Apple discounts replacements for waterlogged iPhones
If your iPhone swims with the fishes, Apple will replace it for $199.
(Credit: Apple)We previously reported on complaints of iPhones being damaged by sweaty workouts and the ensuing customer frustration when Apple responded then insisted those customers had to pay full price for replacements and extend their AT&T contracts.
Now Apple retail stores have adopted a new policy allowing them to charge less to replace water-damaged iPhones. We contacted the Apple store located at The Grove in Los Angeles, Calif. to verify the news. Representatives at the store confirmed that Apple now offers replacement iPhones for $199 (without a contract extension) if the phone has stopped working because of moisture damage.
Customers are issued a refurbished iPhone replacement of the same generation iPhone model that they turn in. If you decide to upgrade from a 2G to 3G iPhone in the process, however, you will need to upgrade your contract to the higher cost 3G data plan. In some cases, customers may receive a new iPhone if there are no refurbished iPhones available.
Is the new policy good news for consumers who enjoy a vigorous sweaty workout? Does it adequately compensate Apple for replacing a product accidentally dropped into a puddle or porcelain throne? Or is $199 still too much to charge for a replacement? Tell us what you think in the comments.
Seems like a reasonable (and possibly consumer beneficial, since it provides a relatively cheap replacement for accidental water damage) solution given the impossibility of determining which phones suffered moisture damage from reasonable use during a workout.
Yet another reason why I'm getting fed up with my iPhone and may jump ship when the Samsung i7500 comes out (if its a worthy replacement that is.)
Get a good arm band and you'll never notice that it is there.
Heres an idea. When the environment is full of sweat, steam, prone to vibration, shock, and the chances of it getting dropped are good - maybe you should leave your $400 mp3 player at home, and pick up a zen stone or a sansa clip for $30 instead....
Again, the phone works fine, except for the fact there is no silience/vibrate switch. There are no indications of any water damage other than the sensor. I think the engineer who decided to put a moisture sensor at the bottom of the phone should put that on his resume so other companies know how stupid he is and avoid hiring him.
I pay for 3 iphones but I am thinking of either waiting for the the next generation iPhone, or perhaps an switch my family to a plan with Android phones.
but be smart if you use my advise
I DO understand that there will be real users who are stupid and actually do damage their phone by subjecting it to wet conditions like a sink or bathtub or pool or even a good rain.
BUT
It seems that a large amount of the denied replacements are problems COMPLETELY UNRELATED to potential water damage, like your situation. I have a friend who has a split in his case. As soon as they saw the sensor was activated, they would not even discuss the split but simply told him the sensor invalidated any replacement (he swears he has never had it near moisture to set it off).
I feel Apple uses the sensor to avoid responsibility for problems that are legitimate and unrelated, and I think that is crappy of them. This is what makes me hesitate to replace my old Cube.
One other point: I tried using my iPhone at the gym, but found it to be too big and cumbersome (same with Blackberry Curve). Decided to just use old ipod in workout sleeve. I don't want my phone while at the gym anyhow.
If you want true convergence, buy a Pearl (small, Media Sync with iTunes capable), and put it in a workout sleeve to protect it from moisture while at the gym. Just turn off the wireless radio so you can't be interrupted with a phone call.
Plus comparing dropping a TV into water and your phone getting a little sweat on is not a fair comparison either.
Apple has a reputation for selling high end quality products.
I don't expect a phone to survive being submerged, but sweat or talking on it in the rain should not be a problem.
The iPhone is supposed to replace a iPod and go everywhere with you. It needs to have enough water resistance to handle such normal use for a device you take everywhere.
I believe what killed that device was the condensation in the interior of the device (which leads to shorts and other problems).
Now, if the damage is from dropping it in the toilet or bath... well, that's tough luck.
I would guess they could put a sensor in the center of the phone and if it trips... you're SOL... otherwise, maybe $50-100 for the sweat damaged unit.
Apple is pretty cool about just swapping out the phone when it is a hardware issue. I had to get a new one after a few months. Told them the problem and they gave me a replacement on the spot.
I'm about to hit the end of my 2nd year with the 1st gen and the Genius at the Apple store told me to bring it in just before the apple care warranty is up and make any minor complaint and they will likely replace it with a newly refurbished unit (refurbs get a new battery and screen). Pretty good customer service.
So why when it is obvious that it is NOT a water proof device, do people think they should be compensated for treating it like it was water resistance. Doesn't matter whether it was sweating during exercise or tossing it in the toilet.
I can't think of any other consumer product that would cover moisture that the consumer caused. I mean, you can't buy a TV set, get water in it, and have the manufacturer replace it! I don't know why we think they owe us a replacement, even at a discount."
Thats so no pardon for not servering their products. In all most if all electric devices produces play the same game why they wil not fix the product. Look at the early Sony MP3 on this site and you see 100`s if not 1000`s of "MOISTURE" replied problems Sony did not take care of and blamed the user. Apple is no better and at this MUCH worse then Sony If not the worse now. Why people still buy Apple is beyond me. 30 plus years of buying hand held devices and Apple seemes to be the leader of NOT caring and totally spitting on its buyers. Steve Jobs you have soldout.........Now wating for next great company to come along Apple is soon enoug bitting its way to its own apple core and hurting its own self.
A battery of that doesn't even cost that much as it's almost 2/3 of a cost of macbook battery when it's even such battery won't even cost 1/4 to manufacture and package (and ship - and being ripped off somewhere in an Infinite Loop).
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by cracm
May 6, 2009 11:35 PM PDT
- it's the same thing with the macbooks.. they purposely dont put a silicone sleeve between the keyboard (like lenovo and just about every notebook maker does) just so if you spill something in it, you have to buy a whole new device. The whole 'quality parts' thing apple talks about is a joke. they use rebranded japenese crap and build their products to break under normal usage.
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by play7
May 8, 2009 3:48 AM PDT
- Don`t give Apple that much credit..........Apple just is trend now and nothing else. Its so sad they use to be a caring and desent company. But now I can`t get myself to even buy a nano because i just dont trust them. I though Sony was a nightmare. But OMG Apple is as worse or now the "KING" of the electric junk pile of worse water logged devices.
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