Question regarding Apple Express Replacement

[firefighter64]

Okay so I have an iPhone 7 that's taken quite a beating since I refuse to wear a case (I keep telling myself I should, and I SHOULD) and have dropped it quite a few times. I wanted to get that out of the way, please don't let it detract from my question because I'm just trying to be honest, and that isn't the main problem.

So a few nights ago I went to bed and set my alarm on my phone like I usually do and all was well. Despite the screen being pretty cracked, the phone was fully functional and worked great. However, when I woke up it wasnt to my alarm so I was pretty confused. I go to turn on the phone, and get nothing. Fully charge it, still nothing.

Contact Apple support, the lady says it's probably a software issue and runs me through the restore process on iTunes, to no avail. At this point she tells me it's probably a manufacturer issue with the display, and offers my the Express replacement option.

This is great, and I tell her I'd like to do that, so I process it. I authorize the ~$800 charge, and now I have a replacement phone and return packaging on the way.

Problem: The cracks. Because of these, they're going to say it absolutely isn't a manufacturer defect, and I'm gonna be in trouble. But this happened overnight, with my phone completely stationary...

What are they going to say to me, and what can I do? As messed up as it sounds, I was considering saying the phone's screen was fine when I sent it and must have gotten destroyed while it was being shipped to Apple, and to be honest I'm not sure if they could prove against that. But if there's another, better solution, help me out here.

Sorry for the wall of text, but you all are the pros.

Thanks guys.

 

[BasicGreatGuy]

You need to do the right thing and be honest. It isn't right to scam Apple.

You caused the damage. If you want it fixed, you need to pay.

 

[firefighter64]

You need to do the right thing and be honest. It isn't right to scam Apple.

You caused the damage. If you want it fixed, you need to pay.

What happened to it overnight that I caused?

 

[LoliS]

Problem: The cracks. Because of these, they're going to say it absolutely isn't a manufacturer defect, and I'm gonna be in trouble.

They are going to charge you for the replacement device fee.

[doublepost=1489987061][/doublepost]

But if there's another, better solution, help me out here.

Call Apple and tell them the truth - tell them you cracked your screen and ask them how much you are going to be charged if you send the phone with the cracked screen back to them.

Pay to have your screen repaired. That's what you should have done in the first place.

[doublepost=1489987203][/doublepost]

I was considering saying the phone's screen was fine when I sent it and must have gotten destroyed while it was being shipped to Apple

They send the replacements in a box with the white box inside of that. If you put your device to return in the white box and then put that in the outer box, it is very protected so they are going to know you are a liar.

Also, there are logs on the phone with the accelerometer data in it including date and time of the incident. They can review those logs and see that your phone suffered a sudden deceleration when you cracked the screen. So they will know.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Sorry for the wall of text, but you all are the pros.

If I had been drinking anything when I read this, it would be all over my keyboard right now.

 

[firefighter64]

If I had been drinking anything when I read this, it would be all over my keyboard right now.

Glad you weren't drinking anything.

 

[Gav2k]

Should have been honest in the first place. You could have got an out of warranty replacement.

Now however you'll be charged for the device and your one will be returned.

 

[firefighter64]

Should have been honest in the first place. You could have got an out of warranty replacement.

Now however you'll be charged for the device and your one will be returned.

I absolutely could not have gotten out of a warranty replacement. My device is cracked due to fall damage.

 

[Gav2k]

I absolutely could not have gotten out of a warranty replacement. My device is cracked due to fall damage.

Trust me when I say you could.

The only time they won't is if the phone is smashed to pieces.

 

[iphonehype]

They'll bill your credit card for out of warranty replacement value

 

[bufffilm]

You want some advice......when the replacement phone arrives, put a screen protector and a case on it.

That's it.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

If you don't have AppleCare, they will bill your credit card the OOW replacement cost.

 

[Mlrollin91]

The OP is using Express Replacement, which means he has AC+. I'm amazed he wasn't asked if there was prior damage to the device before them shipping it out. Because they would charge a $99 deductible for the replacement device. I have an Express Replacement device coming to my house today for a broken camera and the first thing they asked before setting up the repair is if it is damaged.

OP you need to call Apple and tell them to charge you for one incident on your AC+. That way you are only out $99. If you return a broken device under false pretenses, then they may charge you the $329 OOW fee.

 

[LoliS]

The OP is using Express Replacement, which means he has AC+.

I used Express Replacement for a defective device that was in warranty but no AC+. They charged me $29 for Express Replacement. If you have AC+, you don't have to pay the $29.

 

[Mlrollin91]

I used Express Replacement for a defective device that was in warranty but no AC+. They charged me $29 for Express Replacement. If you have AC+, you don't have to pay the $29.

You are correct, I forgot they opened it up for a fee. When ERS first came out, it was AC+ only.

 

[DUIduckSAUCE]

If the issue is not related to the cracks they won't charge you anything. Unless you agreed to pay some kind of out of warranty replacement cost, they can't charge your credit card.

 

[Mlrollin91]

If the issue is not related to the cracks they won't charge you anything. Unless you agreed to pay some kind of out of warranty replacement cost, they can't charge your credit card.

Thats not true. The OP failed to inform Apple of a damaged device. Therefore the terms of the express replacement are void. Apple has every right to collect. At a minimum he would have to pay the replacement screen cost of $129.
[doublepost=1490027840][/doublepost]"If your issue isn’t covered, you’ll pay the out-of-warranty fee for your iPhone model."

"If your iPhone was severely damaged in an accident or it's inoperable after unauthorized modifications, or if we never receive it, we’ll charge you the replacement value."

https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/service/express-replacement

Apple will count the damage as not a manufacturer defect. OP needs to call Apple and get ahead of it.

 

[LoliS]

You are correct, I forgot they opened it up for a fee. When ERS first came out, it was AC+ only.

Apple has always provided warranty service by mail though. You used to have to mail in your device first and then they mailed you out a replacement device.

I used to live far away from an Apple store so I could only do warranty exchanges through the mail.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Apple has always provided warranty service by mail though. You used to have to mail in your device first and then they mailed you out a replacement device.

I used to live far away from an Apple store so I could only do warranty exchanges through the mail.

Yes, I know about repair/replace by mail always being free. They still offer this, but for the $29 fee it makes it worth the ERS. But them sending you the replacement device first use to be AC only, then it was opened up for a $29 fee for all.

 

[LoliS]

If the issue is not related to the cracks they won't charge you anything.

You're just making that up.

Unless you agreed to pay some kind of out of warranty replacement cost, they can't charge your credit card.

You obviously have never done an express replacement. When you do it over the phone, they send you a link by email that you click on to input your credit card info. When you do that, you agree to all kinds of T&C and they charge your credit card for the full cost of the replacement device right then and there. It shows up as a pending charge on your credit card.

Then the pending charge doesn't post if they get the device back and it doesn't show physical damage. If it does show physical damage, then the charge posts.

 

[Mlrollin91]

You're just making that up.

You obviously have never done an express replacement. When you do it over the phone, they send you a link that you click on to input your credit card info. When you do that, you agree to all kinds of T&C and they charge your credit card for the full cost of the replacement device right then and there. It shows up as a pending charge on your credit card.

Then the pending charge doesn't post if they get the device back and it doesn't show physical damage. If it does, then the charge posts.

Or they edit the charge to accommodate late fee, AC+ deductible, OOW replacement fee.

 

[LoliS]

Or they edit the charge to accommodate late fee, AC+ deductible, OOW replacement fee.

Right. For instance, I did a warranty replacement on an iPhone 6 that did not have AC+ and they charged my card something like $550 for the replacement device + $29 ER fee + tax. Then when they got the defective device back, the only thing that posted to my card was $29 + tax.

In my state you have to pay tax on service charges, but that is not true of every state.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Right. For instance, I did a warranty replacement on an iPhone 6 that did not have AC+ and they charged my card something like $550 for the replacement device + $29 ER fee + tax. Then when they got the defective device back, the only thing that posted to my card was $29 + tax.

In my state you have to pay tax on service charges, but that is not true of every state.

Same thing with my sister and her Apple Watch. $199 + tax hold, and the $69 deductible cleared after they got the watch back.

 

[DUIduckSAUCE]

Thats not true. The OP failed to inform Apple of a damaged device. Therefore the terms of the express replacement are void. Apple has every right to collect. At a minimum he would have to pay the replacement screen cost of $129.
[doublepost=1490027840][/doublepost]"If your issue isn’t covered, you’ll pay the out-of-warranty fee for your iPhone model."

"If your iPhone was severely damaged in an accident or it's inoperable after unauthorized modifications, or if we never receive it, we’ll charge you the replacement value."

https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/service/express-replacement

Apple will count the damage as not a manufacturer defect. OP needs to call Apple and get ahead of it.

Sounds like the op agreed to be charged by sending it in. They will charge him for a screen replacement most likely.
I had a similar issue. Brought in a shattered 7 plus, when I told the genius it made the hissing noise when underload and they replaced it as in warranty. Completely ignored the shattered screen. Didn't cost me a thing. I was totally expecting to have to pay for a screen replacement

 

[Mlrollin91]

Sounds like the op agreed to be charged by sending it in. They will charge him for a screen replacement most likely.
I had a similar issue. Brought in a shattered 7 plus, when I told the genius it made the hissing noise when underload and they replaced it as in warranty. Completely ignored the shattered screen. Didn't cost me a thing. I was totally expecting to have to pay for a screen replacement

Thats just a nice Genius. Using ERS doesn't give you the ability of getting a nice Genius. This is going directly to the engineers to test the device to verify the issue. Any device returned with ERS for a defect gets tested to verify the issue.