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TooMuchPhone

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 30, 2019
218
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Is the Oleophobic coating covered by Apple Care+? I can’t believe my 15PM already has areas that are difficult to clean / fingerprints make a pattern in certain areas.
 
Is the Oleophobic coating covered by Apple Care+? I can’t believe my 15PM already has areas that are difficult to clean / fingerprints make a pattern in certain areas.

I don’t think they do. All they can do is to replace the entire screen for you.
 
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No, cosmetic faults that have no effect on the functionality of the device are not covered. So apart from this something like a scuffed band of a phone would also not be covered.
 
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It’s not covered, do you often use your phone with oily hands? As that can wear down the coating quicker.

You can either apply a new coating as suggested, or get a screen protector which will have a fresh coating pre-applied.
 
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I wonder what the law is for advertising a feature and not warranting it. My coating on the 15PM is degraded after a few months - what if it degraded after a month, a week? I know lots of Apple fans here won’t have an issue but I expect better for a “pro” device that was not exposed to solvents (yes T-shirt cleaning or jeans pocket may have done the damage but I think this coating is too fragile).
 
I think it's considered a cosmetic issue and something that naturally wears out. Given that, it would be hard to legislate.
 
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I think it's considered a cosmetic issue and something that naturally wears out. Given that, it would be hard to legislate.
Yes but what would be a reasonable time - I can’t imagine they could advertise a feature that goes away in a week for example. I will say their $20 cleaning cloth does work with the phone in this condition (T-shirt is no longer effective in certain areas).
 
I wonder what the law is for advertising a feature and not warranting it. My coating on the 15PM is degraded after a few months - what if it degraded after a month, a week? I know lots of Apple fans here won’t have an issue but I expect better for a “pro” device that was not exposed to solvents (yes T-shirt cleaning or jeans pocket may have done the damage but I think this coating is too fragile).

Oil wears down any coating, and your fingers produce natural oils, so everyone will experience varying speeds of degradation.
 
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Yes but what would be a reasonable time - I can’t imagine they could advertise a feature that goes away in a week for example. I will say their $20 cleaning cloth does work with the phone in this condition (T-shirt is no longer effective in certain areas).

Personally, I think at least a month is reasonable. So many factors such as number of taps within that period, tap force, taps vs. swipes, cleaning with alcohol, etc.

It's one of those things where you just have to trust Apple that it lasts reasonably long. It's like asking what a reasonable period a piece of chewing gum should last in your mouth.
 
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I disagree that a month is sufficient- it’s an advertised feature on a device that people have at least a year, probably 2 on average. My feeling is if they can’t warranty it, it shouldn’t be advertised as something that comes with the device. This is similar to a new leather smell which isn’t under warranty - it’s not something that is a feature, just something many people like out of the box.
 
The coating is a wear item like water resistance. It isn't meant to be permanent so it isn't covered under warranty. The coating isn't going to effect the performance of the device as my iPhone X was just shy of 6 yrs old when I replaced it with my 15PM and the coating was noticeably degraded after 6 months and it worked fine.. Nobody is stopping you from taking it to an Apple Store and pleading your case, maybe you will get a sympathetic employee that will help you out
 
Options have been presented and I have a hard time understanding that a comsumable item on the phone is such a problem. I think it is one of the first things most folks do is cover the coating up with a screen protector and a lot put a case on there phones. The option was noted several times and it be like getting mad that the tires or the battery on the new car is not covered by the warranty after 50K miles on the car.
 
50k miles is a long time - this is too short for normal use. I am maintaining that either Apple should fix this under warranty or don’t advertise as a feature if it is so short lasting.
 
Why don't you just call AppleCare and ask them nicely?

In my experience, most of the time they bend over backwards to help. If you don't think the first person you speak with is sympathetic enough, ask to be escalated to a senior advisor. Pretty much every time I've needed to get bumped to a senior advisor, they worked with me as long as it took to get the problem resolved.
 
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Yeah I may call - they just refused to warranty exchange their $50 silicon case so I haven’t been in the mood to engage them (this was a week of back and forth) and I know it will also probably fail in another few months. Also why should we as customers “ask nicely” - just make products and stand by them.

Edit: case issue here - again they should stand by their products like they used to is what I’m trying to say:

 
I’ve read estimates/averages of one year for it to be mostly/entirely worn off. Some claims:




Indeed, Apple doesn’t state a time frame:
This coating wears over time with normal use. Cleaning products and abrasive materials will further diminish the coating and might scratch your iPhone.

yes T-shirt cleaning or jeans pocket may have done the damage but I think this coating is too fragile
How often: typically once a day, several times per day, …? From what I’ve gathered, gently wiping the display/screen multiple times daily with a well cleaned microfiber cloth, dry or slightly dampened with distilled water, can wear away the oleophobic coating as fast or faster than occasionally (e.g., once every week or month) with a regular cloth, t-shirt, etc or a soft cloth with a light cleaning liquid (e.g., low concentration of isopropyl alcohol). Basically, the less you (need to) clean the display/screen, the better.

Lastly… Because I was curious, I applied ProofTech’s OLEOPEL to my iPhone X. The first application I followed the instructions precisely. The second instance I did a layering: allowed it to cure overnight, carefully cleaned, then applied another coating and let cure the next night. At best, with any application, it lasted about three months.
 
i doubt they will cover it but you could try your luck.

this is why i always use a screen protecter. not just to stop scratches/cracks but also so i don't wear down the coating. i'd rather replace a cheap piece of glass that ruin my display. you shouldn't need to buy a screen protector but yeah eventually the coating will wear away with use. it's normal wear and tear. it's either that apple don't put a coat on it at all.
 
I wonder what the law is for advertising a feature and not warranting it. My coating on the 15PM is degraded after a few months - what if it degraded after a month, a week? I know lots of Apple fans here won’t have an issue but I expect better for a “pro” device that was not exposed to solvents (yes T-shirt cleaning or jeans pocket may have done the damage but I think this coating is too fragile).
That coating, due to how the device is designed to be used (touch, swiping, etc.), is considered consumable. No real way to determine how much you type, swipe, etc., and how hard you drag your fingers, along with the "condition" of your fingers, if you carry the device in a pocket or in some manner that adds wear & tear...
 
You’re missing the point - the question I posed is about the average lifespan of the feature and if that time period is long enough that Apple should be able to advertise it without including it in the warranty.
 
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