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Possible Case Defect (Am I Too Picky?)

A

angle

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 3, 2008
193
14
Michigan
Hey guys and gals,

Picked up an iPhone 3GS on Friday, had it all weekend, works great, love it!

HOWEVER

Today I noticed when I swiped my finger a little far to the right and it brushed over the chrome bezel, that the screen (glass) is just barely below the chrome, so there is a little bit of a lip. It's small (maybe two sheets of paper stacked on top of one another), however it IS noticeable compared to the left side of the screen. Enough that if the finger moves across it, it makes a slight scraping noise from brushing against my skin.

Since I paid an arm and a leg ($499+tax) for it, should I be more picky and go ask for an exchange? Does anybody else have experience with this? I'm worried that the lip will begin to catch dust / other particles, or even start (over time) pushing the bezel away further.

Never had to deal with exchanging a phone or having a possible body defect before. Thoughts / opinions?
 
I don't want to be a dick, but it's really annoying me and for the price paid, I'd want it to NOT annoy me.

Any opinions on if I should swap it out? Is it even likely that they'll have stock to swap it out?
 
thats how my 2g was, it was really bad my beard hair would get caught into it sometimes when talking on the phone.

my new 3gs is flush and perfect
 
my 3G S has the same exact thing...it really doesn't bother me though. You could try to get it swapped out...let us know how it goes. If it goes well and the defect starts to annoy me, then at least I'll know getting it swapped is possible
 
SEARCH....other threads...definatley a problem....i was at the apple store all day saturday....exchanged 4 phones all the same problem.....it's a huge defect...as the demo's were perfect...i have a case number and was told to come back in a couple weeks so the inventory can cycle.....
 
Nothings going to happen. It won't collect dust or anything and you'll begin to forget it's like that. Had my 3G with the same thing and nothing ever happened. It's not a defect.
 
I just noticed that my 3G has this issue and I had the glass replaced a bit ago because of dust behind the glass.

I'm not letting it bother me because I know that the glass will get replaced again or the entire device will be replaced.
 
Both my iPhone 3G and original iPhone have this issue. The easiest way to solve this is to apply a screen protector. The screen protector adds just enough thickness that your finger won't hit that metal bezel when you slide it across. It's a cheap and easy way to solve this problem. It works on both of my iPhones. Plus, it protects the screen and YES, the screen DOES scratch.
 
Yes, same here...

I did a check with my girlfriends and my best friends 3G S and theirs were definitely much smoother than mine. My finger would basically fall of the edge of their phone but would catch the lip of the bezel on mine. Called Apple and had them place notes for my genius bar appt regarding the problems so there will hopefully be less chance of any pushback. And TheSpaz is right, a screen protector basically "fixes" the issue, but I like having the screen unprotected. Also, when flipping the phone upside down, the left side is much more flush with the bezel. If it were the other way around it would be more manageable because you mostly swipe left for search functions. We'll see if I have any luck.
 
TheSpaz said:
Both my iPhone 3G and original iPhone have this issue. The easiest way to solve this is to apply a screen protector. The screen protector adds just enough thickness that your finger won't hit that metal bezel when you slide it across. It's a cheap and easy way to solve this problem. It works on both of my iPhones. Plus, it protects the screen and YES, the screen DOES scratch.
Click to expand...

This is the exact reason why I never noticed it until I took my screen protector off.
 
So is there a way for those who HAVENT purchased yet to check the serial numbers to see if the phone about to be purchased was in the same batch as these?????
 
Man, I've had a couple iPhones now, and all have had this to one extent or another.

I've felt other people's phones who don't seem to have this - so maybe I'm a lemon-magnet. Who knows.

All I know is, once you have a nigh-perfect iPhone HOLD ON IT FOR DEAR LIFE.
 
Don't want a case or screen protector. I take good enough care of my phone that those are not needed / wanted. Further, for the price I paid, I want my phone to be the same quality and build as the next person who does NOT have an issue like this, especially since it is new out of the box.

I have a Genius appt. tomorrow after work. It's noticeable enough that you can feel / see it, so hopefully they'll take good care of me! I'm a polite and patient person...hoping that helps!
 
My new 3G (replaced under warranty recently) actually has the screen raised slightly above the bezel on one side and slightly below on the other. It is so very slight that you can only notice it on very close inspection. The screen protector makes it flush on the low side so I didn't notice it at first. However, I believe the slight light leak on one side is being caused by the uneven bezel. It's a refurb 3G so I would probably return it 10 times with different issues.

I'd check for light leak in a dark room--if there is I'd return it now before you end up getting a refurb rather than a new phone.
 
Nothing to worry about. The screen is essentially pressed into the case, and you have that rubber grommet/seal around the edge between the screen and the chrome bezel. Sometimes that press is just not perfectly even all around. My 3G has this. It's fine. As long as that seal integrity isn't compromised (no breaking the seal! lol), it's fine.
 
After playing around with it, it's enough that it would irritate my thumb (from flicking across) after awhile. I also examined it against my 3G, and the lip is DEFINITELY raised more (visually you can see it, and especially feel it). I think I'll bring my 3G in to the Genius appt. and have them compare it as well.
 
SHAWNYMAC said:
now you are being absurd....it is a known defect the store i exchanged 4 of my phones are having huge numbers of returns.....they are in fact not selling anymore of the original batch ....and a new batch is on the way....
Click to expand...

Oh really? I'd ask you to qualify that statement just as you've asked The General to qualify his.
:rolleyes:
I'll bet you anything that Apple is in fact selling from that batch. Their insincere concern for your personal well being and happiness and the future unhappiness of future buyers is often trumped by the all might dollar. Even if it's a US dollar that's not worth the paper it's printed on.
 
SHAWNYMAC said:
now you are being absurd....it is a known defect the store i exchanged 4 of my phones are having huge numbers of returns.....they are in fact not selling anymore of the original batch ....and a new batch is on the way....
Click to expand...

No, sir. You are being absurd. You people return phones over the most minute of problems.

Waaaa, my volume up and down buttons are clicky enough. Waaaa, my silent switch isn't switchy enough. Waaaa, my chrome bezel is 1/10,000th of an inch off of flush with the glass display. Waaaa, my speaker makes a high pitched sound that's impossible to hear unless I put my ear right on the speaker. Waaaa, my screen rotation animation is only 23fps when it should be 24fps.

My god, it's just a phone.
 
A phone that people paid hundreds of dollars for, and expect to be of a certain caliber and quality. The saying "You get what you pay for" is true, and in this instance, and in the instances of others, we're NOT getting what we paid for.

I would appreciate if you kept your cynical remarks and negative attitude out of a thread where people are trying to compare quality and offer advice. If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all.
 
angle said:
After playing around with it, it's enough that it would irritate my thumb (from flicking across) after awhile. I also examined it against my 3G, and the lip is DEFINITELY raised more (visually you can see it, and especially feel it). I think I'll bring my 3G in to the Genius appt. and have them compare it as well.
Click to expand...

You sir are a joke. No mans finger is going to be irritated by a slight edge like that. It's not sharp, can't be seen and if you weren't so paranoid and always looking at it now, you wouldn't notice it.
 
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