Perfect hardware on 3G?

[crazylegsmurphy]

well, i could in theory still buy it now, maybe get lucky and snatch a perfect one, or wait 3-6 months and have it swapped for the ''if anything develops'' bit

You're right...but you have to take into consideration that the problems might not be limited to only a few phones.

If you take the chance and get a phone you might get a perfect one, or you might have to go through what many here (and around the Interweb) are going through and it will become much more hassle than it's worth.

I know I don't even care how fun the phone is at this point because so much of my time is spent dealing with the crap instead of enjoying the phone.

My main concern (and yours should be as well) is that because you have to sign a three year contract with your carrier there is 2 years where the iPhone isn't covered by warranty (at least not in Canada where you can't get Apple Care for the iPhone).

That means that if the problems never get fixed and you keep getting replacement phones that are junk, then you're going to have to live with that for 2 years of your contract.

I understand you probably have your heart set on an iPhone and none of the issues you're reading here will change that because there is always the "hope" you'll get a good one, but what I can say is....

-Do your research.

- Don't dismiss the other choices out there just because they're not as "trendy".

-Make sure you cover all your bases (get insurance / Apple care)

-Examine the phone you buy at the store until you are satisfied it meets your standards (get them to unbrick it and test it out).

- Take it home and use it, use it, use it.....if problems come up you want them to happen in the first 15 - 30 days so you can get a replacement (I heard you get new phones before the 30 day mark and refurbs after that.)

- Most importantly don't settle for less. Someone is going to pay a lot of money for the phone, if you're not happy, deal with it until you are.

I'm thinking of starting some kind of "campaign" myself to get Apple to deal with this in a better way than simply shipping me "new" phones. It's past the point where I think I should just keep playing the game.

I'm not sure what I'm going to go for yet, whether it be for Apple to buy out my plan, give me full credit for the phone, extend my warranty for the full contract term, or send me a phone that is personally overseen and checked.

Either way, I'm not happy about the position I am in as a customer.

 

[mcdj]

You're pretty much wasting your time if you think any anecdotes you read here regarding build quality will have any bearing on the actual phone you receive. You may get a perfect one; you may not. EOS.

 

[aipoun]

You're pretty much wasting your time if you think any anecdotes you read here regarding build quality will have any bearing on the actual phone you receive. You may get a perfect one; you may not. EOS.

u r right, but i wanted to know whether Apple KNOWS how to deliver good build quality for the 3G in the first place...
quite a few people seem satisfied, so there is hope...

 

[Redline13]

Nothing is perfect if you look close enough. My advice is to not worry about it.

 

[Interstella5555]

hey guys, good forums, glad to join in...

here's the deal: i might be getting the 3G in a couple of weeks, for my birthday. Officially unlocked (Belgium). A lot of money: 615 Euros for the 16GB black.

While I am not particularly worried about software glitches or missing features (as they will come around eventually via updates), I AM VERY WORRIED about hardware issues. Like most Mac users, I am picky about my gadgets. And I do want the perfect piece of hardware delivered through the Iphone 3G.

Anyone out there who can ease my anxiety? LOL
Are cracking casings rather the exception?
Are the bezels generally nicely aligned with the plastic back? ETC.

Can anyone say ''I have the perfect 3G''?
Meaning:
- no dead pixels
- no dust under screen
- no out-of-the-box scratches
- no misalignment of bezel and plastic back
- no light leak of any sort
- no sharp edges
- no sunken buttons
- NO CRACKS, DENTS in the casing

Cheers!

I have a perfect iPhone 3G. wow that felt good to get off my chest.

 

[aipoun]

I have a perfect iPhone 3G. wow that felt good to get off my chest.

I bet!

 

[Carnivor]

Nothing is perfect if you look close enough. My advice is to not worry about it.

thats tru, me and the missus have identical 3g 16gb blacks, but we know who's is who's without turning them on, and they are both cosmetically in pristine condition. but both my home button and volume rocker feels different to hers when you press, but no faults with either technically.

They're just slightly different!!! and feel and usage picks up on it.

 

[TheSpaz]

Anyone else see little lines appear on their screen if they move the iPhone vertically up and down compared to just holding it as still as possible? My iPod touch and 1st Gen iPhone didn't do this, but my 3G does. I wish I could say something about it to Apple, but every iPhone 3G at the Apple Store has the same issue with different degrees of variation.

Edit, I notice it in mostly solid colors especially in the Safari address bar around the refresh button. I pretty much notice it in any top blue toolbar.

 

[danielforman]

Anyone else see little lines appear on their screen if they move the iPhone vertically up and down compared to just holding it as still as possible? My iPod touch and 1st Gen iPhone didn't do this, but my 3G does. I wish I could say something about it to Apple, but every iPhone 3G at the Apple Store has the same issue with different degrees of variation.

Edit, I notice it in mostly solid colors especially in the Safari address bar around the refresh button. I pretty much notice it in any top blue toolbar.

Yeah mine does that as well now I come to look closer. Plus as I mentioned in another post earlier in this thread I have the blue tint down the right which is annoying.


Also does anyone else notice that if you put a bit more pressure on when touching the screen that you see the same thing as when you press the membrane of a TFT monitor. Didn't do it on my 1st gen iPhone but does on this one.

Might be phoning Apple up again soon as the blue tint is annoying me and the vertical line thing does make the display slightly blurry. Reminds me of setting your refresh rate too low on an old CRT monitor.

 

[TheSpaz]

Yeah mine does that as well now I come to look closer....

...and the vertical line thing does make the display slightly blurry. Reminds me of setting your refresh rate too low on an old CRT monitor.

HOLY CRAP! FINALLY! Someone else notices and I'm NOT actually crazy. This did not happen on my 1st Gen iPhone and I wish it didn't happen on my 3G. Every time I look at the screen, I can see those lines unless I'm holding my hand perfectly still, but that's extremely hard when you're walking/driving.

Also does anyone else notice that if you put a bit more pressure on when touching the screen that you see the same thing as when you press the membrane of a TFT monitor. Didn't do it on my 1st gen iPhone but does on this one.

Yes, my 1st Gen iPhone actually did that too... I noticed one day when I was wiping it with my shirt. Also, my volume rocker switch keeps getting little strands of hair wedged in the bottom part (the side that's sunken in a bit more). I wonder if being sunken in is making it rub against the plastic making fibers get trapped in it.

 

[danielforman]

HOLY CRAP! FINALLY! Someone else notices and I'm NOT actually crazy. This did not happen on my 1st Gen iPhone and I wish it didn't happen on my 3G. Every time I look at the screen, I can see those lines unless I'm holding my hand perfectly still, but that's extremely hard when you're walking/driving.

Yeah if it's still there are no lines but when you move it there are lines. You probably don't notice them that much due to the fact the phone is moving when the lines appear so not always easy to keep your eye's focussed on it all the time. But I thought it kept doing it or that my eye's were playing tricks on me.

But it does make the screen look funny and it does start to affect my eye's after a while. Plus the blue tint, although not hugely noticeable at a glance and only apparent on whit backgrounds mainly it does affect my eyes as well because of the uneven colour.

Fair enough it does not affect the working of the iPhone but it is not very nice to look at for sustained periods of time like web browsing.

Think I might give Apple a call tomorrow.

 

[TheSpaz]

Yeah if it's still there are no lines but when you move it there are lines. You probably don't notice them that much due to the fact the phone is moving when the lines appear so not always easy to keep your eye's focussed on it all the time. But I thought it kept doing it or that my eye's were playing tricks on me.

But it does make the screen look funny and it does start to affect my eye's after a while. Plus the blue tint, although not hugely noticeable at a glance and only apparent on whit backgrounds mainly it does affect my eyes as well because of the uneven colour.

Fair enough it does not affect the working of the iPhone but it is not very nice to look at for sustained periods of time like web browsing.

Think I might give Apple a call tomorrow.

Good luck trying to get one without the lines. Like I said before, all the iPhone 3Gs I saw has the issue. Oh well.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

I can guarantee your new hardware will be perfect but am not willing to accept any liability if it isn't. Hope that helps.

 

[TheSpaz]

I can guarantee your new hardware will be perfect but am not willing to accept any liability if it isn't. Hope that helps.

No that doesn't make any sense at all. Go back to whatever alternate dimension you came from.

 

[sv650s]

My 2G iPhone was had no defects at all. My first 3G iPhone had a sunken/angled power/sleep button and defective GPS (the GPS is what I ended up sending it in for, I could deal with the button). The replacement arrives tomorrow, so I'm praying it doesn't have new issues.

 

[aipoun]

Good luck trying to get one without the lines. Like I said before, all the iPhone 3Gs I saw has the issue. Oh well.

OK, I will definitely check that in store. Please describe how exactly I need to hold/tilt/move the Iphone to see the lines u mean. Thanks!

 

[danielforman]

Good luck trying to get one without the lines. Like I said before, all the iPhone 3Gs I saw has the issue. Oh well.

Having had a closer look at my first gen iPhone it does do it as well but no where near as bad as my 3G. Just must be something common to all if you look hard enough.

But I think you will find that most iPhones have some kind of defect/issue if you look hard enough. Things like uneven power buttons and slightly sunken screens seem to appear on a lot of the units. All the one's i have had have had this issue but I don't see these as major defects.

However, things like cracked casings, blue screen tint, stuck or dead pixels, dust getting under the glass and major light leak are what I would consider more serious issues.

If you are going to buy one from a store check it over while your there if you can at least then it will save you having to go back to sort it out later on.

 

[alFR]

Every iphone i have owned has had one of the following issues!

The current replacement is doing fine though!

You do realise that those two statements are contradictory, don't you?

 

[nimda0]

I have the perfect iPhone3g.

I had a perfect one to begin with when they first came out, then swapped it out for another one because a case that apple sold to me scratched the hell out of the phone. Then the 2nd phone wasn't perfect, it had dead pixels.... so I swapped it out, with another perfect phone.

Seriously... I have had 2 percect phones and have 1 now... and my girlfriends white iphone 3g is perfect also. All are 16gb.

Perfect meaning: The phone does not have any of the issues you listed, and has absolutely no problems at all aside from missing bluetooth stereo abilities, missing mms, and lack of video recording app.

 

[aipoun]

I have the perfect iPhone3g.

I had a perfect one to begin with when they first came out, then swapped it out for another one because a case that apple sold to me scratched the hell out of the phone. Then the 2nd phone wasn't perfect, it had dead pixels.... so I swapped it out, with another perfect phone.

Seriously... I have had 2 percect phones and have 1 now... and my girlfriends white iphone 3g is perfect also. All are 16gb.

Perfect meaning: The phone does not have any of the issues you listed, and has absolutely no problems at all aside from missing bluetooth stereo abilities, missing mms, and lack of video recording app.

Thanks a lot! Like I said, there is hope... when did u get the last one?

 

[TheSpaz]

OK, I will definitely check that in store. Please describe how exactly I need to hold/tilt/move the Iphone to see the lines u mean. Thanks!

Just move the iPhone up and down while looking at the blue part of the address bar in Safari. Little lines should appear on the screen. I don't really understand where they come from and why they only appear when you're moving the screen or moving your head, but it's slightly annoying. As a side note, my iPod Classic does this too. It might have something to do with the refresh rate or something. I don't know.

 

[cellocello]

Just move the iPhone up and down while looking at the blue part of the address bar in Safari. Little lines should appear on the screen. I don't really understand where they come from and why they only appear when you're moving the screen or moving your head, but it's slightly annoying. As a side note, my iPod Classic does this too. It might have something to do with the refresh rate or something. I don't know.

Wait.

This happens also when you *just* move YOUR head, and not the phone? Maybe it's your eyes dude.

That would also explain why you thought every single iPhone at the Apple store had this "issue", and why the geniuses didn't know what you were talking about.

 

[TheSpaz]

I have the perfect iPhone3g.

I had a perfect one to begin with when they first came out, then swapped it out for another one because a case that apple sold to me scratched the hell out of the phone. Then the 2nd phone wasn't perfect, it had dead pixels.... so I swapped it out, with another perfect phone.

Seriously... I have had 2 percect phones and have 1 now... and my girlfriends white iphone 3g is perfect also. All are 16gb.

Perfect meaning: The phone does not have any of the issues you listed, and has absolutely no problems at all aside from missing bluetooth stereo abilities, missing mms, and lack of video recording app.

What is your definition of perfect? No defects whatsoever? Or No defects that you notice or care about? I know a ton of people who would love my iPhone and think it's perfect.

 

[TheSpaz]

Wait.

This happens also when you *just* move YOUR head, and not the phone? Maybe it's your eyes dude.

That would also explain why you thought every single iPhone at the Apple store had this "issue", and why the geniuses didn't know what you were talking about.

Wait a second. It's not my eyes. A guy at the AT&T store saw it too. In fact, my 1st Gen iPhone didn't do this (I checked) and my iPod touch doesn't do this (I checked side by side). It's definitely the iPhone 3G's screen. I can't figure out why it does it, but I do know that it happens. I'm obviously not the first person who has seen this. Other people who may not have owned a previous iPhone or iPod touch may think this is normal or they may think it's their eyes or they may not notice at all since they have nothing to compare it to. I've grown used to my iPhone 1st Gen screen and my iPod touch screen so this is a big difference for me. It messes with my eyes and I don't like it. Like I said before, all of the iPhone 3Gs at the APPLE store had this issue, but on the other hand, the 2 iPhone 3Gs at the AT&T store did NOT have this issue. I guess it depends on the week it was made.

 

[DMC-12]

I just got my second replacement iPhone 3G. My original iPhone had uneven bezel and plastic back, a crack at the headphone jack, and slightly raised glass corners. The first replacement had nearly perfect bezel alignment, two dead pixels, a noticeably raised left side of the screen while the right was sunken, cracks around the camera lens, etc. On this second replacement, the plastic all along the left side of the bezel sticks out, the bottom half of the volume rocker is sunken, but the glass seems almost completely flush, with the left side only ever so slightly raised.

I haven't taken the second replacement out of the plastic wrapping yet. I'm seriously considering selling it on eBay and trying to get an original iPhone.