just made a Genius appointment, waste of time?

BLiNK

Well-known member
Oct 7, 2009
8,225
350
0
Visit site
so i recently purchased a 4S, between the fact it rattles and the screen having the yellowish/warm tint look i decide to make an appt.

i know the consensus is that this is normal. however, my question is that how they will approach it? also, IF they do replace it will it be with a 90 day refurb or new and will it stay within the 1 year manufacturer warranty parameters?

any advice would be greatly appreciated. i will be going this evening..
 

BrindawithanI

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2010
975
84
28
Visit site
so i recently purchased a 4S, between the fact it rattles and the screen having the yellowish/warm tint look i decide to make an appt.

i know the consensus is that this is normal. however, my question is that how they will approach it? also, IF they do replace it will it be with a 90 day refurb or new and will it stay within the 1 year manufacturer warranty parameters?

any advice would be greatly appreciated. i will be going this evening..

As for the replacement, it will most likely be a refurb, but based on my experience, you get the longest of whichever has the most warranty. (90 for a refurb or whatever is left on the original, if longer than 90 days) does that make sense?! (haven't had coffee yet...)
 

ThePinkChameleon

Trusted Member
Jul 8, 2011
10,843
461
83
Visit site
The fact tht you have a rattle and a yellowish tint to your screen to me is definitely not normal either. Idc what anyone says lol. I'd be swapping to if mine did that - I got my 4S in Nov and had neither of these happen to me.

As for getting new or reburb from the GB, I would gauge the GB that helps you and make a point to let him/her know that you just recently (past month?) got your 4S and would really appreciate it if they could replace it with new instead of refurb. See how it goes, and hopefully in your favor for a new one.

I've never had to go to the GB for service, so I can just offer my opinion/advice on how I would handle the sitch if I were in your shoes.

Good luck:)
 
Last edited:

_heatherly

Well-known member
Oct 9, 2011
266
6
0
Visit site
I've heard black iPhones have the yellow tint. It's very obvious between my husband's black 4S and my white 4S, his blatantly has a yellow tint.
 

iLive an iLife

Trusted Member
Feb 27, 2011
1,087
32
0
Visit site
I've only been to the GB once and that was when I got my MacBook for Christmas in 09 - the charger sparked when you plugged it into the wall. They gave me a brand new adapter!


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
 

MattMJB0188

Well-known member
Mar 31, 2011
202
5
0
Visit site
so i recently purchased a 4S, between the fact it rattles and the screen having the yellowish/warm tint look i decide to make an appt.

i know the consensus is that this is normal. however, my question is that how they will approach it? also, IF they do replace it will it be with a 90 day refurb or new and will it stay within the 1 year manufacturer warranty parameters?

any advice would be greatly appreciated. i will be going this evening..

I am very sympathetic for you. My nightmare with defective iPhone 4S's just ended hopefully. Early last month I went to Verizon for their LTE and to get grandfathered into their unlimited data plan via that loophole. I was successful but hated using an Android phone, so went back to AT&T. Of course I had already sold my launch day 4s which worked flawlessly. Went to the Apple store and picked up an unlocked white 32GB. Worked fine expect it vibrated like crap. I then swapped it out for a black one and that one did it too but the genius didn't agree and said wither take it or return it. I returned it and then bought a brand new sealed AT&T 4s on eBay. I noticed with that one that the power button was very loose. When you turned the phone from portrait to landscape you could hear the piece move. Ridiculous.

Called Apple because I didn't feel like driving the hour to the Apple Store and they sent me a "New" 4s. I was actually kind of hoping it was refurbished one because I know they thoroughly check those. Well I got it yesterday morning and it was perfect, later when I rested my thumb on the home button and it wiggled. It did this and creaked whenever I moved my thumb. I know that's normal because no other iPhone I had did this and that was a lot.

I immediately made a Genius appointment. He looked at it and guess what??? He couldn't find a problem. I took him over to the display 4S's and said, "Why don't these have any play in the home button?" He said, "their all different." I told him my iPhone story and this is ridiculous and if there was anything he could do for me I'd be very grateful. I was very nice. He then agrees to replace it and brings out an even worse phone. The home button in this phone had even more play to it. I said, NO WAY.

He then said this was all he could do and I coud either have this phone or the one I brought to him. I then lost it and began to throw a tantrum out of rage. I threatened to call corporate and mention his name and how they won't replace a clearly defective phone. He told me to hold on while he went in the back to see if there was anything he could do. He then brings out another "new" phone. I thoroughly examined that one. I said, see this one has NO play with the power button. He then agreed and I took that phone. Its flawless but what a freaking headache.

OP: DEMAND a replacement and thoroughly test it out in the store. Who cares if you look like an idiot. The latest batch of iPhone 4S's must be hit or miss. I still can't believe the geniuses in the store will do almost nothing to make a customer happy.

Good Luck!!!
 

Fausty82

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2010
8,484
286
0
Visit site
BLiNK: I honestly don't think it's a waste of time. Just explain your concern to the Genius and be firm with your request. Being a jerk won't help, but that doesn't mean you can't stand your ground. I've made several trips to the GB over the course of my Apple experience and have always found them to be helpful and reasonable... they have quite a bit of flexibility when it comes to whether or not to charge for a replacement or whether or not to replace with new vs refurb. And my son had 2 iPhones replaced for the rattle alone at our local Apple store (he got 'new' both times)... Good luck and let us know how it goes...
 

BLiNK

Well-known member
Oct 7, 2009
8,225
350
0
Visit site
thanks guys. heading there now, it's an hour away and doing some other shopping as well

will let you know the outcome later!
 

BLiNK

Well-known member
Oct 7, 2009
8,225
350
0
Visit site
it's a no go :( of course i get the guy who knows "everything about anything". he was well versed in this area (rattling issue) we walked over to the the iPhones and tested 5 4S's and 6 4's--they all RATTLED!! he said that this is indeed normal and he would have a very difficult time convincing his manager to approve a phone swap since the rattle OR warm tint situation did not affect the workability of the device. i guess he's right, the phone works great

good news is, on the way back home i called best buy, where i purchased the device, and explained to them what was going on. they said since i just purchased the device not too long ago they would go ahead and swap it with a new one. the mobile dept. said they have never heard of this happening before, not that they should but oh well

i'll probably swap it out next week but have a really good feeling it will be the same results
 

Bias X

Well-known member
Aug 2, 2011
565
30
0
Visit site
In my experience my iphone 4, roommates 4, my 4S, and my roommates 4S have all had the rattle.
I have also swapped out my 4 once at the genius bar. Both had the rattle.

Its normal. Annoying yes, but it isn't a defect in the phone.
 

Massie

Well-known member
Feb 9, 2010
5,063
332
83
Visit site
I also wouldn't be surprised if, over time, the rattle diminishes as bits of dust, etc., get stuck in the sleep button area. Maybe one day you'll just notice you haven't heard the rattling for a bit.
 

BLiNK

Well-known member
Oct 7, 2009
8,225
350
0
Visit site
I also wouldn't be surprised if, over time, the rattle diminishes as bits of dust, etc., get stuck in the sleep button area. Maybe one day you'll just notice you haven't heard the rattling for a bit.

this is true. i do, in fact, carry it in my pocket
 

ThePinkChameleon

Trusted Member
Jul 8, 2011
10,843
461
83
Visit site
BLiNK, sorry to hear the swap didnt work out for you....we have 4 iphones in our house right now, 2 iP4's(black) and 2 iP4S's(white) -- none rattle or have the yellow tint.

I can't grasp the concept of this rattle being classified as 'normal' To me anything that rattles inside a phone has a loose something or other and if it were mine, as OCD as i am about things like that, i'd be trying to swap it out, because to me it just 'not normal' idc what anyone says lol.

As for the yellow tint, i have heard of people claiming its the glue within the screen or something, and what they've done is put their brightness full power and never 'sleep' the phone so the heat from the brightness dries it and clears it up so to speak. How much truth there is to it - idk. Just passing on what i've heard about it.
 

Eileen89

Well-known member
Apr 27, 2011
5,856
178
0
Visit site
i'll probably swap it out next week but have a really good feeling it will be the same results

Even though Apple wouldn't swap it out for you, I don't think it was a waste of time. However, as I've posted before, some 4S screens are warmer in color than others depending on whether the display was made by LG (cooler tone) or Samsung (warmer tone). When I first got my 4S I thought it was yellow and my hubby said it wasn't yellow at all, and that I was just used to seeing the cooler tone screen of my old iPhone 4. That said, you can always try swapping it out if you feel that your screen is too warm in tone for your liking, but keep in mind that if your 4S is running good otherwise including good battery life, you could end up making a bad swap if your exchange has issues or is even more yellow in tone out of the box.

As to the rattling sound, I'm not so sure how yours is, but my 4S only makes a slight noise when I tap it in just the right spot near the camera lens. They all do this to one extent or another, but most people aren't going to notice unless they are tapping on the back of their phones. But who goes around tapping their phone anyway, right? If yours is rattling all the time even when you don't tap on it, then that is another good reason to swap it out and hope for a better one.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. Just remember, though, you have one year or two if you have AppleCare+ and don't want to start the exchange process right now.




Sent from my iPad 4G using Tapatalk HD.
 

EmceeGeek

Well-known member
Dec 1, 2010
2,630
18
0
Visit site
One of the 4S I paid full retail price for came with a dint in the glass, right out the box. They swiped it out for a new one. That's when it first launched so they didn't have refurb models yet but if you just got it I doubt they'd give you one.
 

BLiNK

Well-known member
Oct 7, 2009
8,225
350
0
Visit site
i guess it would be safe to assume that the newer models are the ones that rattle and or have the yellow screen?

i do not remember reading about peoples concern with this when the 4S was first released
 

Eileen89

Well-known member
Apr 27, 2011
5,856
178
0
Visit site
i guess it would be safe to assume that the newer models are the ones that rattle and or have the yellow screen?

i do not remember reading about peoples concern with this when the 4S was first released

No, if you check MR forum there were tons of threads related to these two issues when the 4S first came out. I think it only died down when people realized that the warm color as long as it wasn't really really yellow was normal, and that most if not all 4S's make a noise on the back when you tap near the lens.


Sent from my iPad 4G using Tapatalk HD.
 

Fausty82

Well-known member
Jun 23, 2010
8,484
286
0
Visit site
BLiNK... really sorry to hear of your experience in the Apple GB... and surprised at the outcome... glad to see that BestBuy has your back, though...
 

BLiNK

Well-known member
Oct 7, 2009
8,225
350
0
Visit site
of course there's no guarantee that the next device i swap out for will not exhibit the same things that i am experiencing now, not sure if i want to play that game. my 4S works great, has since the day i purchased it. now it is just a matter of do i want to swap it in hopes of getting one with iOS 5.0.1 so i can jailbreak it. of course there is the issue with if i ever have to restore then i will be right back where i am now

looks like keeping what i have and waiting for the 5.1 jailbreak to be released may be the more logical option
 

anon(4742778)

Well-known member
Oct 7, 2011
99
0
0
Visit site
so i recently purchased a 4S, between the fact it rattles and the screen having the yellowish/warm tint look i decide to make an appt.

i know the consensus is that this is normal. however, my question is that how they will approach it? also, IF they do replace it will it be with a 90 day refurb or new and will it stay within the 1 year manufacturer warranty parameters?

any advice would be greatly appreciated. i will be going this evening..
They will usually replace it even if it has the slightest problems.
 

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
260,011
Messages
1,765,308
Members
441,221
Latest member
CØR