Making apple accountable

[MajorFubar]

The product is THREE+ years old. People on this board are comical.
We are taking about a $250, three year old product...

On the one hand I agree with you. On the other hand, you, or even us collectively, finding it acceptable for a $250 product to have just a three-year lifespan, has only been achieved by successful corporate brainwashing.

My everyday open-back domestic headphones are pushing 25 years old and if they broke now i'd still be annoyed. And my main hifi speakers are 50 years old. When these products were new, we expected nothing less.

 

[slippery-pete]

On the one hand I agree with you. On the other hand, you, or even us collectively, finding it acceptable for a $250 product to have just a three-year lifespan, has only been achieved by successful corporate brainwashing.

My everyday open-back domestic headphones are pushing 25 years old and if they broke now i'd still be annoyed. And my main hifi speakers are 50 years old. When these products were new, we expected nothing less.

Corporate brainwashing? It is called common sense. This can happen with any product made by any company. It doesn't mean the product has three-year lifespan, it means the one you purchased has a three-year life span. My pair is still working just fine!

I replaced my 15 year old HVAC unit last year, cost me 15+K, and I didn't get upset or blame Carrier.

Seriously...products are not meant to last forever. My suggestion to people. If you don't like the service Apple provides, stop buying their products. If enough people took that stance, Apple would be forced to change the way they do things.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

On the one hand I agree with you. On the other hand, you, or even us collectively, finding it acceptable for a $250 product to have just a three-year lifespan, has only been achieved by successful corporate brainwashing.

My everyday open-back domestic headphones are pushing 25 years old and if they broke now i'd still be annoyed. And my main hifi speakers are 50 years old. When these products were new, we expected nothing less.

Agree. Also, in a lot of places in the world, $250.00 is a very large expense.

Apple's Customer Service person could have guided the buyer to the numerous videos and articles that have been published about cleaning the AirPods-after explaining that the warranty was over.

 

[slippery-pete]

Agree. Also, in a lot of places in the world, $250.00 is a very large expense.

Apple's Customer Service person could have guided the buyer to the numerous videos and articles that have been published about cleaning the AirPods-after explaining that the warranty was over.

Or the OP could have done 5 minutes of research and found the numerous videos and articles that have been published about cleaning the Airpods himself before going to an Apple Store and expecting a replacement pair for a out of warranty, three year old product.

If the $250 was a "large expense", he probably shouldn't have purchased in the 1st place.

Products you purchase aren't designed to last forever...

 

[Wando64]

No law firm would touch this. Out of warranty means exactly that for Apple and any other company.

Well, that is not quite the way it is.
Consumer protection legislation often ignores the manufacturer warranty.
In the UK an in the EU the seller of the item is liable to repair or replacement for a period of time considered to be the reasonable expectation of life/duration of the item. For most consumable electronics this is in excess of three years.
I am aware that in the US consumer protection laws vary from state to state, but again it is usually unrelated to manufacturers warranty. So my advice would be to check consumer protection law where you are, and take it from there.

 

[sparksd]

Well, that is not quite the way it is.
Consumer protection legislation often ignores the manufacturer warranty.
In the UK an in the EU the seller of the item is liable to repair or replacement for a period of time considered to be the reasonable expectation of life/duration of the item. For most consumable electronics this is in excess of three years.
I am aware that in the US consumer protection laws vary from state to state, but again it is usually unrelated to manufacturers warranty. So my advice would be to check consumer protection law where you are, and take it from there.

But these are always instances of "Somebody should initiate a class action ... etc., etc." and none of the people saying it are willing to take up the torch and do the work. As the saying goes - all talk, no hat.

 

[Wando64]

But these are always instances of "Somebody should initiate a class action ... etc., etc." and none of the people saying it are willing to take up the torch and do the work. As the saying goes - all talk, no hat.

No. Consumer protection laws are just that - a series of laws protecting consumers.
If a company does not behave accordingly, any lawyer will make them.
In fact, in the UK you don’t even need a lawyer, you just submit a “small claim” online, and as long as you are supported by law, most companies will not even bother fighting it.

Making a small claim

Find out what to do before you start a small claim, how to start one and what it involves.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

 

[sparksd]

No. Consumer protection laws are just that - a series of laws protecting consumers.
If a company does not behave accordingly, any lawyer will make them.
In fact, in the UK you don’t even need a lawyer, you just submit a “small claim” online, and as long as you are supported by law, most companies will not even bother fighting it.

Making a small claim

Find out what to do before you start a small claim, how to start one and what it involves.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

As I said, nobody has stepped forward here in the US to do it.

 

[Wando64]

As I said, nobody has stepped forward here in the US to do it.

This link is from 2013, but I doubt that legislation would have changed substantially since then, if not by improving customer protection.

What You Need to Know about Warranty Laws - Consumer Reports

When it comes to warranty protection, you may have more rights than you think. Find out everything you need to know about warranties, from Consumer Reports.

www.consumerreports.org

In summary:
Along with companies' express warranties, you also have "implied warranties" under state law. The Uniform Commercial Code, a set of laws adopted in much the same form by all states and the District of Columbia, provides an automatic "implied warranty of merchantability." That unwritten protection guarantees that consumer products are free of substantial defects and will function properly for a reasonable period of time. What's "reasonable" depends on the type of product and the amount you paid. States typically limit implied warranties to four years. They apply to products you buy from retailers that normally sell such items.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Or the OP could have done 5 minutes of research and found the numerous videos and articles that have been published about cleaning the Airpods himself before going to an Apple Store and expecting a replacement pair for a out of warranty, three year old product.

If the $250 was a "large expense", he probably shouldn't have purchased in the 1st place.

Products you purchase aren't designed to last forever...

The Customer Support person the OP spoke to could have assisted or guided the OP in taking those measures-after explaining that the warranty was over. That would have been "a plus" for both Apple's Customer Service, and Apple. It is that simple.

 

[zkap]

My OG AirPods Pro are still going strong, purchased them in January 2020. No doubt they're still very useful with good battery life due to Covid keeping everyone at home, thus eliminating my commute which was when I used them the most.

I never had/noticed the crackling, my only problem with them was poor call quality - if I were outside and there was wind or traffic, the person on the other end could barely hear me. Otherwise an excellent product and as soon as their battery gives out, I'll replace them with the new version. I don't know how quality they are compared to other manufacturers, but I love how seamlessly they switch between my devices so I'm sticking with them, the ease of use is really something and the issue I have with them is resolved in Gen 2.

Not long after posting this, I heard the crackling sound so I thought "here we go..."

But that only happened once so I noticed that the time it happened I was wearing a coat and a scarf, whereas later I was wearing a leather jacket and no scarf, and no crackling sound. Clearly the crackling for me was due to static caused by the material of my clothing, as I had done nothing with my OG APP other than just use them the next day with a different outfit.

This doesn't excuse Apple in any way, though. Horrendously bad QAC.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Not long after posting this, I heard the crackling sound so I thought "here we go..."

But that only happened once so I noticed that the time it happened I was wearing a coat and a scarf, whereas later I was wearing a leather jacket and no scarf, and no crackling sound. Clearly the crackling for me was due to static caused by the material of my clothing, as I had done nothing with my OG APP other than just use them the next day with a different outfit.

This doesn't excuse Apple in any way, though. Horrendously bad QAC.

That sounds quite plausible!

 

[rasg]

Well, that is not quite the way it is.
Consumer protection legislation often ignores the manufacturer warranty.
In the UK an in the EU the seller of the item is liable to repair or replacement for a period of time considered to be the reasonable expectation of life/duration of the item. For most consumable electronics this is in excess of three years.
I am aware that in the US consumer protection laws vary from state to state, but again it is usually unrelated to manufacturers warranty. So my advice would be to check consumer protection law where you are, and take it from there.

When the cable on my Apple Thunderbolt display broke (wear and tear) when I took it to an Apple Store they suggested that I could expect any electronic item they sold should last for six years and fixed it FOC. They were quoting the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which applies in England and Wales. I have never bought Apple Care on any Apple product I have bought.

If you ask really nicely when you take an item to an Apple Store it's surprising how much help they will give you.

 

[slippery-pete]

The Customer Support person the OP spoke to could have assisted or guided the OP in taking those measures-after explaining that the warranty was over. That would have been "a plus" for both Apple's Customer Service, and Apple. It is that simple.

Once again, what prevented OP from researching himself prior to going to Apple? Laziness? Incompetence?

 

[AlaskaMoose]

Once again, what prevented OP from researching himself prior to going to Apple? Laziness? Incompetence?

Asking ourselves, "what prevented OP from researching....?" makes no sense since "we" don't know what the OP's circumstances at the moment were. How can any of us, forum members, know what the OP did before contacting Apple?
It is only normal for the buyer to contact the manufacturer first, be it a car, computer, home appliance, and so on.

And that is where a customer service representative comes into play. Such a "worker" represents the company he or she works for. He or she advices the customer on what steps to take to solve the issue at hand, including referral to other support sections, and even to point him in the right direction (the research you are referring to).

The fact is that a responsible or caring customer support person would never ask himself or the customer the reasons why he or she didn't take the time to research... before calling customer support.

 

[MajorFubar]

Once again, what prevented OP from researching himself prior to going to Apple? Laziness? Incompetence?

I'm unsure why you're insistent on fighting Apple's corner in this thread like an unpaid shill. No one at Apple would even so much as p*ss on you if you're on fire, but they'll be delighted to hear if a similar misfortune ever happens to you that you'll just chalk it up to experience. And to get this kind of unwavering support from you, you paid them. Just let that sink in.

EDIT: One of the best pieces of advice OP has been given was to research the trading standards laws for his particular country / region / state to see if he's protected by them for a period beyond the duration of the manufacturer's warranty. That still remains great advice. To absolutely no-one's surprise, Apple did not advise him to do this.

 

[slippery-pete]

I'm unsure why you're insistent on fighting Apple's corner in this thread like an unpaid shill. No one at Apple would even so much as p*ss on you if you're on fire, but they'll be delighted to hear if a similar misfortune ever happens to you that you'll just chalk it up to experience. And to get this kind of unwavering support from you, you paid them. Just let that sink in.

EDIT: One of the best pieces of advice OP has been given was to research the trading standards laws for his particular country / region / state to see if he's protected by them for a period beyond the duration of the manufacturer's warranty. That still remains great advice. To absolutely no-one's surprise, Apple did not advise him to do this.

Unpaid shill? Get a grip and take a deep breath. You want to blame Apple for hiring a bad employee, that I am in agreement with. Sadly, many people don't care about their job or the company they work for; they are there to collect a check.

I do feel sorry for you, have a good one buddy.

 

[slippery-pete]

Asking ourselves, "what prevented OP from researching....?" makes no sense since "we" don't know what the OP's circumstances at the moment were. How can any of us, forum members, know what the OP did before contacting Apple?
It is only normal for the buyer to contact the manufacturer first, be it a car, computer, home appliance, and so on.

And that is where a customer service representative comes into play. Such a "worker" represents the company he or she works for. He or she advices the customer on what steps to take to solve the issue at hand, including referral to other support sections, and even to point him in the right direction (the research you are referring to).

The fact is that a responsible or caring customer support person would never asks himself or the customer the reasons why he or she didn't take the time to research... before calling customer support.

Actually, there is a thing called Google search/YouTube. Now a days if there is an issue, that is the 1st place people go to research a solution. Had a plumbing issue a month ago. Typed into Google the issue, pulled up video on YouTube on how to fix and realized it probably was more than I could handle and called a plumber.

I hate to break it to you, but majority of companies have employees that are there to punch a time clock. Its a sad state of companies but, it is its just a fact. Not every employee for a company cares. Want to blame Apple for hiring a bad employee, I am in agreement.

 

[MajorFubar]

@slippery-pete I wasn't criticising Apple's employees. Actually I was more still coming from the perspective that you think customers are wrong to expect a $250 product to have more than a three-year lifespan and those who think otherwise are 'comical' (your posts #120 and #125). Then to add insult to injury, OP is apparently 'lazy' or 'incompetent' because he (maybe?) didn't choose to research his local trading laws in advance of calling Apple (your post #139).

Like I said, Apple aren't even going to p*ss on your body if it's burning so I don't know what you're actually gaining from belittling both OP's position and the words of anyone who tries to defend it. It's an interesting stance.

 

[slippery-pete]

@slippery-pete Actually I was more still coming from the perspective that you think a $250 product shouldn't necessarily have more than a three-year lifespan and those who think otherwise are 'comical' (your posts #120 and #125), then to add insult to injury, OP is apparently 'lazy' or 'incompetent' because he (maybe?) didn't choose to research his local trading laws in advance of calling Apple (your post #139).

Like I said, Apple aren't even going to p*ss on your body if it's burning so I don't know what you're actually gaining from belittling both OP's position and the words of anyone who tries to defend it. It's an interesting stance. Companies usually have to buy the kind of defence you've presented for Apple in this thread, and you're offering it for free. There's no way that a high-profile board like this doesn't have staff from Apple themselves lurking here, and they must be laughing.

In all my years on this board I have never seen anyone go back a reference post numbers. 🤣😂


You are special and should focus on reading comprehension. Please refer to post #120, the product doesn't have a three year lifespan, his particular product does. Huge difference. My pair is still working perfectly fine and gets used on a daily basis.

You want to die on the hill, you keep repeating the same nonsense regarding me defending Apple (you love the pi** reference and analogy LOL!). Talk about interesting stance. The product is THREE years old and out of warranty. Those are FACTS...not up for debate. What Apple is probably laughing at is you, complaining about their products and service, and yet continue to buy their products and frequent an Apple message board!

Really wasted too much time with you; time I'll neve get back.

 

[1rottenapple]

I recently encountered a disappointing experience with Apple’s customer service, both in-store and over the phone. My AirPods Pro began producing a crackling noise—a well-documented manufacturing defect acknowledged by Apple. However, because this issue surfaced more than three years after my purchase, Apple’s only recommendation was to buy a new pair for over $250, plus tax.



It’s disheartening that a company can overlook a known manufacturing defect and suggest that customers simply purchase a replacement. This approach seems unjust and uncharacteristic of a reputable American company. When a defect is known, failing to provide a solution to affected customers borders on negligence. I urge any law firms willing to address this issue to take action; consumers would greatly appreciate it. We must hold Apple accountable and prevent such practices from continuing.

Go get em tiger

 

[katbel]

I posted this already but reading this thread it belongs here 😵‍💫

My AirPods Pro got automatically updated to the latest firmware 6F21. Since then only the left AirPod has a hissing/buzzing sound when is in Noise C. or transparency, it works fine when none is selected but I need to have the NC.
I looked to find a solution and found that it was a defect they had and there was a recall or free exchange till 2023. Of course I have the issue now, March 2025 🙄
I already tried few things: reset it, followed an old tip on Reddit, tried to clean it but nothing has worked.
Any idea how to go back to the previous firmware? Or how to fix it?