iPhone 4 Out of Warranty Exchange • Non-Gaming • Apple, Mac, and iPod • Eurogamer.net

GREASYL0VER 11 Dec 2011 19:32:54 127 posts
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My iPhone 4 seems to have developed a fault and as it was bought shortly after release is out of warranty.

What are the chances of Apple replacing it if I take it into one of their stores? From what I hear Customer Service is excellent so I am hopeful and in 10 years of owning Apple products I've not had to use a warranty / exchange before.

Even better what's the chance of them letting me upgrade to a refurb 4S rather than a straight swap for a 4?

ElNuevo9 11 Dec 2011 19:46:55 14,128 posts
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They have pretty good customer service, replaced my iPhone 3G with a cracked screen outside warranty. Worth trying, anyway.

Zero chance they'll swap a 4 for 4S though.

Carlo 11 Dec 2011 19:47:46 20,018 posts
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Quote sales of goods act, follow up with a letter.

They'll fix it out of warranty no problems, always did with me.

I've got a copy of my last letter to them with the appropriate UK laws, if you want a copy, PM me.

(EDIT: Yeah, you've got zero chance of an upgrade)

Edited by Carlo at 19:48:38 11-12-2011

GREASYL0VER 11 Dec 2011 19:54:07 127 posts
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Hi Carlo ... yeah, I'll PM you. That would be much appreciated.

Deleted user 11 December 2011 20:27:22

Should fix it/replace it.

Zero chance of an upgrade, especially considering they are still selling the 4.

GREASYL0VER 12 Dec 2011 10:44:36 127 posts
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@Carlo - in travelling today and can't access Main Site to PM you.

Can you PM me the blurb and I'll get the text in the email that comes with that notification?

GREASYL0VER 17 Dec 2011 16:25:26 127 posts
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If anyone is interested I have taken the phone into two Apple stores and they will not exchange it because it is out of warranty (by 150 odd days).

I have sent Apple in Ireland a letter of complaint - hopefully they will resolve the issue otherwise all of the Apple products I've bought this Christmas can go back!!!

nickthegun 17 Dec 2011 16:46:43 73,307 posts
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I assume the issue is a faulty home button?

GREASYL0VER 17 Dec 2011 17:21:17 127 posts
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No. iPhone won't play music when docked in a brand new Bose SoundDock II.

The dock has been proven to be fine, it is a problem with the dock connector on the iPhone 4. Other iPhone 4's work in it.

nickthegun 17 Dec 2011 17:27:39 73,307 posts
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I assume you've tried restoring the phone back to factory?

GREASYL0VER 17 Dec 2011 18:40:33 127 posts
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Yep.

Restored to factory, the Apple "Genius'" have given it a good "clean", I can only assume that involves compressed air or whatever.

All the obvious things have been done and even trying the phone in the dock in Airplane Mode etc doesn't work (not that I should have to do that anyway).

Dougs 17 Dec 2011 18:53:19 85,240 posts
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Far from ideal, but does the dock not have an aux input and just use that?

Dougs 17 Dec 2011 18:58:04 85,240 posts
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Alternatively, �45 from here

Slurmseh 17 Dec 2011 20:03:21 2,539 posts
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Thing is with a dock connector they can claim it's caused by the user incorrectly putting the cable in or something like that. (not that I'm saying that this is the case)

Trowel 17 Dec 2011 20:05:37 21,959 posts
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Coincidentally I've just been using this site: http://www.mobilevaluer.com/

nickthegun 17 Dec 2011 20:21:42 73,307 posts
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I've got quite a similar thing. I've got a dock that plays my iPhone4 fine but won't play the wife's without waggling it a bit and bracing it with a folded bit of paper behind it.

I just put it down to a loose connection through all those years of forcefully jamming cables up it's arse.

MARKIV 17 Dec 2011 20:23:11 121 posts
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I thought Apple would exchange a broken out of warranty iPhone for a refurbished replacement for a price!? Here you go..

http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_Kingdom&product=iphone

Click Warranty & Service Pricing -> My iPhone is not eligible for warranty service. What are my service options?

Out-of-Warranty Service

iPhone 4S

� 146.44

iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS,
iPhone 3G, Original iPhone

� 126.44

Blaizefm 17 Dec 2011 21:05:04 232 posts
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MARKIV wrote:
I thought Apple would exchange a broken out of warranty iPhone for a refurbished replacement for a price!? Here you go..

http://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_Kingdom&product=iphone

Click Warranty & Service Pricing -> My iPhone is not eligible for warranty service. What are my service options?

Out-of-Warranty Service

iPhone 4S

� 146.44

iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS,
iPhone 3G, Original iPhone

� 126.44

I had mine replaced last week for �130 odd. I was expecting a repair, but they decided to just replace it outright. Maybe that's what do as its quicker to turn around and then shift the dodgy phone somewhere else to be diagnosed, fixed or stripped for parts.

No complaints with me as it took them a day to supply the replacement. Impressive!

Dreamcast_Luvr 17 Dec 2011 21:36:16 145 posts
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Apple are far from perfect but I like the fact they have a store where you can go get things sorted out , good luck if you have a Samsung Galaxy S2 / Sony Ericsson that goes faulty ( I speak from experience .. ) . Prepare to be without your phone for weeks while they attempt to diagnose a problem and repair it.

I have taken 2 iPhone 4's to the Apple store in the last 12 months both with minor faults and both were replaced no questions asked within 5 minutes. Admittedly they were both within the 12 months warranty period.

GREASYL0VER 17 Dec 2011 23:19:05 127 posts
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@markiv @blaizefm - the point is that I do not want to have to spend �120 repairing a device that is only 17 months old which clearly has a manufacturing fault. I have spent the best part of �700 on Apple devices this month and refuse to spend a further �120 to repair something I already have.

Apple are more than happy to exchange it if I pay �120. My point is I do not want to pay that. Sales of Goods act etc the device should be fit for purpose. It hasn't even lasted the length of time I would be tied into an 18 month contract with.

Very frustrating and I'm in two minds whether to take the Apple products I've bought as Xmas presents back due to their "questionable" build quality.

rock27gr 17 Dec 2011 23:38:58 6,409 posts
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I'm pretty sure all electronic devices are supposed to have a 2 year warranty. That's EU law AFAIK,

FanBoysSuck 18 Dec 2011 00:18:47 1,640 posts
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If you payed that kind of money for it, yes you are covered by law. Have a browse of direct.gov. Assuming its a hardware fault.

AccidentProne 14 Mar 2013 09:23:29 1,333 posts
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My 4S has just developed a fault where it can't connect to a wifi network and the wifi button is constantly greyed out.

After speaking to support and trying everything they suggested, they said it sounds like a fault, but as I'm outside my year warranty (by 20 days), they'll charge me for the repair!

As mentioned above, it should have been covered by a 2 year warranty under EU law. I pointed this out and as it's only 20 days out of the Apple support warranty, they said they'll see what they can do, but I'm still waiting to hear back.

Just wondering how likely it is that they'll fix it for free and if not, would I have better luck going through Orange for a fix / replacement? Seeing as I'm halfway through a 2 year contract with them and only a partially functioning phone, I'd say that's not fit for purpose, right?

GingerPixel 24 May 2013 23:10:25 392 posts
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I have the above problem. Any news on a resolution?

monkehhh 25 May 2013 08:25:39 4,817 posts
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Separate to any warranty, you are covered for 6 years by the Sale of Goods Act for faulty goods - especially if they've just told you it's faulty. Your beef is with the retailer, however, not the manufacturer.

northernlights 25 May 2013 09:22:13 955 posts
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With the sales of goods act you have to prove there was a fault when u purchased it. Trust me if ur out of warranty you have to pay �119 for a iPhone 4

northernlights 25 May 2013 10:29:15 955 posts
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True only thing is if you modify the device Apple wouldn't touch it from there ! It would be the full pay as u go phone costing hundreds of pounds if they screwed it up

AccidentProne 25 May 2013 10:59:18 1,333 posts
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@GingerPixel They were really good about it, replaced free of charge without any fuss. Overall it was pretty great customer service.