Apple Store in-store diagnostics

[JNB]

My iPhone started acting up, displaying weird messages about unsupported hardware and enabling Airplane Mode to avoid interference when just pressing the Home button. I've made an appointment at the Genius Br at my local Store for Friday, but was wondering if anyone had any experience with the depth of in-store diagnostic capabilities.

I'd love for them to be able to "plug it in" and tell me that it's perfectly fine, or that it's failing and just replace it on the spot. I flat do not have the time to screw around with it, my entire personal and business life depends on the dem thing functioning reliably, short of a catastrophic failure (which I could deal with on its own).

 

[auburnfan24]

easy...

i have apple care, and i was in a few days ago for an issue, they looked at it for 5 min, checked for moisture, and asked me if i had apple care....i said yes, and he walked over and grabbed a replacement (refurb) and moved sim cards, synced...then i was on the way home 15 min tops......now with that said, i was in there a few months ago and i had a 3:15 appt. and they were really behind on appts so needless to say i was in there a while (around 2 hours) but when i got called, the same process, looked, applecare?, yes, replaced. they are good.

 

[jecapaga]

I've had to take my phone into the apple store and the most they've done is to take it in the back to have a 'genius' look at it. This was a volume issue that I was having on the earpiece. They came back 5 mins later and said 'it was within spec' and sent me on my way. I went back months later with an air bubble on the screen and they replaced it no questions asked. I received a refurbished iphone.

I have doubts that they're capable of doing any real sort of diagnostics on a phone you bring in past checking to see if you've jailbroken, etc.

 

[alansmallen]

The key to not waiting is ProCare.

 

[JNB]

I'm in Tuscaloosa this week, and headed back to Birmingham this afternoon for my flight home tomorrow, so...

I'm gonna stop at the Apple Store (at The Summit) on the way to tonight's hotel, buy APP for the iPhone (can't believe I hadn't already), then mosey on back to the Genius Bar for my appointment. "Why, yes, I have Apple Care!"

And I learned something about the reservations system -- it's not localized to the Stores, but a central booking system. I had originally booked at the Biltmore Store (in Phoenix) for Friday, but then decided to do it here in Alabama. When I went to cancel Friday's, the system noted that I had reservations, one in Phoenix, one in Birmingham, which did I want to cancel.

 

[sparkyms]

you don't need applecare to get seen by a genius, the phone is in warrentee for its first year anyway, so I wouldn't buy the applecare just for the appointment.

 

[JNB]

UPDATE:

Well, no new phone, but I did discover that there was a lot of deeply hidden gunk in the dock connector area, which the Genius cleaned out thoroughly (and a likely explanation for my symptoms). The trouble and resolution was logged in case my problem repeats itself.

Oh, and there's no "water damage" after close inspection with an ENT scope...

 

[majordude]

OP... glad to hear that everything turned out fine for you!

To the others, what was the quality of the refurbs? Like new or scratched or what?

 

[jecapaga]

Quality of my refurb was excellent. No scratches, prints or anything.

 

[jecapaga]

Quality of my refurb was excellent. No scratches, prints or anything.

 

[JNB]

you don't need applecare to get seen by a genius, the phone is in warrentee for its first year anyway, so I wouldn't buy the applecare just for the appointment.

Sorry, missed your post. No, I didn't buy APP just for the visit (it's obviously in warranty as no phone is past that point yet), but for me, it makes sense in the long haul--I totally spaced getting it when I bought the phone in the first place. Portable stuff always gets it, fixed installation stuff is more case-by-case for me. There is a subtle difference in treatment, though, as the purchase of APP indicates a more substantial commitment. More anecdotal experience than a quantifiable one, though.

 

[birdmangriffin]

What happens if it's a problem that's intermittent? For example, I keep getting "No Service" even though I'm in the middle of a city. Will they hassle you about it?

 

[JNB]

What happens if it's a problem that's intermittent? For example, I keep getting "No Service" even though I'm in the middle of a city. Will they hassle you about it?

Why would they hassle you? You believe have a problem, they'll look into it.

"Middle of a city" means nothing really; if it's the same spot all the time, it's just a blind zone to the cell tower, then. I have noticed that the iPhone tends to lose signal a touch sooner than other AT&T phones when moving into spotty coverage. Nothing major, maybe a half-bar's worth of difference, more or less.

Do others with iPhones or AT&T service get the No Service in the same area? Are you indoors or outdoors? How big of an area does this extend for? If you remain in the area and turn off/turn on your phone, do you then regain a signal? Have you rebooted your phone? These are the likely things they'll want to know.

 

[birdmangriffin]

Why would they hassle you? You believe have a problem, they'll look into it.

"Middle of a city" means nothing really; if it's the same spot all the time, it's just a blind zone to the cell tower, then. I have noticed that the iPhone tends to lose signal a touch sooner than other AT&T phones when moving into spotty coverage. Nothing major, maybe a half-bar's worth of difference, more or less.

Do others with iPhones or AT&T service get the No Service in the same area? Are you indoors or outdoors? How big of an area does this extend for? If you remain in the area and turn off/turn on your phone, do you then regain a signal? Have you rebooted your phone? These are the likely things they'll want to know.

K, I'll start at the top and work my way down...

That does make sense about losing signal sooner...I've noticed that as well.

No one else w/ Iphones or AT&T lose service...It's indoors and outdoors both. About regaining signal, it really depends. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have rebooted my phone using a hard reset (had it since about December).

 

[JNB]

K, I'll start at the top and work my way down...

That does make sense about losing signal sooner...I've noticed that as well.

No one else w/ Iphones or AT&T lose service...It's indoors and outdoors both. About regaining signal, it really depends. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have rebooted my phone using a hard reset (had it since about December).

Then you should obviously take it in. There's no good explanation for same carrier/same handsets to substantially outperform yours in like conditions. Sounds like a new iPhone in your future...

 

[vega07]

if you have negative black issues, will they still replace your phones? I know they did months ago but the issue kind of died off. I want to get mine replaced for the incorrect display of blacks but don't want to waste my time driving to the store but only to get the "within spec" response.