https://getsupport.apple.com/?caller=cupsorc&PRKEYS=
Follow the prompts, sign in, then select the chat option.
Explain what happened, tell them you want Express Replacement. (They do put a hold on your CC but it falls of quickly after you send in old device).
Setting it up today should get you the phone friday at the latest and by Sat the hold should be gone.
I appreciate the idea, but that sounds to me like "buy a new iPhone from us and trust us to make you whole later on". After these failures, I do not trust them not to burn me. I am supposed to put near $1000 on my credit card and hope that when I mail it in, everything goes smoothly after what has already happened? No. I cannot afford that. I mean I literally cannot AFFORD that if they were to burn me. As in, I literally have bills that wouldn't be paid. As in, I literally might jeopardize my living situation. I'm not willing to roll the dice and take that kind of gamble on *putting my livelihood in jeopardy over a phone*.
Look, this is not fun for me. I don't like having to spend my days off calling Apple, going to the Apple Store, mailing the phone in, paying deductibles, etc. I don't like having to pay Apple deductibles and walking away with a still cracked screen.
And you know what? I shouldn't be having to do this. If Apple is not prepared, or able, to fix iPhones, then they should not be selling a coverage to people that says they will do that. I'm sorry, but "We don't have the parts" in the store and "We see nothing wrong" when mailing it in are not acceptable outcomes when you are selling such coverage.
If this is happening to me, who else is it happening to that is NOT documenting it? Maybe they are hoping I just give up and walk away so they don't have to fix the screen for $29 under their obligation on AppleCare+.
I, like everyone else, FULLY expected this to be a smooth walk in for my Apple Store appointment and walk out with a fixed phone experience on DAY ONE. Let me say that again - i DID NOT expect this experience from a company like Apple.
And don't for a moment anyone here tell me if you were in my position you would be all smiles at this point. Don't tell me you would have AppleCare+ and expect this kind of experience.
With that said, here is the remainder of my game plan. I will go to the appointment that they scheduled on Monday. When I was there previously, they told me they did NOT have the parts and "had no idea" when they would get them in, which is why I mailed the phone in. If I go in on Monday, and the phone is not fixed, that WILL be documented on video. (No, I will not be recording Apple employees invading their privacy or recording in their store against their rules) But, the video WILL start immediately after walking out of the store.
Then, I will make a FOURTH attempt to mail it in for a repair. That attempt WILL be on video. The video description will include all FedEx tracking numbers, Apple Care repair numbers, and Apple Care repair status pictures on the Apple website incase they were to delete those numbers. Also, any deductibles not refunded to me WILL be documented. If it comes back still broken, I will give up at that point and just pay the high deductible to send it in for repair with Assurion insurance on my cell phone plan.
That experience with Assurion WILL be documented on video. And, I hope for Apple's public relations sake, Assurion doesn't fix it on the first attempt... because this series of YouTube videos won't look at all, and I imagine will be of interest to lots of people. But, if this is what it takes for Apple to fix these problems and meet their obligations under AppleCare+, then their behavior in this matter is on them.
It's sad that this is where we are dealing with a billion dollar tech company that supposedly charges top dollar to avoid situations like this, but here we are.
