Apple's iPhone scores 92% loyalty rate ahead of 'iPhone 8' launch, study finds

Posted:
in iPhone edited May 2017
A new study published by investment bank Morgan Stanley shows 92 percent of iPhone users who are "somewhat or extremely likely" to upgrade within 12 months intend to buy Apple, a good indicator that this year's iPhone revamp has the makings of a so-called "super cycle."


'iPhone 8' concept rendering by Marek Weidlich.


As noted by analyst Katy Huberty in a research note circulated on Wednesday, and subsequently reported by StreetInsider, Morgan Stanley's AlphaWise survey found Apple far ahead of the pack in terms of customer loyalty.

The iPhone's reported 92 percent retention rate compares to Samsung's 77 percent, LG's 59 percent, Motorola's 56 percent and Nokia's 42 percent. For Apple, the number is up from 86 percent during the same time last year.

Acting on the new information, and previous predictions of an iPhone "super cycle," Huberty raised her price target on Apple stock from $161 to $177.

The AlphaWise survey data arrives ahead of Apple's expected launch of three new iPhone models this fall. Along with the usual "s" upgrades to the iPhone 7 series, the company is widely rumored to launch a high-end "iPhone 8." The flagship device is anticipated to drive high sales, addressing pent up demand for a redesigned iPhone. In many respects, the iPhone 7's design is a carry over from the iPhone 6.

After a brief return to growth in the holiday quarter, iPhone sales contracted on a year-over-year basis during the three-month period ending in March. Apple is looking to stoke demand with the the coming refresh cycle, though price might be an issue for some buyers.

Still, there are signs that consumers are willing to pay a premium for novel features. Despite a dip in unit sales, iPhone generated higher than expected profits over the most recent quarter, suggesting a mix in favor of the more expensive iPhone 7 Plus.

Apple CEO Tim Cook addressed the quarterly iPhone sales contraction in an investor conference call, saying, "Earlier and much more frequent reports about future iPhones" are having an impact on performance. The statement suggests consumers are holding out for "iPhone 8," rumors of which have been circulating for months.

Expected to boast a "glass-sandwich" design, the purported flagship iPhone is said to feature a 5.8-inch OLED screen with embedded Touch ID, virtual home button, wireless charging and a revolutionary 3D front-facing camera system, among other improvements. Augmented reality functionality might also be included, though information on potential capabilities is scarce.
albegarc
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 23
    birkobirko Posts: 60member
    In the end a lot less than this will upgrade. Lots of things get in the way particularly finances, old phone that is still performing flawlessly, etc. But they will alomost all stay with Apple, and get a new phone next year or the year after.

    A loyal customer base - Apples greatest asset.
    watto_cobradedgeckoalbegarcchiaicoco3
  • Reply 2 of 23
    digital_guydigital_guy Posts: 162member
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
  • Reply 3 of 23
    If theoretical loyalty is 92%, I wonder what the loyalty will be in reality. 85% actual loyalty would still be a nice number. Samsung's loyalty number is quite decent, though. I suppose their smartphones can't be that bad. Having repeat customers is a wonderful thing for a company to have. I sure hope the next iPhone really does turn out to be a huge hit with consumers. Meaning, I hope it has very few problems and customers stay happy with it long-term.
  • Reply 4 of 23
    If theoretical loyalty is 92%, I wonder what the loyalty will be in reality. 85% actual loyalty would still be a nice number. Samsung's loyalty number is quite decent, though. I suppose their smartphones can't be that bad. Having repeat customers is a wonderful thing for a company to have. I sure hope the next iPhone really does turn out to be a huge hit with consumers. Meaning, I hope it has very few problems and customers stay happy with it long-term.
    It will be a huge hit. That is THE STRENGTH of apple, making reliable phones which work for a long long time.
    edited May 2017 Rayz2016watto_cobrachia
  • Reply 5 of 23
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    The problem here is that we only have one side of the story. 

    From Jan 2016 to Feb 2017. Is the phone still under warranty? (sounds like it possibly isn't) If it is under warranty, and it's not working, and you haven't damaged it yourself then Apple doesn't have a leg to stand on, and it's weird they don't know that. 

    In any case, you're not stuck. If you believe you're being short-changed then you should take them to court. That's a lot of money to be forking out for a phone that doesn't work. 

    edited May 2017 pscooter63
  • Reply 6 of 23
    croprcropr Posts: 1,122member
    this is just plain bullshit.  We'll only know how much value we'll get when the iPhone8 will be officially announced and we'll get the details and the price.  Before that date there is nothing but speculation and and other marketing lies.
  • Reply 7 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.
    Why do you think that you shouldn't be charged for a service you signed up for under contract and are choosing not use? If go on vacation for two weeks should the cable complaint not charge me for csble TV and internet I'm not using? 

    A contract is exactly what you agree to. They can void the contract with radical changes, but that also gets you off the hook, if, say, you wanted to jump to a different carrier without an ETF.
    mike1pscooter63badmonk
  • Reply 8 of 23
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    birko said:
    In the end a lot less than this will upgrade. Lots of things get in the way particularly finances, old phone that is still performing flawlessly, etc. But they will alomost all stay with Apple, and get a new phone next year or the year after.

    A loyal customer base - Apples greatest asset.
    True and I'd add some of Apple's so called competitors are also some of Apple's greatest assets, if unintentionally!  ;)
    watto_cobrabadmonk
  • Reply 9 of 23
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    We appear to be in a “pump” cycle right now. Analysts are falling all over themselves pitching AAPL, one positive report after another. Just a year ago all we saw and read were predictions of doom, failure, irrelevance. And all because of a single great quarter no one expected? Poster @Cropr mentioned “marketing lies” and unfortunately that’s the case. I have come to the conclusion that we cannot trust ANY analyst report, much less any advertisement. Everybody has an agenda, everybody lies, no one is trustworthy when it comes to commerce. It’s all an illusion created by smart people who understand human psychology. 
    edited May 2017 Rayz2016quadra 610mattinozwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 23
    LoneStar88LoneStar88 Posts: 325member
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    badmonk
  • Reply 11 of 23
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,622member
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
  • Reply 12 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 23
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,622member
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?
    I disagree. Loyalty (along with others like good faith) should be a factor that is taken into consideration when dealing with borderline cases or any case where lee way can be applied. There is always room for flexibility in such cases and it's exactly why strict unbreakable lines should be avoided in some situations. Just like this one. Common sense and good judgment should always prevail over the jobsworth mentality. It doesn't mean throwing the rule book out.
  • Reply 14 of 23
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?

    I also don't understand how a device would become "DEAD" the moment an issue occurs. Okay, Apple may not be repairing it out of warranty. But there are so many other options for repair, isn't it?
  • Reply 15 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    avon b7 said:
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?
    I disagree. Loyalty (along with others like good faith) should be a factor that is taken into consideration when dealing with borderline cases or any case where lee way can be applied. There is always room for flexibility in such cases and it's exactly why strict unbreakable lines should be avoided in some situations. Just like this one. Common sense and good judgment should always prevail over the jobsworth mentality. It doesn't mean throwing the rule book out.
    1) If that were the case I'd have my own office at Apple Park to try out pre-release products until the day I die.

    2) Fuck your stupid entitlement.
    pscooter63
  • Reply 16 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?
    I also don't understand how a device would become "DEAD" the moment an issue occurs. Okay, Apple may not be repairing it out of warranty. But there are so many other options for repair, isn't it?
    How the OP presents the story leaves a lot to be desired, but we can infer that they aren't very savvy considering their comments about having to pay a carrier for contractual service for a device they aren't using. They don't seem to realize they can cancel their service at any time by shoring up the current bill and paying whatever ETF there may be. With 11 months to of last Feb with the stated dates, that's probably under $200; and I wouldn't be surprised if they just did nothing and have been paying $60+ every month since February without using a cellphone, especially with the "stuck paying off a brick" comments.

    We have no info on what's broken or where he took it. Apple Stores will do a lot for the consumer since their business is selling devices, which is best handled by loyalty, not nickel-and-diming for every repair. Apple certified repair shops make their money from repairs. I've had Apple replace or repair an amazing number of products without a warranty. I recently just setup an appt. for a family member in another state. At first Apple was going to charge them for a new display since the earpiece speaker wasn't working properly, but after they got it in back they discovered that it was just lint blocking the ear piece so they cleaned it out, cleaned the phone, and gave it back within 5 minutes free of charge. You're considerably less likely to get level of service at a 3rd-party shop.
    edited May 2017 Rayz2016
  • Reply 17 of 23
    Soli said:
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?
    I also don't understand how a device would become "DEAD" the moment an issue occurs. Okay, Apple may not be repairing it out of warranty. But there are so many other options for repair, isn't it?
    How the OP presents the story leaves a lot to be desired, but we can infer that they aren't very savvy considering their comments about having to pay a carrier for contractual service for a device they aren't using. They don't seem to realize they can cancel their service at any time by shoring up the current bill and paying whatever ETF there may be. With 11 months to of last Feb with the stated dates, that's probably under $200; and I wouldn't be surprised if they just did nothing and have been paying $60+ every month since February without using a cellphone, especially with the "stuck paying off a brick" comments.

    We have no info on what's broken or where he took it. Apple Stores will do a lot for the consumer since their business is selling devices, which is best handled by loyalty, not nickel-and-diming for every repair. Apple certified repair shops make their money from repairs. I've had Apple replace or repair an amazing number of products without a warranty. I recently just setup an appt. for a family member in another state. At first Apple was going to charge them for a new display since the earpiece speaker wasn't working properly, but after they got it in back they discovered that it was just lint blocking the ear piece so they cleaned it out, cleaned the phone, and gave it back within 5 minutes free of charge. You're considerably less likely to get level of service at a 3rd-party shop.

    Agreed, there is so much information not available. So my point about 3rd party repair was probably not warranted. Agreed with you on the other point about Apple store providing better service than 3rd party.
  • Reply 18 of 23
    BluntBlunt Posts: 224member
    birko said:
    In the end a lot less than this will upgrade. Lots of things get in the way particularly finances, old phone that is still performing flawlessly, etc. But they will alomost all stay with Apple, and get a new phone next year or the year after.

    A loyal customer base - Apples greatest asset.

    And a lot of time people think of Apple fans a if they buy everything from Apple thats new. I consider myself an Apple fan but this year i bought my second iPhone (my first phone was the 3GS, i am still using older iPads and don't own an Apple watch. But my next computer will be a Mac, my next tablet will be an iPad en my next Phone will be the iPhone 12.
    Soli
  • Reply 19 of 23
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,622member
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?
    I disagree. Loyalty (along with others like good faith) should be a factor that is taken into consideration when dealing with borderline cases or any case where lee way can be applied. There is always room for flexibility in such cases and it's exactly why strict unbreakable lines should be avoided in some situations. Just like this one. Common sense and good judgment should always prevail over the jobsworth mentality. It doesn't mean throwing the rule book out.
    1) If that were the case I'd have my own office at Apple Park to try out pre-release products until the day I die.

    2) Fuck your stupid entitlement.
    I see you are being obtuse today.

    Let me put it another way. Apple already does what I am talking about. Often it depends on who is dealing with your case and how you present it. The issue is for Apple to listen to your point of view and take a decision based on the contextual situation in borderline cases. It should be helping staff at all levels take reasoned decisions. Being a long time client should count towards that.

    In the other direction, some staff will simply clean their hands of you by reading you the policy book. There is a fine line to tread but Apple should strive to improve client customer relations where flexibility can be applied.
  • Reply 20 of 23
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    avon b7 said:
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Soli said:
    avon b7 said:
    Not with me. 64 GB 6S purchased Jan. ’16, service (for whatever reason) disabled, Feb., 2017.

    Tired of finger-pointing. Have gone through hoops. Somehow, failure of the device has become my fault. Won’t mention carrier, billing history is spotless. What irks me, they have audacity to continue billing for services not rendered. Is that .. legal? They've actually altered a contract before without my consent.

    Apple customer since 1984, this may be first ‘lemon’.

    Didn't purchase AppleCare, device wasn't to be and hasn't been used in harsh environment. Guess I should have. Stuck paying off (and services for) a brick.

    Don’t know how much any company values loyalty until you need help  :s  .
    Penny wise, pound foolish. It IS your fault for not getting Apple Care!
    That is harsh.

    If there are no clear signs of abuse and he is a long time Apple customer, then some Lee way should be applicable on warranty issues.

    It shouldn't all be black and white and AppleCare shouldn't be needed, simply recommended. It wasn't his fault he chose not to buy it. I skipped it too.
    Having bought a product from Apple in the past in no way requires Apple to give you extra support. It's not a savings account where you build interest. The transaction begins and end with the purchase and whatever legal requirements are supported for that state/country. Apple owes you nothing else and you owe Apple nothing else. If you don't want to buy their products then don't do it, but suggest that you made purchases for their sake like some altruistic consumer looking for the giant corporation. Do you not hear how stupid that sounds?
    I disagree. Loyalty (along with others like good faith) should be a factor that is taken into consideration when dealing with borderline cases or any case where lee way can be applied. There is always room for flexibility in such cases and it's exactly why strict unbreakable lines should be avoided in some situations. Just like this one. Common sense and good judgment should always prevail over the jobsworth mentality. It doesn't mean throwing the rule book out.
    1) If that were the case I'd have my own office at Apple Park to try out pre-release products until the day I die.

    2) Fuck your stupid entitlement.
    I see you are being obtuse today.

    Let me put it another way. Apple already does what I am talking about. Often it depends on who is dealing with your case and how you present it. The issue is for Apple to listen to your point of view and take a decision based on the contextual situation in borderline cases. It should be helping staff at all levels take reasoned decisions. Being a long time client should count towards that.

    In the other direction, some staff will simply clean their hands of you by reading you the policy book. There is a fine line to tread but Apple should strive to improve client customer relations where flexibility can be applied.
    Apple has the right to offer service above and beyond what they're contractually obligated to do, but that's business. What you stated is that Apple should be obligated to do so because you bought from them in the past. You feel you're entitled to something else as if you're doing them a favor without any reciprocation when you buy their products. That's why you get a middle finger from me.
    watto_cobra
Sign In or Register to comment.