Quality Issues - Retail vs. Carrier

[Spidder]

I recently sold my 5 to get the 5S and I wanted to find out, if there are still issues regarding the quality of the display. I've read a lot of articles and threads erverywhere, especially a quiet old thread on the official Apple discussion board. As it turns out, the quality issues go on... but one user at the official discussion board had a very interesting theory. He alleged Apple selling the good iPhones to the carriers and the 'bad' ones at its retail and online stores:

Well it arrived today and gosh darnit...the display was ANOTHER PERFECT ONE!
Now at first, I asked myself "what are the odds of that?"....but instead, I began to think.... are the UNLOCKED A1428's actually Apple's "SECONDS"? Known quality issues that they sell in the stores and online?

Full post: https://discussions.apple.com/message/22686173#22686173

Then I looked at some devices from my iPhone5-owning buddies and asked where they bought it. Result: Most faulty iPhones come from Apples own retail and online stores, most flawless iPhones from carriers. It's not a sample survey, but it matches the allegation of that qouted user. So lets make poll!

Where did you bought your 5/5S and was the first device you got faulty in some way or flawless?

 

[DcGamer05]

I said he said they said

 

[Carlanga]

I' m 100% sure that you and the thread are wrong about this.

 

[kiantech]

The yellow tint problem is suppose to resolve over time correct? So if your argument is more apple retail bought phones have the tint issue out of the box opposed to carrier sold phones it makes sorta sense.

Carriers probably have more transit time to their destination (factory -> carrier store) compared to (factory -> apple store).

The best way is to compare serial numbers bought from a apple retail store and carrier on the same day. The week of manufacturing on the carrier will probably be manufactured earlier.

 

[Shrink]

So let me get this straight...the theory posits that Apple sends it's crappy, reject, dinged up, scratched, malfunctioning phones to the Apple stores, and the "good" phones to the carriers.

Yah...that makes a whole lot of sense...I'm sure putting Apple's whole retail sector in a bad light would be a brilliant marketing move.

 

[AAPLinc]

Bought mine online, picked up in Apple retail store last Wednesday. Gray 5S, FLAWLESS. And believe me I inspected it with a fine toothed comb.