How many iPhone 3G's have you had? -OR- How I had my 3rd iPhone for only 15 minutes..

hajihill

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Hello,

I'm wondering how many of you have had to have your iPhone 3G's swapped out, and, if so, how many times. I went into my local store today to get my 3rd, and walked out with my 4th. After all of this, I feel like some sort of "world's worst" record holder, but am sure this isn't the case. Please, tell me your stories here.

Here's mine:

I got mine on launch day. Having not sprung for the first iPhone, I found the 3G version irresistible. I was extremely happy with it for two/three weeks, and then found about the hair line cracks, that mine and my co-worker's (who adopted about a week after me) both exhibited. After some communal research, and one tech support call a piece we were at the Genius Bar one afternoon, for a lunch-time iPhone replacement that took far longer than I would have liked.

Now my co-worker exits the story. He's happy enough with his, though it does remind him of a far too-tight scratchy wool sweater as often as not.

I end up having to call tech support again, as every app on the danged thing is crashing and I've restored a couple times to no avail. They send me back to the Genius Bar, where I am sent home to restore from scratch and not back-up. This enters the second time my history (texts, browser) and small amounts of personal/application data (most of which I thought would sync back, in one way or another. Notebooks, and photos for example) has been erased.

Today was my third trip to the Apple Store, and, thereby, the illustrious Genius Bar. They replaced my phone after only briefly trying to say it was somehow my fault. This is a marked improvement from some of the arguments that have been started in recent conversations with tech support, that I have decided to gloss over to protect my sanity, and avoid reliving them. I should note that this was after standing against a table for an hour after showing up the recommended ten minutes before my pre-scheduled time slot. I'm not sure, but this last statistic might be a slight improvement over previous trips. (Again, I try to forget them ASAP) After having this, my 3rd iPhone 3G, for only 5-10 minutes, as I walk through the mall to my car, I notice the hairline cracks in the case, similar to those in my first iPhone 3g. After a quick march back to the Apple Store, I confront the same "tech" (I can't even call them "geniuses" facetiously) and he gets me another new phone. This time, me silent in displeasure, he hands me the new phone after swapping the SIM cards. I inspect it for cracks, and he says it still has 2.0.2 on it, and that I can upgrade at home if I'd like. I sign the presented paperwork and walk out of the store grateful for my freedom, and the remaining sliver of calm and I am hoping will quickly germinate and overtake me.

Do I sound like I have the sort of problem most would willingly exchange countless woes for? Of course. Do I still think that in purchasing a bundled, inflexible device from the type of corporation that unwaveringly promises to solve all your problems (unwaveringly being the operative word), and in paying the attached premium, I should expect an end-user experience devoid of the hit-and-miss routine? You bet your sweet almonds I do.

So, I'm at four iPhone's in three tech support visits (and one trip to the AT&T store to pick up the first).

Now, please comment as freely as your hearts' desire. (within the guidelines established by the forum moderators, of course.)

(Minor edits: corrected grammar and spelling)
 
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BreakingKayfabe

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I have only one comment: I'm with you on this 100%. Keep swapping and swapping. Apple won't feel a hit not one bit. Afterall they gaul about their "geniuses" and how they'll solve your problem. Do what you have the right to do.
 

hajihill

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(I made a few minor edits to the above, just grammar and spelling. It should reappear shortly. Sorry.)

Yeah, I figure it will hit them where they'll notice it, if anything will. There's always the argument that this will increase the prices of the next gen or some such economic feint, but, really, they don't need anyone to blame for their raising prices. I think they will be plenty able to find as many reasons for that regardless.
 
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Jeremy

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ktm97

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Still on my first 3g, my friend just swapped out his first gen phone last week and going back fro his third.
 

hajihill

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@ mikecc : I so have the white phone, which is arguably worse (or better) about the hairline cracks (or in being able to spot them).

@ Bad Ash: I see where you're coming from and think you have a valid point. I generally prefer to tinker with things in small ways to get them working (I still have an old 233 linux box in a closet as a personal server), and, unfortunately for me, this makes any visit to tech support more of a perceived inconvienience.

I've heard it alluded to before, but I think it takes a certain type to be an Apple customer. Maybe, I'd be altogether happier after a jailbreak. Hard to say, especially since I'm posting under my real name. ((I know you're reading this Jobs. ;^) )

On an aside, if Apple's making 40% on each iPhone, and my 16gb would cost, say, $550 unsubsidized (I'm mocking up numbers from memory. Feel free to correct me.), having been through 4, (again, rough math 330 x 4) the cost to Apple would be $1320. If I did that right, and this isn't too uncommon, they must be reusing the phones people are swapping. There's no way their profit margins are eating this. Or, I could be some wild conspiracy theorist.

Okay, I'm done typing on this thing for now.
 

shwy

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since I got it yesterday, this is my first one. I don't really care for the keyboard, but other than that I love it. Tediously pecked out on my iPhone
 

squee

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My first 3G iPhone started (out of the blue) crashing when I (in order):

1. Plugged-in my headphones
2. Got a text message
3. Received a phone call

Every time I had to do a hard reset, and after the third time it just wouldn't boot at all, just sat at the apple.

When I went to the Genius Bar, it turned on beautifully and worked just fine (something about the air inside the Apple Store?) but the guy took my word for it and replaced it anyway. They didn't have any 16GB ones in stock, so he ordered one for me and it arrived 2 days later.

Best customer service experience ever.