Why doesn't the Vmi reference swollen battery conditions, in or out of warranty?
I'm not clear on what you're asking. Typically, if the battery is swollen the iPhone is replaced, especially if the swelling caused other damage. If it's in warranty it is covered, if it's not in warranty there is a cost.
With MacBooks/Pros I've seen damaged top cases and trackpads. If in warranty all repairs are covered. Usually, if it's out of warranty the customer pays for the battery alone and other damage due to the swollen battery is covered. That's not always the case and again, only covers damage from the battery. So if your display is cracked, that's not covered.
Um, what happened to “If it isn't on apple.com don't talk about it.”?
Are you suggesting that even though I no longer work there I should abide by all the rules a paid Apple employee is expected to follow?
"We have one [VMIs] just like that for all of the products," one Apple retail technician The VMI isn't the final word, one Apple retail worker commented. "There are always those one-off issues that the phone is technically not covered under warranty but we swap the phone anyways under warranty," the person said.
Exactly, like expanding batteries popping open your case, even after two years. I got my iPhone sent off and back for free because of that.
Actually, I think Apple SHOULD have released this document. I paid for my warrenty when I bought the phone and I should be informed and understand what it is that I bought.
Keeping it grey and secret tends to increase doubt and insecurity in its customers as well as increase disappointment when a warranty claim is denied. Without documented guidelines it becomes my word against the tech's word -- and I've been around tech long enough to know that not all techs are equal and some are downright mean and others stupid.
I wholeheartedly agree. One of Apple's greatest assets if the trust they've nurtured with their customers.
ANECDOTE WARNING: This summer a family member had an issue with the earpiece speaker not working well. It was very tinny and quiet at maximum volume. I had this issue with my iPhone 7 and Apple replaced the device, so even thought they were out of warranty with their iPhone 6s (they didn't have AC+) I said take it in to have them check it.
I made them an appointment online since it's now a bit daunting for someone not familiar with their new layout for technical issues to make a Genius Bar appt without a lot of "wrong turns" and they were able to get in that day. The Genius did an initial inspection and test and said that the speaker had to be replaced, which meant the entire screen component which they can do in an hour for $129 (as I recall). They left the store and got a call from Apple 5 or 10 minutes later saying that there phone is ready. Turns out it was just lint stuck in the earpiece. No charge.
I can't imagine getting that kind of service from many OEMs and there's no real incentive for 3rd-party repair shops whose entire business is service fees and replacement parts. Apple isn't altruistic, but their business model certain gives me more peace of mind than other companies.
ANECDOTES WARNING: My MPB (late 2016) started displaying the desktop a few pixels high. Two weeks later, the screen started displaying all kinds of lines. Then the video died completely. I made an appointment (you have to in NYC), brought it in, scared to death that Apple was going to claim it was mishandled (it wasn't). But no problem. They fixed it under warranty but said it could take 2-3 days. I brought it in at 10:30 at night. When I woke up the next morning, I already had an email that it was fixed.
Similarly, my previous late 2008 MBP had a bad optical drive. It would play CDs, but not DVDs. I brought it in, also very late at night, the "expert" saw immediately that I knew what I was doing and had run appropriate tests and he took it in and said 2-3 days but that they'd try to fix it faster. When I woke up the next morning, it was already fixed.
In both of these cases, it indicated that Apple had techs doing repairs in the store (which was open 24 hours) all night long. I find that very impressive. Who else does that?
Back in the day, my son-in-law had a G4 tower in which the power supply kept failing. After he brought it in the third time, he told Apple that if it failed again, he wanted a new machine. It did fail again and by then, the G5's were out and they gave him a brand new G5.
My daughter had one of the low end Mac Books (around 2004). Her infant daughter pulled the machine and broke the hinge on the screen. The video still worked, but the screen no longer supported itself. She brought it in and Apple said it wasn't worth fixing because it would cost something like $1500. So she used the machine anyway, putting a brick behind it to hold the screen up. But then the video died. So she brought it in and asked them to fix just the video, but not the hinge. Apple fixed the whole thing and she called me up in a panic because she was afraid Apple was going to charge her a lot of money, but they never charged her a penny.
So yes, there is an Apple tax, but IMO, it's worth it if they continue to provide this kind of service.
Having said that, I've had several iPhones in which the jack went bad. Seems to me this was solely due to the number of insertions. IMO, this should be completely covered under warranty (and maybe even after warranty considering how expensive these phones now are). And Apple's claim of long battery life on the new MBP's seems like total b.s. The machine does fine if one is not actually doing anything on it, but one 80 minute episode of Game of Thrones, knocks the battery down to 33%. I also think Apple should replace any swollen battery, even if out of warranty as well as any resulting damage from Apple's battery. I consider any swollen battery to be defective.
zoetmb said: I also think Apple should replace any swollen battery, even if out of warranty as well as any resulting damage from Apple's battery. I consider any swollen battery to be defective.
In my experience, they used to do that. I took many a Mac in—not always my Mac—with a swollen battery and they replaced it even well out of warranty. That's. potential fire hazard and could damage other components so it seems like it would be in their best interest just to prevent a class action lawsuit. This was back when the batteries were rated for 3 to 4 hours. I remember that it started becoming harder to do but you could still get it done. However, except for an iPhone or two (not my own, I don't think), I haven't seen that happen in a very long time, maybe close to a decade with Mac batteries. Still, I'd like them to deal with a swollen battery because of the potential hazard; or did switching to LiPoly significantly reduce battery issues and potential damage?
Leakers of private corporate information should be prosecuted into poverty.
"Into poverty"?? What a vindictive, punitive culture we've become.
Seeing these guidelines make me *more* happy with Apple. Until now it seemed like the Geniuses pulled some of their device-repair decisions out of their butts. Now that I can see the guidelines in writing, I can know what to expect before I take my device into the Apple Store. This should help Apple customer relations, not hurt it.
If you think this helps Apple's competitors somehow, you're nuts. First, they very likely already have a copy of them. Second, it's not that hard to come up with these; the competitors already have them for every device they've ever sold.
An employee working for Apple signs an NDA and is legally bound to protect sensitive corporate information.
I can't specifically recall signing an NDA but I do remember hearing over and over again that anything that isn't public information that can be found on apple.com shouldn't be discussed. That ranged from speculating on when new iPhones would be released to Apple Internal Only documents. If it isn't on apple.com don't talk about it.
People would ask all sorts of things. Some would demand to see the VMI (although that's not what they called it), some wanted to know how many employees were in the store right now, others wanted to know the layout or if there was a second floor or basement. "Sorry, I can't tell you."
I guarantee as an Apple employee you are bound to confidentiality restrictions as part of your employment.
Why doesn't the Vmi reference swollen battery conditions, in or out of warranty? I'm on my third iPhone that has split open due to a swollen battery. My current phone is held together by the protective case I have on it, plus scotch tape. Waiting for new phones to be announced before deciding what new phone to get.
I'd really like to know what the heck you are doing to cause this. This isn't remotely normal.
Are you leaving it in the sun? Are you showering with it? Are you using a Chinese no-name power brick? Are you striking it repeatedly with a mallet?
Leakers of private corporate information should be prosecuted into poverty.
"Into poverty"?? What a vindictive, punitive culture we've become.
Seeing these guidelines make me *more* happy with Apple. Until now it seemed like the Geniuses pulled some of their device-repair decisions out of their butts. Now that I can see the guidelines in writing, I can know what to expect before I take my device into the Apple Store. This should help Apple customer relations, not hurt it.
If you think this helps Apple's competitors somehow, you're nuts. First, they very likely already have a copy of them. Second, it's not that hard to come up with these; the competitors already have them for every device they've ever sold.
An employee working for Apple signs an NDA and is legally bound to protect sensitive corporate information.
I can't specifically recall signing an NDA but I do remember hearing over and over again that anything that isn't public information that can be found on apple.com shouldn't be discussed. That ranged from speculating on when new iPhones would be released to Apple Internal Only documents. If it isn't on apple.com don't talk about it.
People would ask all sorts of things. Some would demand to see the VMI (although that's not what they called it), some wanted to know how many employees were in the store right now, others wanted to know the layout or if there was a second floor or basement. "Sorry, I can't tell you."
I guarantee as an Apple employee you are bound to confidentiality restrictions as part of your employment.
It's likely, I'm just saying I can't recall anything official, that's all. My employment started a while back and the first few weeks are a whirlwind.
Comments
My MPB (late 2016) started displaying the desktop a few pixels high. Two weeks later, the screen started displaying all kinds of lines. Then the video died completely. I made an appointment (you have to in NYC), brought it in, scared to death that Apple was going to claim it was mishandled (it wasn't). But no problem. They fixed it under warranty but said it could take 2-3 days. I brought it in at 10:30 at night. When I woke up the next morning, I already had an email that it was fixed.
Similarly, my previous late 2008 MBP had a bad optical drive. It would play CDs, but not DVDs. I brought it in, also very late at night, the "expert" saw immediately that I knew what I was doing and had run appropriate tests and he took it in and said 2-3 days but that they'd try to fix it faster. When I woke up the next morning, it was already fixed.
In both of these cases, it indicated that Apple had techs doing repairs in the store (which was open 24 hours) all night long. I find that very impressive. Who else does that?
Back in the day, my son-in-law had a G4 tower in which the power supply kept failing. After he brought it in the third time, he told Apple that if it failed again, he wanted a new machine. It did fail again and by then, the G5's were out and they gave him a brand new G5.
My daughter had one of the low end Mac Books (around 2004). Her infant daughter pulled the machine and broke the hinge on the screen. The video still worked, but the screen no longer supported itself. She brought it in and Apple said it wasn't worth fixing because it would cost something like $1500. So she used the machine anyway, putting a brick behind it to hold the screen up. But then the video died. So she brought it in and asked them to fix just the video, but not the hinge. Apple fixed the whole thing and she called me up in a panic because she was afraid Apple was going to charge her a lot of money, but they never charged her a penny.
So yes, there is an Apple tax, but IMO, it's worth it if they continue to provide this kind of service.
Having said that, I've had several iPhones in which the jack went bad. Seems to me this was solely due to the number of insertions. IMO, this should be completely covered under warranty (and maybe even after warranty considering how expensive these phones now are). And Apple's claim of long battery life on the new MBP's seems like total b.s. The machine does fine if one is not actually doing anything on it, but one 80 minute episode of Game of Thrones, knocks the battery down to 33%. I also think Apple should replace any swollen battery, even if out of warranty as well as any resulting damage from Apple's battery. I consider any swollen battery to be defective.
I'd really like to know what the heck you are doing to cause this. This isn't remotely normal.
Are you leaving it in the sun? Are you showering with it? Are you using a Chinese no-name power brick? Are you striking it repeatedly with a mallet?