace that for you. While I was exchanging my 4th iPhone for that very reason (plastic and metal not lining up), the man let me try 3 other iPhones before I found one that I liked. He even let me take them into the bathroom to look at it with the lights off to make sure there were no light leaks.
 
I am assuming you guys don't use cases, I have small light leak but I always have my white invade slider on so I forgot about it until I read this forum.
 
My 8 GB has a pretty decent sized light leak down the left side. Annoys the f-out of me.

My wife, who wouldn't notice if the backlight was leaking out all the way around has no light leak. Her home button is ridiculously hard to press, though.

Can't win either way.
 
Ok my iPhone leaks light out of the back of the iPhone. It is in the bottom right corner is this common and how can I exchange it because I don't have an Apple Store within 2 hours.
 
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