Is Apple getting softer on replacements?

[kicko]

I'm not sure about soft, i resently had my 1st genius appointment for my MBP thats only 16 months old (O/W) and it no longer wanted to take a charge. Their fix was to replace the logic board, after a new battery and charger plug were tested . They said they would replace it for $280... i suppose still a bargin by some measurement.

 

[cardinalryan]

I was in the Apple store today to let the Genius Bar look at my wife's phone. It wouldn't power up and trying to restore it in iTunes only resulted in an error. I was expecting to have to defend what caused it (I still don't know), but the GB tech didn't even ask. He just ran a few tests, was able to duplicate the error, and said it would be replaced. Luckily, I had 8 days of warranty left and the replacement was free.

While I was there, a young lady brought in 5-day-old iPod Touch. It had clearly been dropped and had a cracked screen. She was also given a replacement device free of charge.

Maybe Apple finds it better to keep a happy customer who will buy more products in the future than haggle over replacements. Interesting!

I bricked my Verizon iPhone after a failed install of iOS 5 Beta and the genius gave me a brand new white iPhone in a sealed brand new box (not the generic white box). He replaced it with zero questions asked.

 

[Brenzo]

One of my good friends dropped and completely shattered the front glass on his iPhone 4 about two weeks ago. While the phone was still under the 1 year standard AppleCare program, we were both pretty sure that he was essentially screwed. At first, he found a third party who was willing to replace the glass for $120.

I told him that if anything, he should go to the Apple Store to have the glass replaced because it would probably be close to the same cost and it wouldn't void what remained of his warranty. I also told him that with any luck, they might even swap the phone out and give him a refurbished unit if they didn't do the repairs on site, and while it wouldn't extend his AppleCare, it would give him a used, but newer looking phone with a new battery in it.

So he decides to go into the Apple Store and the genius ends up taking the phone in the back and swapping out the shattered glass, free of charge. Pretty nice, no?

 

[Armeniandave]

Went in today and couldn't replicate the home button issue. I did a restore and honestly I couldn't replicate it either. They noted my account and said if it continues that they would replace it. I have Applecare so I guess it doesn't really matter that I've had it for a year.

They were really nice about it though....

 

[bobby904]

Took mine in a couple days ago and complained of a "sometimes" non responsive home button. Girl didn't even question me or test it. She said this is a known issue and swapped it out in like 5 minutes!

 

[mikelegacy]

My years of experience reveal that Apple's always been exemplary with customer service, returns and exchanges.

The only change I've personally experienced is having to return five of the last six new laptops and three of the last iPhones I've purchased all due to a distinct reduction in quality.

Each defective product was confirmed by a store genius, who was dealing with other defective products belonging to the customers in line ahead of me.

I believe that Apple may have found its getting hard to maintain consistently good build quality. A problem that Dell is familiar with. At least Apple is aware, now the question becomes; are they going to deal with it...thus far the answer is not so much.

What the hell do you do to your laptops man? I've had the same 17" MacBook pro since mid 2008 (before the unibodies) and it runs like a CHAMP. I go to an Art Institute, so suffice to say, I see A LOT of macs. Plus every single person I know at the school has a MacBook, and maybe only twice, out of probably a hundred people I see regularly in that school have I seen anyone have to replace their computers.

And we are running CPU intensive design and editing (final cut) programs ALL the time.

You must be really hard on computers or just have the worst luck in the world.

 

[obamtl]

I had the home button issue as well. I got the phone on launch day and I'd had issues with the button for a while, but with 2 days left on my warranty, I decided it was time to get it sorted out. He actually did test it. Usually for me it was unresponsive 25% of the time, so I was concerned he might not replicate it, but every single time he tried, the button failed! Then he checked for water damage and to my shock, the bottom indicator signalled water damage (a shock as I've never dropped the phone in water). He said it could be moisture, so he took the phone apart to confirm that it was just moisture and not actual water damage. Confirming this, he swapped my iPhone 4 for a new one. I'm really impressed. However, I must say I'm concerned that I've been needing swaps lately. I've had to swap my iPad, iPad 2 and iPhone 4.