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Will Apple Always Replace A Phone With Water Damage?

S

sparkles61785

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 13, 2009
141
26
If my iPhone had water damage, would apple replace it for $199 if I'm under warranty? What about an iPhone with a broken screen? I am asking this because I am considering canceling the Squaretrade warranty that I purchased for my 3GS. Thanks.
 
I think the OP wants to know "Will Apple Always Replace A Phone With Water Damage?" because the OP wants to cancel their current warranty. It appears the OP is looking for a guarantee of the future.

In all honesty, I don't see how anyone can answer that question. Your asking for a future prediction on what a policy of a company would be.

Any answer someone gives you would just a valid as using one of these:
 

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You'll have to pay for it, but it'll still cost you less than the full priced device. I think the only case where you have to pay full price is if the device was lost or stolen, since no exchange is made.
 
iphone.aggie said:
An out of warranty (see the apple website for the definition) iPhone WILL be replaced for $199, period.
Click to expand...

Yes this is true, but he is asking Always. No one can know that. The OP is banking on that Always to get rid of his current warranty.
 
I went to the Genius store with a cracked screen in June. 1st thing they did was flashlight the earphone plug and said I had water damage, poof, it's not under warranty any more. I asked how much to replace it and was told $199 PLUS the full cost of another iPhone. Perhaps you have had a different experience but they wanted about $500 total with my water damage. I sent it to missionrepair, they replaced the screen and digitizer with a 3 day turnaround for about $130. Guess I rambled some, but they did not want to replace my water damaged phone for $199 as it cancelled the warranty. ed
 
semlohde said:
I went to the Genius store with a cracked screen in June. 1st thing they did was flashlight the earphone plug and said I had water damage, poof, it's not under warranty any more. I asked how much to replace it and was told $199 PLUS the full cost of another iPhone. Perhaps you have had a different experience but they wanted about $500 total with my water damage. I sent it to missionrepair, they replaced the screen and digitizer with a 3 day turnaround for about $130. Guess I rambled some, but they did not want to replace my water damaged phone for $199 as it cancelled the warranty. ed
Click to expand...

This is wrong. Either you misunderstood or the genius gave you the wrong information. IN warranty replacement is free. Out of warranty replacement is $199 + tax. Not full price + $199. Dropping it and cracking the screen or getting water on it voids the warranty, so you get the $199 out of warranty replacement. I just went through this. Dropped my nearly new 3GS in water, made appointment with genius, told him it was water damaged, got my OOW replacement $199 + tax. The info is on apple's site plain as day.
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/service/faq/#warranty7 Down near the bottom of the page, 7 b.
 
Note that even Out-of-warranty coverage doesn't apply to every type of damage.

Apple's website lists a few (non-exclusive) examples: an iPhone whose body has broken up into multiple pieces, or an iPhone where the damage was the result of unauthorized modifications (I assume this applies to improperly jailbroken phones that become bricked as a result).

Such phones are theoretically ineligible for even the $199 out-of-warranty replacement - but individual retail representatives may either not be aware of this policy or may choose to ignore it.
 
Gin Gin said:
This is wrong. Either you misunderstood or the genius gave you the wrong information. IN warranty replacement is free. Out of warranty replacement is $199 + tax. Not full price + $199. Dropping it and cracking the screen or getting water on it voids the warranty, so you get the $199 out of warranty replacement. I just went through this. Dropped my nearly new 3GS in water, made appointment with genius, told him it was water damaged, got my OOW replacement $199 + tax. The info is on apple's site plain as day.
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/service/faq/#warranty7 Down near the bottom of the page, 7 b.
Click to expand...



Rather than start up another thread....


I basically got a water damaged iPhone given to me (he was gonna smash it!!) and want to get it fixed. In Canada its the $230 fee etc. I know they take the phone from you, which is fine, but on the phone buddy at the Apple store said that I need an appointment with a Genius to do the swap etc. Do I just give them the phone and the cash and be on my way? The phone is locked to Rogers (Canadian GSM provider) but I am with Fido (rival GSM provider who also offers the iPhone since they are owned by Rogers), do they need a SIM to activate and such while I am there? I just wanna get it home and unlock it.
 
April Fools! Oh wait, it's only August. :rolleyes:
semlohde said:
I went to the Genius store with a cracked screen in June. 1st thing they did was flashlight the earphone plug and said I had water damage, poof, it's not under warranty any more. I asked how much to replace it and was told $199 PLUS the full cost of another iPhone. Perhaps you have had a different experience but they wanted about $500 total with my water damage. I sent it to missionrepair, they replaced the screen and digitizer with a 3 day turnaround for about $130. Guess I rambled some, but they did not want to replace my water damaged phone for $199 as it cancelled the warranty.
Click to expand...
 
sikkinixx said:
Rather than start up another thread....


I basically got a water damaged iPhone given to me (he was gonna smash it!!) and want to get it fixed. In Canada its the $230 fee etc. I know they take the phone from you, which is fine, but on the phone buddy at the Apple store said that I need an appointment with a Genius to do the swap etc. Do I just give them the phone and the cash and be on my way? The phone is locked to Rogers (Canadian GSM provider) but I am with Fido (rival GSM provider who also offers the iPhone since they are owned by Rogers), do they need a SIM to activate and such while I am there? I just wanna get it home and unlock it.
Click to expand...

Yeah they won't do anything without an appointment. I went to my appointment, showed it to the guy, told him it fell in water. He looked at the water sensors, says he can give me the $199 replacement. Had done my research and knew that & that's why I was there. He took my 3GS and told me he'd be right back with the replacement. Came back a few minutes later and said they were out of stock & he ordered me one. If they had been in stock I would've walked out with one, $199 lighter of course. I can't answer your question about needing a proper SIM, I'm on at&t. They did ask me for my SIM and activated the phone before I left. I don't know what they do if you don't have a SIM/contract, someone else can maybe answer that.
 
Gin Gin said:
Yeah they won't do anything without an appointment. I went to my appointment, showed it to the guy, told him it fell in water. He looked at the water sensors, says he can give me the $199 replacement. Had done my research and knew that & that's why I was there. He took my 3GS and told me he'd be right back with the replacement. Came back a few minutes later and said they were out of stock & he ordered me one. If they had been in stock I would've walked out with one, $199 lighter of course. I can't answer your question about needing a proper SIM, I'm on at&t. They did ask me for my SIM and activated the phone before I left. I don't know what they do if you don't have a SIM/contract, someone else can maybe answer that.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. My dad has a SIM I can use for the purpose of getting the phone. But of course, the online Genius booking thing tells me "We are full, sorry, please try again later"... ugh.
 
I have a related question,

in theory couldnt i get someones broken 3gs and take it in and buy a new one for 199 without updating my contract?
 
As others have stated, there's no way for anyone to know what apple will do in the future.

At the moment, they are replacing water damaged iPhones, not for free of course but at a cost. That policy may change with or without any notice. Trying to pin down the future is like trying to nail jello to a tree.
 
labman said:
I checked ebay a found one wow people are crazy out there.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-iPhone-3G...ones?hash=item4399beb2bf&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-brok...ones?hash=item4a9a31b6bc&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/iPhone-3GS-brok...ones?hash=item4399b9e095&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Click to expand...

there are a few non-apple affiliated iphone repair places on the internet. they are probably buying these for the spare parts.

where i work we deal with a used parts dealer that sells stuff made in the 1990's. there are still organizations using some big ticket items like backup libraries made 10 years ago
 
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