iPhone 4 recall? Users can still return them
Some mainstream media outlets have raised the sensationalist specter of an iPhone 4 recall as something Apple should consider/must do/will do at Friday's press conference.
To that, we'd just like to remind them and everyone else that anyone who has the antenna problem, the proximity sensor problem, or just wants to return their iPhone 4 to Apple is still within the 30 day period to do so, and Apple has waived the usual restocking fee. That means anyone unhappy with iPhone 4 to the point of wanting Apple to take it back can already walk right in and give it back.
Sure, it's not the same thing as a recall, or a free bumper, or having Apple genius' squirt invisible insulation over the antenna juncture, but it's reality today and for another week and a half to come.
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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I'm wondering how it would play out if I did return my iPhone. How would it affectvmy contractvwith AT&T? Would I have burned my upgrade eligibility? What if Apple resolves the issue, can I get another one?
This is not now an option in the UK as Apple only offer a 14 day return period, I looked into this last night and it clearly states on my account that it has past the return period!
The fact that most got their phone with a 2-3 years contract makes it really complicated.
I know I'm not getting myself tied up next time I upgrade.
Stinks.
By the way...
People don't want to take their device back. They don't want a free bumper. They just want it to work correctly.
In my line of business, we would send a brand new, non-defective item along with a return box...
Can I just say a free bumper wouldn't satisfy me if I was having these problems, I hate cases on my phone, I buy iPhones for their top notch hardware and design, why would I then want to hide it in a substandard bit of rubber or leather, its like buying a Ferrari and wrapping it in bubble wrap when you drive it.
i am in the uk with o2...was having the recpeiton issue and proximity as well as if i would hit the lock button on the phone while on a call it would cut it off...i went to the apple store today and within 15 mins they had exchanged it for a new handset. all problems ok on the new handset other than the reception issue...which albeit the biggest at least the proximity and others are fixed now (and i have a new phone as i dropped the old one and scratched it badly). from my experience if you want to exchange your handset it's pretty easy...but lets see what happens with 4.0.1 rumoured to be out today and what apple say tomorrow.
The fact that Apple has been mum except to promise a software fix for the misrepresented signal strength is what is holding consumers back from returning it. I think most understand that the iOS update will not alleviate their issues, but want to wait and make sure.
If Apple comes out and denies the issue on Friday, combined with the possible iOS 4.1 release today or tomorrow, I think you will see a big uptick in returns as the 30-day period draws to a close.
heres hoping that they have implemented some secrect fix...as the bar mis reprentation is BS. if my phone says 5 bars but only really has 2 why would it drop calls? not a new question but a VERY obvious one apple seems to be ignoring. i love my iphone 4, i hate the bumber. i would love one that worked and if they sort this out i will stay faithful to iphones forever...but if they don't i think alot of us will start trying other handsets in sheer dissapointment of being told to f-off there is no problem with your handset
@Chris:
Exactly.
The title should read" so your switching back to your old phone, this is what you need to know" hahaha after all those blogs of switch and needing to know how to do it. But you only needed one how to blog
Love my phone. Too addicted. Even with all the issues, I'm happy. Nothing is perfect. Love my bumper, too. I've dropped my phone 4 times already and I think the bumper is helping.
Holy crap, how do you drop your phone so much. Hang on to the damn thing. It's a delicate piece of electronics - if you drop it, it's probably not going to work as well... or at all.
Presumably I'm not alone in not having any problems whatsoever with my phone. Never a dropped call, even when using the so-called death grip. I'm using the phone in Prague and I guess it being a city the cell coverage is pretty good. In fact I've noticed it hangs onto the signal in the metro much better than my old 3G handset. Intrigued about tomorrows announcement, but I genuinely feel the issue has been blown out of proportion. Yeah, I know I would say that because I'm having no problems. Even with the old handset I read more about dropped calls from US users rather than those in Europe, I wonder if the same is true for this current issue. By the way, I'm a proud PC user, no Apple axe to grind
Already sold my 3GS so....I'm stuck. And there aren't any comparable phones on AT&T to switch. 8GB 3GS ain't cutting it.
Why would you return the phone? Your phone should be in a case anyway!
Besides that, sell that $h!t on eBay for $900+!!
The sad part about all this returning the phone stuff is that at&t would dig in their heels and make you pay.
Worse it now appears Apple was told this antenna design was a problem months ago by both their own engineers and at&t engineers.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-15/apple-worker-said-to-tell-jobs-iphone-might-cut-calls.html
@Lee - I'm with you. I'm the variable in this case, no reception issues (tbh - I get better reception than ever at my job), no yellow screen. I love it.
Unfortunately, since people would rather hear negativity than positive words, we won't be making the news anytime soon. However, the iPhone user in rural America who can't get service with any phone unless he's standing ontop of the freakin' satellite itself will be on 4 different channels.
It's a $400+ phone, buy a damn case ya cheap bastards.
No problems at all and loving it.
@t0m
Nonsense.
My car was $35,000... I've never driven it in a case.
My eyeglasses were $500... I never worn them in a case.
I don't see people wearing their $15,000 rings inside cases.
Not everyone is a bumbling fool.
At the most I am sure Apple is going to offer the exchange program where they mail you a new one, you send the defective one back in a box. Seeing how they only allow credit card purchases and if you don't return it, you will get charged full price for the defective one.
This happened to me with the first generation iPhone. After exchanging it out 4 times, Apple had just released the 3G, and they offered to give it to me for free, all I had to do was send in my defective model. They sent it to me, I put my old one in the box, with the shipping label they provided and sent it back. Within two days they received it and all was good.
Bumpers aren't the best things to want, nor are the guards that you have to apply with liquid that could damage your phone. I am sure whatever they are going to offer their customers will be something that will make us all happy. After all, this is Apple we're talking about.
@ fastlane
LOL nice one! exactly! i hate those damn bumpers! the iphone 4 is sexy looking, why hide it????
oh and to comment on the 14 day in the uk, that is only if you want to return something if you just dont want it or dont like it but if something is faulty then you have the right to refund or replacement, yeah not like 6 months later but at least a month is acceptable
@fastlane - None of those are accurate comparisons, but I'll play anyway.
Car - People have car covers, bras, bumper bullys, etc to protect their $35,000 investment.
Glasses - My grandma has necklace incases her glasses fall of her face, I have insurance for my glasses -- and it's not $20 a month like an iPhone insurance would be. Plus, when you're not using said glasses don't you put them in a -- wait for it -- case?
Ring? - Well you kinda got me there, however, rings do get put in jewelery boxes when not in use. I'm assuming of course you don't get home and just toss your $15,000 ring onto the counter or nightstand.
Basically, everything you named has some type of protection offered to it that the average American takes advantage of. So while you may choose not to protect your expensive purchases, most people do. The only foolish thing would be to spend hundreds (or in your examples thousands) and for a few dollars more not protect it.
Yeah well the problem with that is finding a store that would even have any to exchange your phone for.
@Tom
Exactly. Lots of haters trying to make nothing into something.
@ Tom
The issues are arising when the device is actually being used. The only semi-valid point you had was regarding the vehicle protection. Even then, a car would drive just the same with or without the "bra" which is more than a lot of people can say for their device.
Anyway, would AT&T be able to replace my phone since I bought it from them or would I need to go to an Apple store?
@Chris A - Understood, but like I said in the beginning they're not equal comparisons. What I was saying is just about every purchase has some type of protection offered for it.
My 3GS worked fine, but it was still in a case to keep it in mint condition (especially in case of an accident).
If you opt to have third party insurance on your iPhone and hold it with your left hand and get signal problems, then I guess you'll need a different phone.
If you just choose to not have a case and are having the same signal problems, you're either rich or foolish.
There's nothing sensationalist about demanding the recall of a flawed product. The iPhone 4 is going to have to be recalled eventually, and sooner is better than later.
Can anyone actually advise as to whether or not the new two-year contract people signed with AT&T to get the iPhone at the subsidized price is "returnable" as well? If I'm not keeping the iPhone, there is no way I'm staying on AT&T's garbage network.
@Tom - how do you expect people to pay $900 for an iPhone 4 when they can get it new for $200-$800?
There's not a restocking fee on a defective product.
@Sadie: no one has to recall anything unless it's harmful.
My phone works fine. If anything I get BETTER reception now.
My previous iPhones had reception problems, and those were wide spread. Im still baffled at how all the sudden everyone cares
@T - You don't eBay much do you? Go check out the listings bro
Why am I still selling 3GS' for $500+? As long as they keep paying, I don't ask...
even if everyone bought a case to use on the phone, it still doesn't negate the fact that there is problem on most phones, i don't have trouble with the reception at all, especially in NYC... the signals don't budge on this phone, and I haven't had one dropped call yet (knock on wood) - aside from my face hitting end(but this is a proximity sensor issue, that apple techs have "never" heard of and which is why i'm on my second iphone in as many weeks and it still doesn't work) BUT, when I'm home, i do see a drop in the reception when held with my left hand, and this is unacceptable... to those who don't have a problem with it, your lucky, I just hope I can return this for either a proper functioning phone, or get me out of my 2 year extension...
@Tom - I hear your points regarding product protection and I totally agree if the issue was protecting your phone. The difference here is that all of the products mentioned in fastlane's example will function 100% without protection.
The iphone is requiring people to add to the original product so that it may function properly (bumper, case). The iphone is requesting that people avoid holding it in a manner that is obviously common. If it requires it to operate, then it should be part of the package.
This design flaw is ridiculous. Apple could have easily coated the parts with a non-conductive material, or placed them in a manner in which holding with your left hand is okay.
Products that require batteries do not count….
@t0m
Yes, I do. I also put my iPhone in a case (pouch) when I'm not using it. Wasn't the point (as Chris has stated)?
But, I don't use protection on my car, and I don't use eyeglass necklaces. So, saying our phones "should be" in cases doesn't apply to everyone.
All three of my iPhones never had cases. They were never dropped once, and were all sold in mint condition. My car has never been in an accident or damaged in ten years. My eyeglasses have never fallen or been damaged.
So, my only point was, the iPhone doesn't need a case if one isn't a bumbling fool.
@ FastLane, where do you put your $15,000 ring?
u need a case for the iphone 4 - period. not a bumper, not a hard shell briefcase, no armor either - just a simple, clear, flexible, thin piece of plastic (like your grammas couch) -
you can still see that beautiful puke green velvet shining through the clear plastic couch covers - but its protected from spills, drops, loose change, keys, lighters, weed bowls, and whatever other exotic items you may carry in your pockets and hands.
NOBODY carried an iphone 3g or 3gs around for 2-3 years and it stil be in "mint" condition. unless you never took it out of the house, and your phone had it its own room. that or your defrinition of "mint" just means it doesnt have a cracked screen or the apple symbol isnt fully scratched off in the back
Alert the media, fastlane is the World's First Perfect Person!
Stand outside your door, the parade should be by shortly, dude.
I refuse to believe you've never dropped your phone somehow, but what's the point of arguing about it. I also think you've probably put wax on your car atleast, right? Well that's a form of protection. Is it supposed to be done? According to you, no.
Bottom line, it'll cost you $30 to fix your supposed signal problems. That same $30 will also protect your phone from that rare occasion when you descend back to Earth with the rest of us normal, mistake making people.