My Experience with Apple: An Unexpected Disappointment
I always thought the Apple brand was synonymous with reliability and trust. I’ve been using their products and technology for over 15 years and had never worried about the fine print in their contracts. To me, Apple was a guarantee of quality.
On April 21, 2024, I bought an iPhone 13 for my son. After using an iPhone X for years, he asked me to upgrade his phone. However, after just four months of use, my son, very concerned, came into my room and said, "Dad, my phone won't turn on. Last night I had it in my pocket, and suddenly it started to heat up excessively. I turned it off, and it never turned on again." I calmly told him, "Don’t worry, son, we'll take it to the service center. It’s under warranty."
When we visited one of Apple’s service centers in Peru, they informed me that the phone was no longer under warranty because it had a small crack in the screen, in the top right corner. They explained that, according to the terms of the warranty, any physical damage, such as bumps or cracks, invalidates the coverage. I asked, surprised, "What does a crack in the screen have to do with the phone overheating and not turning on? It’s like if my car’s window breaks and I lose the engine warranty." They responded, "We understand, sir, but those are the conditions of Apple’s warranty contract." They told me that the repair would cost 2,000 soles, approximately $550, which represented 80% of the cost of a new phone. I started to suspect that the service center was just trying to make money, so I called Apple USA to verify, sure that it was a case of abuse by the local distributor.
Apple USA treated me very well and confirmed that, in fact, these were the warranty conditions. However, since the issue was related to overheating, they suggested that I visit another authorized service center. They efficiently arranged an appointment at a different service center, but there they confirmed the same information as the first service center and Apple USA.
Still unconvinced and skeptical, I called Apple again. I couldn’t understand why the warranty was voided if the issue wasn’t with the screen, which, by the way, never stopped functioning properly. The phone overheated and never turned back on. I was transferred to a very kind supervisor who asked for more details and requested that I send photos through a link. That was over 10 days ago. I’ve tried contacting her several times through the link, but I haven’t received any response. Today I decided to call Apple USA again, and after explaining everything once more, I was transferred to José, the supervisor on duty. He listened attentively and promised to analyze my case carefully, but he reminded me that despite his best efforts, the response might be the same. A few hours later, he confirmed that the warranty did not apply.
Now, disappointed with a company I trusted for its quality and reliability, I reviewed the warranty once again. I realized that Apple is no longer a company I can trust. It’s clear that the likelihood of a phone getting a crack or dent is much higher than it being damaged by an internal defect. Therefore, if the warranty is lost due to this type of damage, the number of accepted claims is probably almost zero. Apple’s warranty has lost its seriousness.
I hope other companies, like my car manufacturer, never reach the level of Apple’s lack of seriousness. I don’t want to lose my car’s warranty just because a window or headlight breaks.
Apple bases its warranty exclusion on highly probable situations, such as a phone falling. This way, they avoid being responsible for the quality of internal components, such as the battery or the phone’s motherboard, which were very likely the cause of the iPhone 13 overheating.
I’m writing this story to warn future buyers who think that Apple is a reliable and serious company. Remember that if your phone falls, gets scratched, or develops a crack in the screen—damages that do not compromise the phone’s functionality but are highly likely to occur—you will have already lost the warranty. And this warranty, which you may consider important if your phone experiences a more serious problem affecting its functionality, will be of no use to you.
I always thought the Apple brand was synonymous with reliability and trust. I’ve been using their products and technology for over 15 years and had never worried about the fine print in their contracts. To me, Apple was a guarantee of quality.
On April 21, 2024, I bought an iPhone 13 for my son. After using an iPhone X for years, he asked me to upgrade his phone. However, after just four months of use, my son, very concerned, came into my room and said, "Dad, my phone won't turn on. Last night I had it in my pocket, and suddenly it started to heat up excessively. I turned it off, and it never turned on again." I calmly told him, "Don’t worry, son, we'll take it to the service center. It’s under warranty."
When we visited one of Apple’s service centers in Peru, they informed me that the phone was no longer under warranty because it had a small crack in the screen, in the top right corner. They explained that, according to the terms of the warranty, any physical damage, such as bumps or cracks, invalidates the coverage. I asked, surprised, "What does a crack in the screen have to do with the phone overheating and not turning on? It’s like if my car’s window breaks and I lose the engine warranty." They responded, "We understand, sir, but those are the conditions of Apple’s warranty contract." They told me that the repair would cost 2,000 soles, approximately $550, which represented 80% of the cost of a new phone. I started to suspect that the service center was just trying to make money, so I called Apple USA to verify, sure that it was a case of abuse by the local distributor.
Apple USA treated me very well and confirmed that, in fact, these were the warranty conditions. However, since the issue was related to overheating, they suggested that I visit another authorized service center. They efficiently arranged an appointment at a different service center, but there they confirmed the same information as the first service center and Apple USA.
Still unconvinced and skeptical, I called Apple again. I couldn’t understand why the warranty was voided if the issue wasn’t with the screen, which, by the way, never stopped functioning properly. The phone overheated and never turned back on. I was transferred to a very kind supervisor who asked for more details and requested that I send photos through a link. That was over 10 days ago. I’ve tried contacting her several times through the link, but I haven’t received any response. Today I decided to call Apple USA again, and after explaining everything once more, I was transferred to José, the supervisor on duty. He listened attentively and promised to analyze my case carefully, but he reminded me that despite his best efforts, the response might be the same. A few hours later, he confirmed that the warranty did not apply.
Now, disappointed with a company I trusted for its quality and reliability, I reviewed the warranty once again. I realized that Apple is no longer a company I can trust. It’s clear that the likelihood of a phone getting a crack or dent is much higher than it being damaged by an internal defect. Therefore, if the warranty is lost due to this type of damage, the number of accepted claims is probably almost zero. Apple’s warranty has lost its seriousness.
I hope other companies, like my car manufacturer, never reach the level of Apple’s lack of seriousness. I don’t want to lose my car’s warranty just because a window or headlight breaks.
Apple bases its warranty exclusion on highly probable situations, such as a phone falling. This way, they avoid being responsible for the quality of internal components, such as the battery or the phone’s motherboard, which were very likely the cause of the iPhone 13 overheating.
I’m writing this story to warn future buyers who think that Apple is a reliable and serious company. Remember that if your phone falls, gets scratched, or develops a crack in the screen—damages that do not compromise the phone’s functionality but are highly likely to occur—you will have already lost the warranty. And this warranty, which you may consider important if your phone experiences a more serious problem affecting its functionality, will be of no use to you.
