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I guess I should have asked for my old phone back and tried another Apple Store instead of paying $329 but it was too late. I filled out the survey and said I was completely not satisfied about my Apple Store experience, hoping that someone would look at it and give my money back.

Why should they give you your money back? PT Barnum said it best.
 
This has happened to a friend of mine, not the charge but the screen issue. He had his front screen removed becaus of dust in the front camera. When they swapped it out and put a new screen in, the phone wouldn't work. So they just gave him a new one.

Must be something about how the replacement screens are calibrated or hooked up to the phone that's causing this issue. Seems really shoddy on Apple's part to have their stores attempt to fix screens knowing full well that there might be issues. Even if they'd told you you had to pay 329 if they bricked your phone, it's still a bad policy. I'd stand my ground on this if I were you.
 
This has happened to a friend of mine, not the charge but the screen issue. He had his front screen removed becaus of dust in the front camera. When they swapped it out and put a new screen in, the phone wouldn't work. So they just gave him a new one.

Must be something about how the replacement screens are calibrated or hooked up to the phone that's causing this issue. Seems really shoddy on Apple's part to have their stores attempt to fix screens knowing full well that there might be issues. Even if they'd told you you had to pay 329 if they bricked your phone, it's still a bad policy. I'd stand my ground on this if I were you.

This is a very good point. However, the only alternative before they implemented the $129 screen replacement policy is you had to pay the out of warranty price for all broken screen iPhones. It's a risk you need to decide on and you can always walk away with a broken screen but fully functional iPhone. Additionally, one can always go to a third party to avoid that risk.

Too late to stand the ground. That should have been negotiated before consenting to the repair. You realize everyone had to pay the full OOW price for a broken screen before they started the in-house $129 repair so that wasn't even an option?
 
Does anybody else find the label 'Apple genius' frustrating? For a start off they aren't a genius at all, and also it's a silly way of describing their techs. Unprofessional and rather childish.

Maybe you should lighten up. It's just a job title and to a lot of people that are completely computer illiterate they do appear as genius's.

Another thing, it's pretty obvious you haven't been an Apple customer since the first stores open. The Genius bar was not a place to bring products in JUST to get repaired or to bitch about constantly. You know what I'm talking about right? ;)

Initially it was a technical bar only and people came there to get true technical help. The original genius's were true Mac heads so they knew the hardware inside and out including how to use the UNIX terminal. Thanks to Apple's fast growing customer base the genius bar had to become a repair center/bitch bar.
 
Just curious, am I supposed to get my old phone back after paying $329 for a replacement. I didn't think about that at all.
 
Just curious, am I supposed to get my old phone back after paying $329 for a replacement. I didn't think about that at all.

They keep it to refurbish it with a brand new case, screen and battery to give out as a "white box replacement unit" for warranty purposes. That's why they're charging you only $329 instead of the usual $749, $849 or $949 if you buy a retail box unit outright.
 
They keep it to refurbish it with a brand new case, screen and battery to give out as a "white box replacement unit" for warranty purposes. That's why they're charging you only $329 instead of the usual $749, $849 or $949 if you buy a retail box unit outright.

Actually I was told they destroy the iPhones they take and they don't refurbish them. Replacements are factory new.
 
Actually I was told they destroy the iPhones they take and they don't refurbish them. Replacements are factory new.

No. That's absolutely incorrect.

Do you think Apple is just being nice for charging you only $349 instead of as much as $949 they would have gotten if they make you buy a retail box unit?
 
No. That's absolutely incorrect.

Do you think Apple is just being nice for charging you only $349 instead of as much as $949 they would have gotten if they make you buy a retail box unit?

They have that cost included in purchase price. Also Apple pays Foxconn $300 to manufacture those iPhones and rest of the price is marketing designing and profit. So they don't lose money they just don't make any extra profit of broken iPhones.
 
They have that cost included in purchase price. Also Apple pays Foxconn $300 to manufacture those iPhones and rest of the price is marketing designing and profit. So they don't lose money they just don't make any extra profit of broken iPhones.

While that's true, they still refurbish returned units with a brand new case, screen and battery. This is common knowledge on this forum and has been confirmed by Apple reps. Someone told you wrong information.
 
I also used to think they do until technician from Apple store told me they destroy them. And it makes more sense than go through all that refurbish than testing process.
 
I also used to think they do until technician from Apple store told me they destroy them. And it makes more sense than go through all that refurbish than testing process.

It makes more sense to destroy them than to refurbish and reuse and this save some money? I'm not sure there's a clear one there that makes much more sense than the other one necesasrily.
 
I also used to think they do until technician from Apple store told me they destroy them. And it makes more sense than go through all that refurbish than testing process.

Technicians have been known to lie, including telling customers they're brand new from factory when they may or may not be as such. Don't trust them.

Just about the only time they're actually brand new from factory is right after a new iPhone launch until the stock becomes depleted and is replaced with remanufactured units with a brand new case, screen and battery. We used to be able to tell the difference between them based on the serial numbers back in the iPhone 3GS days or so but not anymore.
 
whether or not the OP agreed to pay the $320, every one of you saying "tough luck" or whatever would be bitching too if your phone was fully functioning.

i would have said put the phone back to the way it was or asked to see a manager.

what's happening in this story is not logical.
 
It makes more sense to destroy them than to refurbish and reuse and this save some money? I'm not sure there's a clear one there that makes much more sense than the other one necessarily.
I think it makes more sense because it easier for Apple and they don't lose money. Labour/logistical costs of fixing an iphone is higher than making new one. Moss produced electronic parts are cheap to make ones licensing fees are not included and they don't have to pay them again if they destroy old one.
They use same distribution process for new ones and for replacements and don't have to spend extra money to create whole refurbished channel.
There could be different laws or conditions in different countries so they might do it differently there but in USA they give you brand new unit from factory.

I used to work in retail and we destroyed a lot of expensive merchandise and received credit from manufacturer because it was less costly for manufacturer. In Apple case they charge customer replacement fee so Apple does't lose any money and keep customer happy.

Most people look from customer perspective and not from corporate perspective when dealing with broken merchandise.
 
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I think it makes more sense because it easier for Apple and they don't lose money. Labour/logistical costs of fixing an iphone is higher than making new one. Moss produced electronic parts are cheap to make ones licensing fees are not included and they don't have to pay them again if they destroy old one.
They use same distribution process for new ones and for replacements and don't have to spend extra money to create whole refurbished channel.
There could be different laws or conditions in different countries so they might do it differently there but in USA they give you brand new unit from factory.

I used to work in retail and we destroyed a lot of expensive merchandise and received credit from manufacturer because it was less costly for manufacturer. In Apple case they charge customer replacement fee so they don't lose any money and keep customer happy.

Well they certainly do things of that nature in the US. Maybe not in all cases but they do refurbish various phones and reuse them.
 
There could be different laws or conditions in different countries so they might do it differently there but in USA they give you brand new unit from factory.

Again, the technician gave you wrong information. While Apple doesn't sell certified refurbished iPhones directly (as they hand them out as "white box replacement units" for warranty or out-of-warranty exchanges), they do refurbish iPods and iPads, which also receive a brand new outer shell and battery.

Apple Certified Refurbished
We test and certify all Apple refurbished products and include a 1-year warranty.
All refurbished iPod models also include a brand new battery and outer shell.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipod

Apple Certified Refurbished
We test and certify all Apple refurbished products and include a 1-year warranty.
All refurbished iPad models also include a brand new battery and outer shell.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad

It makes no sense whatsoever for them to refurbish returned/defective iPods and iPads but not do the same for iPhones (at least for warranty or out-of-warranty purposes for the latter).
 
I don't think they refurbish any iPhones.

Technically, they're remanufactured with a brand new case, screen and battery.

If you're of the opinion that they dispose of all returned/defective iPhones and not remanufacture them at all, that's only your unsubstantiated opinion. What the technician told you is not rooted in fact.
 
They make and sell much more iPhones than iPads and iPods probably this is why they only refurbish iPods and iPads. There is no mention of refurbished iPhone anywhere. And if you don't believe what Apple employee told me why do you believe what another Apple employee told you or someone else?
Like I said refurbishing iPhones would be too complicated process especially at these huge quantities and financial logistical reasons.
Besides you act like you have inside knowledge but you don't and everything you said about iPhones is unconfirmed. Your only argument is Apple saves money by refurbishing iPhone and I gave you reasons why it may not be the case.

Looks like it's hard for you to accept that you may have been wrong for all those years because you won't let it go.

Now go ahead and tell me again I'm wrong if that makes you happy.
 
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Apple pays Foxconn $300 to manufacture those iPhones

What is your source for that number? The bill of materials is about $200 (for the 16GB), Foxcom's manufacturing expense is about $40 and logistics and warranty expense is around $50.
 
There is no mention of refurbished iPhone anywhere.

There's no reason to expect otherwise because Apple doesn't sell certified refurbished iPhone on its website. You'll only find "A replacement iPhone will be new or equivalent to new in both performance and reliability" as they're only offered as a warranty or out of warranty replacement.
 
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