iPhone 15/Plus bad quality iphone 15

[russell_314]

I think it’s a reasonable expectation for an iPhone to last for more than a year and a half, otherwise they would not sell much if at all. If it did indeed fail without user error, then it is not good quality. You will see an iPhone 6s in the wild and you’ll see a 2006 Toyota - the warranty was over a long time ago.

You can expect anything. It’s reasonable for me to expect my wife is going to have dinner cooked when I get home. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

The majority of iPhones are not going to fail right outside of warranty, but this is a possibility. Apple doesn’t offer AppleCare for no reason. They don’t set the warranty at 12 months for no reason either. Some devices are going to fail outside of the warranty period. It’s great to have expectations, but ask anyone whoever has had expectations if they’re always met.

 

[Timpetus]

The other explanation for this is that they know they can get away with it and so they do. That's only possible if there aren't consumer protections in place.

It actually means in the US we just haven't had the government decide to force us to pay extra for our phones so they can come with extra years of warranty. It costs Apple a well-defined amount for every year of extra warranty they include, because they know better than anyone what the failure rates will be over those years. They can either bake that into the price because they're forced to include 2 or 3 years of warranty, or they can leave it up to the customer to decide whether to pay extra and get more coverage.

 

[SBlue1]

I am just happy we have two years of warranty here in Europe. Offering just one year really stinks for such an expensive phone that offers less than its competitors nowadays. I know it's the norm in the US but it would be a great way to differentiate from other manufacturers and show you are confident in your products. As an example car warranties are two years over here, some luxury brands offered thee years. Some time ago asian car manufacturers started offering 5, 6 and 7 years as a sign of confidence. Apple should do the same in my opinion.

 

[SBlue1]

It actually means in the US we just haven't had the government decide to force us to pay extra for our phones so they can come with extra years of warranty. It costs Apple a well-defined amount for every year of extra warranty they include, because they know better than anyone what the failure rates will be over those years. They can either bake that into the price because they're forced to include 2 or 3 years of warranty, or they can leave it up to the customer to decide whether to pay extra and get more coverage.

Or maybe, just maybe, think about that, they could make better products? Wild, I know!

 

[Timpetus]

I think it’s a reasonable expectation for an iPhone to last for more than a year and a half, otherwise they would not sell much if at all. If it did indeed fail without user error, then it is not good quality. You will see an iPhone 6s in the wild and you’ll see a 2006 Toyota - the warranty was over a long time ago.

Sure, it's a reasonable expectation but that doesn't mean that 100% of them have to last that long. That would be a very unreasonable expectation, but a very large proportion of iPhones last much longer than OPs. It's just bad luck. You can insure against it with an extended warranty, trading a known payment for a known interval of coverage, or you can roll the dice and hope you'll pay less than the cost of AC+ on repairs during the coverage period.

 

[Timpetus]

Or maybe, just maybe, think about that, they could make better products? Wild, I know!

They seem very well-made already, in my experience with the 8 that I've owned I've needed to get a problem fixed exactly once, and that was a minor issue. There's a random chance of failure in every product, nothing is perfect. We don't even know the full story, as OP hasn't clarified with details of the diagnosis or results of further attempts to revive their phone. Unless there is a large influx of reports of iPhone 15s failing around the same age, the reasonable assumption is that OP has simply been unlucky enough to both have an issue and not have a warranty active when it occurred.

 

[brilliantthings]

It actually means in the US we just haven't had the government decide to force us to pay extra for our phones so they can come with extra years of warranty.

We don't pay extra for our phones. I know it's surprising but we get two years warranty for the same price as you pay for phones with one year warranty. It varies a bit day to day with exchange rates but on average in Australia the prices are the same. I posted the numbers above.

 

[brilliantthings]

Or maybe, just maybe, think about that, they could make better products? Wild, I know!

I think the quality of Apple's products is generally excellent. But instead of guaranteeing their products by default for a reasonable period of time (a value judgement I know) they leave it to chance for the individual who ends up with a dud phone. In some countries, statutory warranty extends this guarantee. And it doesn't necessarily add anything to the price.

 

[astrorider]

We don't pay extra for our phones. I know it's surprising but we get two years warranty for the same price as you pay for phones with one year warranty. It varies a bit day to day with exchange rates but on average in Australia the prices are the same. I posted the numbers above.

I posted numbers after you for Australia that seemed to show you pay about $130 more for an iPhone 16 Pro. I'm curious if you think that's not a significant difference, or if something's wrong with my numbers?

 

[SBlue1]

They seem very well-made already, in my experience with the 8 that I've owned I've needed to get a problem fixed exactly once, and that was a minor issue. There's a random chance of failure in every product, nothing is perfect. We don't even know the full story, as OP hasn't clarified with details of the diagnosis or results of further attempts to revive their phone. Unless there is a large influx of reports of iPhone 15s failing around the same age, the reasonable assumption is that OP has simply been unlucky enough to both have an issue and not have a warranty active when it occurred.

Apple surely has its problems with product quality. Bending iPhones, sticking MacBook keys, the green line of death, flexgate and so on. I myself had to return an iPhone 7 after two months because it suddenly started to loose its charge. My old AirPort Extreme even had to be exchanged two times because they just stopped working.

 

[brilliantthings]

I posted numbers after you for Australia that seemed to show you pay about $130 more for an iPhone 16 Pro. I'm curious if you think that's not a significant difference, or if something's wrong with my numbers?

10% sales tax is included in all listed prices

I hadn't seen your post. You make a very good case. And it's based on actual numbers and preferences rather than simply ideology.

 

[Yebubbleman]

One year and 5 months ago I bought a new (at that time) iPhone 15. Two days ago it went dead with no apparent reason: it just closed and could not be resuscitated. The warranty was not in effect anymore, and the only choice that was offered to me by Apple was to either buy a new one, or to have it repaired for a sum that was over half of the price of a new phone. They also refused any reasonable accommodation. I never had such a bad experience with Apple products nor with Apple support. By the way, contacting Apple support did not advance my cause in any way, as their only advice was to spend more on their products. They consider themselves not concerned with my satisfaction as a customer, and not responsible for their products. A new era of conducting business..., let us see if there are other products on the market.

I'll break this down:

- The iPhone 15 had (and presumably still has) its issues; iPhone generations are hit or miss in this department (most phones from most other manufacturers are)

- You should've purchased AppleCare+ to protect you against the above scenario and didn't; assuming that a company standing behind every possible defect even after the initial warranty expires (an unrealistic expectation of any company) trumps the need for added warranty to help you in situations such as these

- Despite my first point, my second point still stands and that's on you not Apple

- There are plenty of Apple apologists in these forums (many of whom have already offered well more than their two cents in this thread); however, this time, they're all right, for the most part

- Apple's out of warranty replacement costs for these things is way high; that still doesn't preclude my second point

- Apple's Support has gone way downhill since the pandemic; that neither precludes my second point - as this is something they still would've done pre-pandemic and they'd have been well within their rights to do so.

TL;DR: You gambled and got unlucky. Consider this a learning experience.

 

[astrorider]

10% sales tax is included in all listed prices

I hadn't seen your post. You make a very good case. And it's based on actual numbers and preferences rather than simply ideology.

Good point...sales tax isn't shown in US iPhone prices since it varies state to state. Some of us live or buy in states that don't have any sales tax

 

[daabido]

You can expect anything. It’s reasonable for me to expect my wife is going to have dinner cooked when I get home. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

Is it also reasonable to expect I won't be hit up the side of the head with a cast iron pan if I walk into the house expressing that out loud?

 

[brilliantthings]

Good point...sales tax isn't shown in US iPhone prices since it varies state to state. Some of us live or buy in states that don't have any sales tax

Yeah right. I was trying to work out how common that is. That must be quite a saving. Is that the case in many states?

 

[russell_314]

Is it also reasonable to expect I won't be hit up the side of the head with a cast iron pan if I walk into the house expressing that out loud?

Maybe not but that depends on the wife. It’s an at your own risk kind of thing 😂

 

[Honza1]

We don't pay extra for our phones. I know it's surprising but we get two years warranty for the same price as you pay for phones with one year warranty. It varies a bit day to day with exchange rates but on average in Australia the prices are the same. I posted the numbers above.

That's actually not completely correct. Warranty covers functionality of the device for given time, basically parts and labor warranty. Apple care covers additionally accidental damage, that is you get discount on stuff you break (with limits). My daughter broke the phone by dropping it on floor and shattering the back and glass. She came to Apple store and exchanged her phone for much less than it would cost if she did not have AppleCare. I do not believe that is covered under regular warranty anywhere - in US, Europe or Australia.
I suspect accidental damage is much more expensive on average than regular warranty, so $60 for additional year of regular warranty may not be that much off.

 

[brilliantthings]

That's actually not completely correct. Warranty covers functionality of the device for given time, basically parts and labor warranty. Apple care covers additionally accidental damage, that is you get discount on stuff you break (with limits). My daughter broke the phone by dropping it on floor and shattering the back and glass. She came to Apple store and exchanged her phone for much less than it would cost if she did not have AppleCare. I do not believe that is covered under regular warranty anywhere - in US, Europe or Australia.
I suspect accidental damage is much more expensive on average than regular warranty, so $60 for additional year of regular warranty may not be that much off.

Yeah sure but this thread is about Apple covering failing phones. Not broken ones. And it isn't really $60. That difference fluctuates with the currencies. Sometimes more sometimes less. It's a very similar price with a two year warranty for faults included in the purchase price.

 

[robvalentine]

I buy applecare for accidental damage, however, this sounds like component failure, which in the UK and most civilised countries is covered under warranty. I had a non applecare iphone 6 fixed this way. I don't think the price difference is for the warranty, it's more likely a combination of pretty pricing (pricing same as USD if possible/rounding up to next price point/greed).

I know this is an apple based site, but the defence of Apple from some people on here is verging on ridiculous.

OP did you get your issue solved, or determine what the issue was? It's a shame Apple is so anti repair.

 

[Sanmi]

This thread just highlights the fact American consumers like to be shafted and in fact take pride in being cheated

 

[blkjedi954]

“They’ve gone beyond before” is not a solution to OP’s issue?

'I don't understand what this means.'

-It means your reliance on being "hopeful" that Apple will fix it outside of the warranty period is not a strategy for ensuring a guaranteed fix. Warranties and Insurances (AppleCare) are designed for this purpose.

We don’t know how he treated his phone so let’s not assume.

'You say let's not assume but you're assuming OP used their phone as a hockey puck.'

-I was NOT assuming. It was a hypothetical to counter your assumption that we should take his word for it as to how he cared for his phone. It was merely said for contrast.


-One last bit. Stop accusing people of being condescending who have differing opinions. Won't comment further as the sensitivity level of the moderators in these forums have shocked me.

 

[daneoni]

I dunno...sometimes i'm not a fan of Apple's methods/practices but i think OP gambled and lost. And is now looking for someone to blame.

Apple (rightly or wrongly) have always offered a year long warranty with the option of Applecare. This has been the case since the release of Macintosh. They then extended it to other products, and increased the eligibility period from like 14 days to 60 days.
Yes statutory warranties are a thing but good luck getting that to stick. Plenty of other manufacturers also only offer a year as well.

You can cycnically claim they should offer more coverage. But at the end of the day, there is an incentive for you to buy new products at some point. So if you want to mitigate or delay that, then pay for the security, which is still a fraction of the cost of replacement

Yes its unfortunate the OP's iPhone randomly died. But any mass produced product can fail at any point in time. They can even fail after AppleCare elapses and you're still out of luck.

Applecare has saved me a few times. I've had to replace a swollen battery, broken keyboard, failed logic board, and failed display on Intel and PowerBook macs.

Heck just last week i used Applecare to replace my AirPods, which randomly died after 2yrs of use.

Saying that, i don't buy AppleCare for iPads because iPad is not a critical device for me.

But if anything were to happen in the interim then i'd just accept that i gambled and lost.

 

[russell_314]

Applecare has saved me a few times. I've had to replace a swollen battery, broken keyboard, failed logic board, and failed display on Intel and PowerBook macs.

Heck just last week i used Applecare to replace my AirPods, which randomly died after 2yrs of use.

Speaking of AppleCare and bad quality the charging port on my iPhone 14 Pro Max died in a few days ago. It might’ve been my fault because I couldn’t find my Bluetooth speaker for music in the shower so I brought my phone in. I think I would’ve been fine but when I got out of the shower, I decided to plug it in. It gave me a message about water in the charging port and now it doesn’t charge. I have AppleCare, but I can charge with MagSafe so I’m holding off making a trip to the Apple Store.

 

[brilliantthings]

This thread just highlights the fact American consumers like to be shafted and in fact take pride in being cheated

I wouldn't go that far but for me it highlights how ideology can supplant even one's own interests.
There's a bit of that going on these days.

 

[GuruZac]

Sorry to the OP for the troubles. A bit of misfortune. I came to the realization that due to the nature of how often my iPhone is used, the fact it goes everywhere with me, in and out of pockets, cars for CarPlay, used as a camera, essentially a do it all device, I buy AppleCare. It’s worth the extra monthly expense for peace of mind.