iphone (first gen) broken out of warranty... options?

[jrm27]

Hello friends:

My buddy has a first gen iphone and it crapped out on him this weekend. The display is going bad and now it only works if it is plugged into his computer. When he bought it, he didn't get the extended applecare, and now he is out of warranty.

Apparently, a new phone without a new contract is between $600-$700. What are his options? Needless to say, he needs a new phone, but in this economy a $700 replacement would be a serious kick in the shorts.

Anyone have any experience with this situation?

 

[jmann]

Hello friends:

My buddy has a first gen iphone and it crapped out on him this weekend. The display is going bad and now it only works if it is plugged into his computer. When he bought it, he didn't get the extended applecare, and now he is out of warranty.

Apparently, a new phone without a new contract is between $600-$700. What are his options? Needless to say, he needs a new phone, but in this economy a $700 replacement would be a serious kick in the shorts.

Anyone have any experience with this situation?

Sell iphone as-is on ebay. Then start craigslisting for a new one?

 

[jrm27]

Can he upgrade to the 3G iphone and only pay the normal rate? How have people been upgrading their iphones to newer models, higher capacity models? Maybe not an option, but jsut trying to help him out!

 

[alansmallen]

Is the phone on ATT? If so, he can just go and upgrade for 200/300.

 

[jrm27]

yep, the phone is on ATT.

So, he can jstu walk into an apple store, and tell them that he wants to upgrade his old 1st Gen to a 3g and he has access to the subsidized price? Do they backdate the contract to his original agreement, or would he need to start a new 2 year contract?

 

[alansmallen]

yep, the phone is on ATT.

So, he can jstu walk into an apple store, and tell them that he wants to upgrade his old 1st Gen to a 3g and he has access to the subsidized price? Do they backdate the contract to his original agreement, or would he need to start a new 2 year contract?

New contract.

 

[iFerd]

yep, the phone is on ATT.

So, he can jstu walk into an apple store, and tell them that he wants to upgrade his old 1st Gen to a 3g and he has access to the subsidized price? Do they backdate the contract to his original agreement, or would he need to start a new 2 year contract?

I did exactly this about a month ago, although I didn't have a broken first generation phone. And as the last poster said, I had to sign a new two year contract, which replaced the one I had with the first gen phone.

Then I sold my first generation one on eBay for more than enough to pay for the subsidized cost of the 3G. That won't work for a broken one, though.

This only works when switching from the original iPhone to the 3G because AT&T did not subsidize the purchase price of the orginal. Presumably, we won't get to do the same whenever the next revision of the iPhone appears.

 

[dave006]

Can he upgrade to the 3G iphone and only pay the normal rate? How have people been upgrading their iphones to newer models, higher capacity models? Maybe not an option, but jsut trying to help him out!

yep, the phone is on ATT.

So, he can jstu walk into an apple store, and tell them that he wants to upgrade his old 1st Gen to a 3g and he has access to the subsidized price? Do they backdate the contract to his original agreement, or would he need to start a new 2 year contract?

He has an option to have an out of warranty replacement through Apple. If the phone is repariable (no water damage), you would pay $199 for a Apple refurbished replacement.

If he is upgrade eligible, as other posters have indicated, he can upgrade to the iPhone 3G at the subsidy pricing $199/$299. He will have to start a new two year service commitment and also move to the $30 data plan and then add any SMS Txt package as the $30's does not include any SMS Txt.

Dave