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To those with defects - How many iPhone 4 replacements have you gone through?

A

anonymous guy

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 18, 2010
505
126
I'm on my third iPhone 4 at the moment.

The first iPhone 4 I purchased lasted two weeks until a battery defect overheated the hardware and would no longer hold a charge. The Genius replacement iPhone 4 that I swapped out had a hardware microphone defect that I noticed hours after leaving the store. When I got a call, the person on the other end couldn't hear me unless I activated the speakerphone. To further test the problem, the phone would not record sound and take voice commands, however the remote headphone mic worked just fine.

I'm on my third phone now, going one week strong.
 
On my third one too. First one had crashing issues and 3G radio would crash after a minute or two use. Second had a slightly collapsed screen so there was a rough area of contact near the side. 3rd seems fine (apart from the reception issue).
 
I've noticed that people who replace their iPhones tend to go through numerous replacements whereas the rest of us still have a perfectly working original. Seems to indicate that the problem is with people rather than the phones, perhaps OCD related? I mean, those on their 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on iPhone can't possibly have all the bad luck.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I've noticed that people who replace their iPhones tend to go through numerous replacements whereas the rest of us still have a perfectly working original. Seems to indicate that the problem is with people rather than the phones, perhaps OCD related? I mean, those on their 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on iPhone can't possibly have all the bad luck.
Click to expand...


Very broad generalization. Ever heard of a bad batch that may have hit the same store?

I am on my third and I have zero problems with it. The first return was my fault, I dropped it and cracked the front glass. Replaced for free. The 2nd return was due to a very noticeable yellow mark from the laminating glue. Apple told me to wait a week and then come back. I waited two weeks and the yellow was still there so they replaced it hassle-free.
 
anonymous guy said:
in after the obligatory "must be human error, you dummy" post
Click to expand...

So offer your theory why lots of people who've gone through replacements are on their 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. iPhone. I'm betting on OCD tendencies (i.e. a slightly collapsed screen in post #2 that some won't notice at all). My 3GS had uneven bevels and I could've been one of the OCD people who return it repeatedly until they get a perfect one but didn't because I know it's due to the crappy build quality that 3G/3GS had.
 
on that same vein there are operational defects that can and do appear that cause people to return the phone because it does not function as advertised. My first phone consistently lost 25% on standby. I could not use my second one as a "normal" phone.
 
I am waiting on my first replacement to get here from Apple. I have had mine since launch weekend, but the proximity sensor issues were getting rediculous. Hopefully the replacement is better, it will be here monday.
 
Have my second iPhone 4-
My problem has only been the proximity sensor putting people on hold or hanging up on them constantly.

Both phones have the problem.


is it worth trying for a third?
 
zub3qin said:
Have my second iPhone 4-
My problem has only been the proximity sensor putting people on hold or hanging up on them constantly.

Both phones have the problem.


is it worth trying for a third?
Click to expand...

You probably shouldn't - Apple mentioned that they were working on a software fix for that issue in the next firmware.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I've noticed that people who replace their iPhones tend to go through numerous replacements whereas the rest of us still have a perfectly working original. Seems to indicate that the problem is with people rather than the phones, perhaps OCD related? I mean, those on their 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on iPhone can't possibly have all the bad luck.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Some people could shake Jesus's hand and complain about the firmness of the exchange.

I don't understand it - people need to find other things to do sometimes.
 
I'm on my second one. Everyone talks about the antenna issue with the IP4. Well on my first IP4, the antenna didn't even work... at all.
 
On my second/third. I received a third one, but it had a scratch on it so I sent it back and I stayed with my 2nd one.
 
S1njin said:
Agreed. Some people could shake Jesus's hand and complain about the firmness of the exchange.

I don't understand it - people need to find other things to do sometimes.
Click to expand...

congratulations you were lucky and got a good phone the first time. But if you had got a phone with prox sensor problems and was continuously hanging up on people by accident and dropping calls due to a messed up antennae then you would take it back too and if you wouldn't have than you're just a pushover who doesn't want to burden anyone even though a company made a faulty phone. no need to be a douche about it.
 
I'm on my 3rd. First camera didn't work out of the box. Second camera stopped working after a few days. Third has been fine so far. No chance this was just OCD or me. Except for bad luck getting 2 bad cameras.
 
I am on my second phone, first one kept coming up with "No SIM card installed" this happened on the second day I had the phone. Went back to Apple Store twice, they said I could do a POS exchange but had to go back on the priority list, and wait for another phone to come in. It took 17 days for phone to come in. It's been 3 days - so far so good. FYI: the wife's iPhone 4 (purchased together with my first one) has had no issues.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I've noticed that people who replace their iPhones tend to go through numerous replacements whereas the rest of us still have a perfectly working original. Seems to indicate that the problem is with people rather than the phones, perhaps OCD related? I mean, those on their 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on iPhone can't possibly have all the bad luck.
Click to expand...

Another feasible scenario is that the person is purchasing and returning the phone from the same store, and all those phones are likely within the same batch and thus will all likely have the same error.

For example some of the Macbook Pros created a few years back either had an LG or a Samsung display. Almost all the Samsung displays had a yellowing issue that occurred on the bottom of the screen whereas the LG ones did not exhibit this problem. So people would return and return and return until they got an LG display.
 
JayLenochiniMac said:
I've noticed that people who replace their iPhones tend to go through numerous replacements whereas the rest of us still have a perfectly working original. Seems to indicate that the problem is with people rather than the phones, perhaps OCD related? I mean, those on their 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on iPhone can't possibly have all the bad luck.
Click to expand...

Exactly my thoughts about these people.
 
i would absolutely return something over and over again until it's perfect, you buy something you deserve to get a full 100% working version of it.. I just lucked out and got that perfect one right off the back
 
Seems like replacement devices are actually those that FAILED quality control during manufacturing!!!!!!!

I had a similar experience - replaced my 3GS and got one with a yellow screen.

Didn't bother me too much because I sold it.

But I had three appointments for iPhone 4 for yellow screen and chickened out.

Going to apple store costs me money - 4 trips would cost me the price of an iPod.
 
hurriance said:
Another feasible scenario is that the person is purchasing and returning the phone from the same store, and all those phones are likely within the same batch and thus will all likely have the same error.

For example some of the Macbook Pros created a few years back either had an LG or a Samsung display. Almost all the Samsung displays had a yellowing issue that occurred on the bottom of the screen whereas the LG ones did not exhibit this problem. So people would return and return and return until they got an LG display.
Click to expand...

Same problem happened to me with Dell XPS laptops. Kept swapping until I got one with a LG (cool whites and deeper blacks) as opposed to Samsung (yellow screens, light leaks and green blacks).

I wonder if the panels used in iPhones are from the same manufacturer?
 
Just swapped mine out due to proximity sensor. The new phone is doing exactly the same thing. I'll give it few more days and will demand another replacement if it continues.
 
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