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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > Well, that's nice... (iPhone going in for service)

Well, that's nice... (iPhone going in for service)
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m_young
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Jul 30, 2007, 08:22 PM
 
So I bought my iPhone on launch day. Whatever. Impulse buy. But I like it. Lots.

Yesterday, I noticed that the keyboard doesn't function correctly on the widescreen mode in Safari. 5 doesn't work on the number pad, and Y doesn't work on the keyboard. A dead spot on the touch screen, I presume.

Today I call Apple, expecting that they will send me a new phone, and that will be that. Not so fast. First they make me restore it. I get that, even though it was highly unlikely to affect anything.

After the restore did nothing, I find out that not only are they not sending me a new phone, they're going to charge me ($29) if I want a phone to use while mine is gone for service (somewhere in the 7 day neighborhood).

I politely explained why that doesn't float my boat. I paid a pretty penny for this shiny thing, and to have to pay to not be inconvenienced by it is slightly ridiculous. I figured that might get me a replacement phone, especially after being on hold for 5 or so minutes. No dice. But now I'm paying only $1 for the stupid rental phone.

At any rate, I'm disappointed in Apple. Sending out a laptop is one thing, I don't expect to get a brand new one when/if mine breaks (and I didn't with my old ibook), but with something like the iPhone, you'd figure they'd be going out of their way to not inconvenience anyone who could post in a forum like this. And it's not that I'm trying to get at Apple, I like the company, but is this typical for customer service? I've had plenty of other products, but only really 1 other experience with having to send my device in.

Should I have tried the store? Do they have service units?
     
stevesnj
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Jul 30, 2007, 09:14 PM
 
Your story sounds like what happens with most companies and faulty consumer electronics. Unless the phone is not fixable Apple will most likely replace your phone. Out of the hundreds of thousands of Phones made all cannot operate and not fail in some manner. You just happen to have a problem and be a forum member. I hope it works out for you.
MacBook Pro 15" i7 ~ Snow Leopard ~ iPhone 4 - 16Gb
     
m_young  (op)
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Jul 30, 2007, 10:04 PM
 
I think you misunderstand.

I don't care that it's malfunctioning. It happens.

I care that they expect me to be without it for 7 days and be happy about it. That sucks. That they wouldn't just send me a refurbish, then refurbish mine and pass it on is beyond me.

Why they think I should pay to have the services I paid $500 + $70/mo. for while mine is being serviced is beyond me. This isn't an iPod. I could go 7 days without my iPod. The iPhone is every 10 minutes being checked, texting and calling. So I should pay to keep doing what I've been doing because they couldn't make it right? No thanks.
     
stevesnj
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Jul 30, 2007, 10:09 PM
 
Well being without a phone is inconvenient for sure. I remember being without a vehicle for a week and the dealer offered no loaner vehicle they wanted me to rent one at my expense. I guess this all goes with the territory.
MacBook Pro 15" i7 ~ Snow Leopard ~ iPhone 4 - 16Gb
     
m_young  (op)
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Jul 30, 2007, 10:11 PM
 
I work at a dealer, a GM dealer in fact, and if you are in warranty and need a loaner, it's yours, no questions asked, no money from you. Perhaps that's why I'm a little confused.
     
DigitalEl
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Jul 30, 2007, 11:23 PM
 
Originally Posted by m_young
I work at a dealer, a GM dealer in fact, and if you are in warranty and need a loaner, it's yours, no questions asked, no money from you. Perhaps that's why I'm a little confused.
Admittedly waaaay off-topic, but...

Is that GM corporate policy? I remember initialling something when I bought my GM explicitly stating that the dealer does NOT provide loaner vehicles.
Jalen's dad. Carrie's husband.  partisan. Bleu blanc et rouge.
     
Simon
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Jul 31, 2007, 04:01 AM
 
I understand your point. But there's also another point to be made.

The iPhone is not a cheap device. And it's a phone so people need it 24/7 and can't just live with it being gone for 7 days. IMHO when somebody calls Apple with a new device that turns out to be a lemon and the Apple rep has come to the point where he's certain it's a hardware issue, they should send out a new device immediately and have you send in the broken one once you get the replacement. AFAIC they can charge my Visa until they receive the defective unit, that's perfectly fine with me. They can repair the sent in devices and sell them as refurbished later. Judging by all the reports I see on the web, there's more than enough people interested in buying refurb hardware.

IMHO a premium hardware company like Apple cannot expect customers to actually repair a new device. They want it replaced. Immediately. It's a terrible buyer experience if you lay out a lot of cash and then instead of getting to play with the new toy first have to send it off for a week or more.

But, and here's the other side of the story, at some point the device can't be considered new anymore. At some point it's not simply replacing a new device, but repairing a used 'old' device. And Apple has set that limit at 14 days. That may be short (I personally think it is - I'd appreciate about a month), but it is the rule. And they tell everybody who asks or goes to their website. If you have trouble after 14 days you're just outa luck. OTOH Apple offers a fairly inexpensive loaner. If your iPhone is gone for 7 days, the loaner costs you about 4 bucks a day. That's not a lot considering the alternative.

The only remaining problem I see with their system is how they give you the loaner. Do they send it to you and you send in your broken iPhone once you get the loaner or will they only give you a loaner once you have already sent your iPhone? Do they even send loaners or do you have to pick it up at a brick and mortar store? I definitely hope they send out the loaner immediately and only require you to send in the defective unit once you get the loaner. Again, Apple doesn't want to be just another hardware company and that requires an actual effort on their behalf.
     
seaofcrap
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Jul 31, 2007, 06:49 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
But, and here's the other side of the story, at some point the device can't be considered new anymore. At some point it's not simply replacing a new device, but repairing a used 'old' device. And Apple has set that limit at 14 days. That may be short (I personally think it is - I'd appreciate about a month), but it is the rule. And they tell everybody who asks or goes to their website. If you have trouble after 14 days you're just outa luck. OTOH Apple offers a fairly inexpensive loaner. If your iPhone is gone for 7 days, the loaner costs you about 4 bucks a day. That's not a lot considering the alternative.
Ditto. Apple has a very clear 14 day return period. Within the 14 days, Apple will gladly replace your phone with a new one, as long as they find your problem is valid. No questions asked. After the 14 day period, your phone's expected for repair.

I definitely see how Apple may have inconvenienced you. However, it seems as if they have done everything to make your experience better. You need to pay only 1$ in order to get a loaner, and they're going to fix your phone for you. It'll take about 4 days max, from what I've experienced with Apple. I wouldn't be at all surprised if after reviewing your phone, they send you a new one instead of fixing it. The iPhone is so new and all, they don't have refurbished units just lying around, and your problem appears pretty complex.

And Simon, as for Apple being a "premium" company, I don't think so. Apple stores are found in typical malls across the country, millions of iPods and Macs are sold per year, and even the typical college student owns a MacBook Pro. I'd hardly say a company like this is a "premium" company. It's a minstream product, like a Volkswagen but not quite BMW. If you see Apple in this light, Apple has EXCELLENT support. Ever try getting Motorola to fix your phone? I'd bet it'll be a lot more difficult to dealing with than AppleCare.
MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.2Ghz Glossy
     
   
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