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Scratched Screen? Tripped a water damage indicator? Let ATT and Apple foot the bill

samcraig said:
"Why should he not be allowed to get a non-related issue fixed?

That is the reason why he would want to get it replaced now. Just in case something goes wrong."

"Just in case" isn't a reason for exchange. Let me and Apple know when an issue actually arises and then let's have the discussion on the policy.
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Here is the problem with that. One of my best friends has had his iPhone 3G for only a few months and was having serious problems with dust under the screen which I guess apparently was a known issue. He took the phone in and the tech found that the water sensor was tripped (due to keeping the phone on the bathroom counter during shower) and refused to look at it and he couldnt get the defect replaced under warranty. Thats BS. Even if a litte water was spilled on it it wouldnt cause the dust under the screen which was even a known issue. Thats why I cant blame the guy for worrying about wanting to replace the phone before something actually goes wrong that isnt related to having water on it. Also i think water sensors are faulty because they should activate only when water gets in it and not because of moisture. Down here in humid Florida I assure you the water sensure can be tripped when the iPhone is exposed to moisture in the air on a heavy humid day, I have heard of it happening.

Now Im not condoning people who break thier iPhone and then EXPECT Apple to replace it. I just think that you are making the issue out to be black and white but there is a lot of gray area to it and it really needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis.
 
iphone.aggie said:
I'm not sure SamCraig will be back here for awhile, since he re-opened the tethering can-of-worms on a different thread. Just letting you know. :D
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Is he arguing that we should pay AT&T allot more for tethering?

Can you smell corporate whore? The people are important not corporations. Corporations are not even real they are a made up entities designed to make money and to only make money no matter the cost. REVOLT REVOLT!

I think tethering should be free, because I would only use it once in a blue moon, and if it was like $30 extra a month I would never use it.
 
I understand - to a small extent - people being a little upset if one of the water sensors gets tripped for a seemingly minor reason - and thus nothing else can be fixed/looked at. But doesn't Apple offer a $199 replacement for water-damaged phones? Seems like a pretty good deal to me...

Let me give you an example... My previous phone was a Windows Mobile phone with Verizon. One day as I was walking past our pool, the entire belt clip that my phone was in fell off and fell into the deep end of the pool. Immediately, I jumped in after it - but it was of course too late. It had been completely submerged.

I turned out to be lucky. After letting the phone completely dry out for about a day - it worked again. The only side effect I noticed from the swim was that the water sensors were tripped - and the caps-lock LED on the slide-out keyboard was always lit, regardless of whether caps-lock was on or not.

If I had not been lucky - would I have expected Verizon to foot the bill for a new phone or even give me a discount on a new one? No! I dropped the phone. It was MY FAULT. Even if something else happened that seemed unrelated down the road - would I expect Verizon to fix it? No! It is well-known that if the water-sensors are tripped - the warranty is void.

Now - I get the distinct impression that some here would try to mess with the water sensors to make them look like they were never tripped to try to get Verizon to fix their issue - and have no moral apprehension to doing that because, after all, we are dealing with a large, evil, cold corporation that would just as soon screw the customer as they would offer service.

It's called personal responsibility. It is something that is disappearing more and more with the generation of 'entitlement.'

Even with the example of scratches - okay - the screen is scratch RESISTANT... If my week-old phone has scratches after throwing it into my pocket - with no case or screen protector - with my keys, etc. Guess what - IT'S MY FAULT! It is not the fault of the phone, or Apple, or AT&T that I put it in my pocket with sharp metal objects.
 
Chaos123x said:
Exactly it's all vetted by the community.

I mean regular sources are just written by people too.

Worse comes to worse most Wikipedia entries are cited so just look them up.
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I think you missed his humor.

It is the best source because you can edit it yourself to back up your own claim. ;)
 
Cander said:
...remember when Consumer Reports was the big thing and you couldn't watch TV without seeing one ad for the magazine every couple of commercial breaks? ...
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Consumer Reports is still a big thing with me! Been subscribing faithfully to that magazine for the last 28 years :eek: and read it and subscribe/use to the online edition, too. The choices now for online product reviews is dizzying, but I always research before I make a purchase (OK, a little obsessive that way... it runs in the genes!).
 
I think someone else hit it on the head earlier and it was lost in the noise. While we might not pay higher prices for our products when people game the system, we still ultimately pay some kind of price.

Look at Costco. It used to be that you got a lifetime warranty on items you purchased there. It was great to walk in with a TV that broke, etc, and get a new one.

Unfortunately too many d-bags gamed the system. They would bring back their perfectly fine year old TV or PC and get a full refund simply to buy a newer model that had come out. They had no moral compulsion about doing this and in fact frequently bragged about this on Internet forums, etc, etc, ad naseum.

Ultimately Costco had to change their policy because this was getting very expensive for them. Who pays? The consumers who were not gaming the system and no longer get the "forever" warranty on their electronics purchases.

This is the kind of thing iPhone/Apple owners are worried about. Apple has better service than other companies. Apple is fairly liberal about doing warranty/Applecare exchanges and the like. The last thing we need to do is see Apple service go in the crapper because they have to save $$ that they are hemorrhaging due to the d-bags who keep gaming the system.
 
I agree with the OP about accidental damage not the responsibility if the MFG.

However, I do have a problem when those issue exist right out of the box.

I have had a few macbooks that have had scratches, dents or a cosmetic defect right out of the box.

I promptly pack them right up and bring them back for an exchange. usually the next day due to distance from home.

I get the "must have been your fault" alot or i get the "Apple is not perfect and you should expect some degree of defect"

this is where my issue lies. I understand they will not be perfect forever. BUT, if it is going to have a dent, I want that dent to come from me and not be there as soon as i open it.

I would like to know, do others deal with these issue or am i the only one.

every time a new gen come out i will buy. It never fails, it is usually 2-3 maybe 4 returns before i can find an acceptable one.
 
jfyrfytr25 said:
I agree with the OP about accidental damage not the responsibility if the MFG.

However, I do have a problem when those issue exist right out of the box.

I have had a few macbooks that have had scratches, dents or a cosmetic defect right out of the box.

I promptly pack them right up and bring them back for an exchange. usually the next day due to distance from home.

I get the "must have been your fault" alot or i get the "Apple is not perfect and you should expect some degree of defect"

this is where my issue lies. I understand they will not be perfect forever. BUT, if it is going to have a dent, I want that dent to come from me and not be there as soon as i open it.

I would like to know, do others deal with these issue or am i the only one.

every time a new gen come out i will buy. It never fails, it is usually 2-3 maybe 4 returns before i can find an acceptable one.
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I agree with your statement. Apple's quality for the 3GS (I can't speak for 2G and 3G) are crap. Yes, flame me, but this it the first phone I have ever ordered that was no picture perfect out of the box. the bezel is not flush. Although minor, its crap still. Why? I payed 300 for a subsidized phone that should cost 700. For $700, the phone should be perfect. Samsung, Lg, Sony and all the other major brands of electronics I have came picture perfect, while my iPhone did not. My older iPods are solid and perfect still.

That said, I am NOT returning the phone because I can live with it thanks to my rebel serpent.

I don't get why people think it is acceptable for products to be sold as defects. I thought Apple was supposed to be top notch quality, especially in the form-factor field. I think the quality is slipping a whole heck of a lot. I am not flaming, just noting that this is not quality to be proud of.
 
jmpage2 said:
I think someone else hit it on the head earlier and it was lost in the noise. While we might not pay higher prices for our products when people game the system, we still ultimately pay some kind of price.

Look at Costco. It used to be that you got a lifetime warranty on items you purchased there. It was great to walk in with a TV that broke, etc, and get a new one.

Unfortunately too many d-bags gamed the system. They would bring back their perfectly fine year old TV or PC and get a full refund simply to buy a newer model that had come out. They had no moral compulsion about doing this and in fact frequently bragged about this on Internet forums, etc, etc, ad naseum.

Ultimately Costco had to change their policy because this was getting very expensive for them. Who pays? The consumers who were not gaming the system and no longer get the "forever" warranty on their electronics purchases.

This is the kind of thing iPhone/Apple owners are worried about. Apple has better service than other companies. Apple is fairly liberal about doing warranty/Applecare exchanges and the like. The last thing we need to do is see Apple service go in the crapper because they have to save $$ that they are hemorrhaging due to the d-bags who keep gaming the system.
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Great example...couldn't have made that point any better.
 
My situation

I bought a 3gs 2 weeks ago; 2 days ago I noticed a scratch on the screen; I didn't drop the phone; I was always careful; I should have used a screen protector and did not which makes it clearly my fault ; I made an appointment at the genius bar to see my options. I was perfectly willing to pay to have it fixed, I wasn't going to lie to get a new phone;

When I showed the genius at the desk my scratch, I asked what my options were; He told me don't worry you bought it less than 30 days ago, they will just replace it; Was I supposed to argue with them and say that I should pay? Did I get lucky................Yes, Did I go into the store demanding a new phone..............absolutely not;

I think part of the problem is that many apple store employees don't enforce Apples Policies which makes the problem worse. I am sure 9 times out of 10 if someone is giving them a BS story they can figure it out; and in my case I didn't even try, I went in perfectly willing to pay for the damage I caused but the apple employee just gave me a new phone.
 
I'm neurotic. I was putting on a long sleeve dress shirt while holding my iPhone in the left-hand. The sleeve caught the iPhone and sent it spinning out of the sleeve landing on the pavement 8 feet from me.

Small scratch near speaker. Two significant dents to bezel.

I went in and asked for a refurbished model for $199. The genius told me that he would only replace the screen for $199. I exclaimed that I am returning a functional iPhone rather than a water damaged iPhone and should have the choice.

Thoughts?
 
EnderTW said:
I've returned a macbook pro that I dented on accident. I am sorry, but that is my choice and I choose to tell them that it wasn't my fault. I got two scratched iphones and one dented MBP fixed that way.
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Nice attempt to frame this as a matter of freedom of choice. You do not have the right to choose to commit fraud. You, sir, should be in prison.
 
ntrigue said:
I'm neurotic. I was putting on a long sleeve dress shirt while holding my iPhone in the left-hand. The sleeve caught the iPhone and sent it spinning out of the sleeve landing on the pavement 8 feet from me.

Small scratch near speaker. Two significant dents to bezel.

I went in and asked for a refurbished model for $199. The genius told me that he would only replace the screen for $199. I exclaimed that I am returning a functional iPhone rather than a water damaged iPhone and should have the choice.

Thoughts?
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It seems that refurbished phones are used to replace phones that cannot be repaired in the store or phones that no longer work (water damaged). Does the screen replacement include the repairs that you mentioned, scratch near speaker and damage to the bezel? If it does, what's the problem?
 
thelatinist said:
Nice attempt to frame this as a matter of freedom of choice. You do not have the right to choose to commit fraud. You, sir, should be in prison.
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Well he doesn't have the RIGHT, but he can CHOOSE to do anything. People can do anything they want; sometimes they get away with it and sometimes they don't. Frankly I'm surprised our race hasn't long ago spiraled into total self-annihilation. It's almost as if we feel like there's actually a right and a wrong.
 
So if I run over my iPhone 3GS 32 GB with Hummer, that is not a Defect of Apple's. I would think they would make a phone that could resist being run over, C'mon they need to make a better phone all :eek:


Only kidding, people need to take care of their toys and if something happens crying doesnt help it just makes prices go up in the future for those who get away with getting a new item, the cost of the store help, parts, materials, etc cost us all more in the future whether you believe it or not. :rolleyes:
 
Water Damage New Policy

Just to let you know, those who feel like that the water indicator may have been tripped inadvertently, as long as the bottom is not croaded (sp?) and only one indicator is tripped policy is now to open up the phone to see if the internal sensors have been tripped and if not to replace the phone. So if you truly believe it wasn't your fault you can now have them check inside. Now note I only say this if you think it was inadvertently tripped and you didn't drop inside a puddle of water. It is a problem that the outside two are too easily tripped so you do have a right for them to prove the inside one is as well. If you really didn't do anything you are fine, if you did submerge it in water you have no case.
 
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