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What "actually" happens when you return an iPhone?

I

IonutZ

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hello guys,

I googled this question and came across this forum. It would seem there are a lot of :apple:afilliacs here just like me so it would seem like the best place to look for an answer.

This is my situation, I bought a 16GB 3G iPhone from someone and it was working perfectly, whatever, two weeks later... I didn't use it so it completely discharged. I went to plug it in and it didn't take a charge, it would show me the Battery with a thin red line and a power icon underneath it. I read online about the issue, many people encountering it, they said, let it charge for a day or so and then try restarting / turning it on and I did that... but still nothing.

Now, it won't even show me that when I plug it in, when I go to turn it on it just shows me the battery, red line blinking and underneath it a Plug, arrow ->, and the power icon.

Now I wasn't the first guy to buy the iPhone... so I don't know how the warranty policy extends to me (if it extends at all). But, my friend has the exact same iPhone.

I also noticed on the little SIM holder thing when you take it out, the Serial Nr of the phone and the IMEI nr are on there.

So I thought 😀, what would happen if I go with my friend to return it and we just put his SIM with his SIM holder in my phone (because his is activated with AT&T, I don't even have AT&T, I have T-Mobile, the phone was never registered in my name, etc)

But I'm thinking those guys at the store can't really determine what the real IMEI of the phone is since they can't turn it on right?

What would happen if I take it back? Will they send it in to repair and make me wait I don't know how many days or... will they exchange it on the spot? 😕

Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks a lot!

Best,

IonutZ
 
if you return it to an Apple Store, they ship them all back to apple weekly, Apple then fixes and problem with them and sends them out to Apple Stores and those are the phones that are given as replacments, refurbrished.
 
So I can't get it replaced on the spot? :-S that's pretty nasty for a $600 phone... you would expect better service right?
 
No you can get it replaced on the spot, Go to an apple store explain the problem and they most likely will exchange it on the spot. I wouldn't think that not having an ATT account would matter.
 
IonutZ said:
So I can't get it replaced on the spot? :-S that's pretty nasty for a $600 phone... you would expect better service right?
Click to expand...

if you can show visible software problems, they will attempt a restore. If you can show visible physical problems or damage, they MAY replace it, as long ad they see that you didn't cause the damage.
 
Sounds fishy................like you stole it.

Hope that's not the case....................

And I hope that you're scam that you're trying to pull fails.
 
OrangeDog said:
Sounds fishy................like you stole it.

Hope that's not the case....................
Click to expand...

uh-oh, if you stole it, DONT bring it to an Apple Store, if the person contacted Apple and reported it stolen, Apple will see this if you bring the phone in and you will be arrested on the spot!
 
Chillax 🙂) thank you for your input, I wouldn't do that... I bought it for $400 off a dude on craigslist, phone worked perfect, the guy sold it cuz he upgraded to 2.2.1 like an idiot and couldn't unlock it anymore. So I bought it in the hopes of being able to unlock it but noooooo... yellowsn0w melted away and all I was left with was a 16GB iPod Touch so... I already posted it up on eBay, it's just I wasn't expecting it to... stop taking a charge 😕
 
Gotrpms said:
I wouldn't think that not having an ATT account would matter.
Click to expand...
When I needed service on my first generation iPhone, the first thing the Apple Care representative asked me was for my phone number. I assume he used it to verify that I did have AT&T service. I don't think they will service it if you don't have it on AT&T.

Perhaps someone else has had a different real life experience and will post it here.
 
IonutZ said:
Chillax 🙂) thank you for your input, I wouldn't do that... I bought it for $400 off a dude on craigslist, phone worked perfect, the guy sold it cuz he upgraded to 2.2.1 like an idiot and couldn't unlock it anymore. So I bought it in the hopes of being able to unlock it but noooooo... yellowsn0w melted away and all I was left with was a 16GB iPod Touch so... I already posted it up on eBay, it's just I wasn't expecting it to... stop taking a charge 😕
Click to expand...
It actually depends on the Apple Genius and what happens when the Genius looks up the serial number. If it was activated on AT&T then the warrany should still be active. If it was never activated on AT&T then there is no warranty from Apple but the Genius may still replace it at their option, please be nice and make an appointment.

Does the case show any physical damage?

Dave
 
Dave, I find your post hilarious 🙂) if by Apple Genius you mean the guy at the counter at the Apple store, then I will have no problem overriding his authority, however if they gotta plug my iPhone in some Apple Genius machine that verifies the IMEI / Serial Nr with their database then I'm probably screwed. But I don't think that would even matter, cuz my iPhone doesn't even turn on. It's clearly a Hardware problem because it doesn't take a charge. My friend has service from AT&T so it shouldn't be a problem doing what I explained in the main thread. Correct?

No physical damage.
 
IonutZ said:
Dave, I find your post hilarious 🙂) if by Apple Genius you mean the guy at the counter at the Apple store, then I will have no problem overriding his authority, however if they gotta plug my iPhone in some Apple Genius machine that verifies the IMEI / Serial Nr with their database then I'm probably screwed. But I don't think that would even matter, cuz my iPhone doesn't even turn on. It's clearly a Hardware problem because it doesn't take a charge. My friend has service from AT&T so it shouldn't be a problem doing what I explained in the main thread. Correct?

No physical damage.
Click to expand...

See that attitude will not get you very far. The term Apple Genius is the official term for the tech that will evaluate your iPhone and the "Genius" will get to decide if you get "soup" today.😀

Have you looked up your serial number on the Apple site?
Try this link: https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

Again, just because your friend has AT&T does not mean that you will get to complete your planned warranty swap. So I would suggest that you play nice with the Apple employees and make an appointment with the Apple "Genuis".

Here is the link: http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Your best bet is to try for a late appointment, gives you the best chance. Oh, the serial number / IMEI is not as simple as swapping in a SIM and Tray. You don't need to bother with using your friend's SIM tray but his SIM in the phone would help the process. He does have an iPhone 3G data plan, right?

Dave
 
Thank you Dave! I'm looking into that right now :] very good insight info, thanks for taking the time!

And Lmao @ OrangeDog hahah why do you keep on saying I'm a scammer, I'm just another kid trying to have an iPhone :-< lol.

*cough*I'll never give my Nokia N95 away*cough*
 
IonutZ said:
Thank you Dave! I'm looking into that right now :] very good insight info, thanks for taking the time!

And Lmao @ OrangeDog hahah why do you keep on saying I'm a scammer, I'm just another kid trying to have an iPhone :-< lol.

*cough*I'll never give my Nokia N95 away*cough*
Click to expand...

Well he's correct, you are trying to scam Apple. A) You're asking about switching a friend's SIM card and tray into your phone so it looks like you're an AT&T customer. B) You obviously had to unlock the phone to be on T-Mobile. Whether you like it or not, Apple clearly lists this as a warranty breaker. C) You clearly have no intention of telling Apple that you voided the warranty on the phone, or that you unlocked it. Some people would considering this lying, others would consider it fraudulent.

I'm not judging you one way or another, but at least own up to what you're trying to do, you don't need to pretend that you're "just some kid kid trying to have an iPhone." You someone who likely damaged their product and thus voided the warranty and now want to cheat someone to give you what you feel you deserve.
 
This is becoming quite the ethical problem over here. First off, I bought the iPhone from a guy who had already "voided" the warranty as he was using it PRE 2.2.1 with T-Mobile. If you read my actual thread, it stated that the phone was accidentally upgraded to 2.2.1 (and if you're familiar with 2.2.1 [and the unlocking process obviously] you'll know the baseband 2.30.30 won't allow unlocking anymore and it cannot be downgraded). Now I bought this phone to sell it but in the process I kinda started liking it... I bought it for $400 and was going to make at least $100 profit selling it on ebay, however, it just so happened that it broke down like a lot of the iPhones out there (if you check for this problem online) which discharge totally and then don't take a charge anymore.

I'm sure the guy who I bought it from had no clue this would happen in a couple of weeks. So who's to blame? You're gonna blame him for unlocking it in the first place? Me for continuing to step in his shoes? Or Apple whose phones are obviously faulty, a lot of them, because this issue isn't new at all.

And what's wrong with wanting to use the phone with whatever network I want? Why shouldn't Apple cover my iPhone? They didn't lose any money obviously, because when the phone was first bought, it was obviously bought from a store.

So tell me, who's right and who's wrong, you say you're not judging, I want your unbiased opinion Interstella5555.
 
Let me transfer some morals from my moral market account into my checking account 😱OrangeDud😱
 
go to apple. explain to them the problem. They will give you a refurbished phone, it'll be the same as a Brand new iPhone. You won't have to worry about any issues with this refurbished phone. If something happens to that one, then do the same thing with it. Take it to Apple.
 
Will do, do I need to set up an appointment with the Genius? 🙂) Feels like I'm getting a one on one session with Einstein's grandson.

Thanks for the advice guys
 
Theaser said:
It is a 600 dollar phone, unsubsidized.
Click to expand...
Not in the US, you can't purchase the iPhone 3G from AT&T, Apple, Best Buy or even Walmart* without a two year contract. 😡

AT&T has annouced on July 1, 2008: In the future, AT&T will offer a no-contract-required option for $599 (8GB) or $699 (16GB). Well the future is not here yet. 😱

Dave
 
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