iPhone 5 faulty for a 4th time, what are my options?
 

My gf's iPhone 5 has been replaced 3 times in less than 12 months by Apple Genius shops, all for the same reason. The camera displays vertical lines intermittently when taking photos/videos, which isn't repairable apparently.

We've booked yet another appointment, which is over a two hour round trip.

She's getting pretty fed up of having to go back every couple of months and get the same fault, even on the replacements.

Would she have any legal rights to demand either a NEW phone, rather than a 4TH refurbished one or...... a full refund?

I would just get an android, iphones are crap imo.

Jack's gonna torch your house.

Lool :D

If they cant fix it for a third time then legally your entitled to a full refund.

When I upgraded through Vodafone I just complained to them when my 32g Iphone 4S was faulty. After 2 replacement phones (reconditions) and various amounts knocked off my bill (£25 first time I sent it back, £50 the next then £25 again) the sent me a brand new 64g 4S as a gesture of goodwill.
I had to kick up a HUGE fuss though and made out I use my phone for my business and it was costing me work every time I sent one back.
When it came to knocking money off each operator I spoke to told me they could only give me a certain amount off (£15 I think is the max they say) but I just escalated the phone call to their manager each time and got more money.

First things first.
Serves you right (or your gf) for getting an Iphone :hjtwofing lol

But on a serious note I thought that if any new phone had to be returned 3 times, instead of repairing it they just gave you a new one! I myself have had this happen on a couple of occasions. Its good if its coming towards the end of the contract :thumb:

Unlucky. Luckily for you it's not an Android phone, you'd be stuck. I'd ask for a new phone.

Yep.

Not had any problems with my iPhone 5 yet.
I'd be wanting a brand new one if I'd had to go a third time, and you'd think that's what's they'd do considering the amount they charge for them.

Well, they initially offered another refurbished one and we refused it. They said they usually only offer brand new ones after a 3rd replacement has failed but we made it clear we wouldn't accept another one.

So, gotta go back again to collect a brand new one in a few days.

To be fair, the customer service has been great, even if the product, for us anyway, has been a bit crap!

Think I'll stick with my Galaxy S4 though ;-)

I was led to believe that Apple don't give out refurbished phones as it's cheaper for them to give a brand new one and sell the broken ones.

I've had a couple of replacements over the years and always been brand new phones.

Me too, straight out the box in the Apple store in Leicester.

I've had a couple of replacements over the years and always been brand new phones.[/QUOTE]

They wont have been new, they will be refurbished. The ones you get given in any apple store are refurbed phones. They dont fix very much, if anything in store now, just give out a refurb and then your faulty phone goes to get refurbed and so the cycle continues.

No, always been brand new. Like you say, Apple don't fix them because its not cost effective.

They sell the broken units in bulk to people that refurb them. An independent phone shop local to me told me he buys them in bulk through Apple's channels to repair and sell.

They aren't new, they are refurbed units done by Apple themselves. They look like new phones as they have new covers glass etc on them but they arent, ask the next time you are in a store. They may sell some of the faulty stuff (likely to be older models) but they send the vast majority of it back to China to be fixed.

Trust me I know this as I was in the Apple store on Saturday and was talking to two different members of staff about it.

They definitely aren't new ,they are always boxed with the protective coverings on bit they aren't new

As above, the replacements we've had upto now have been refurbed. Look like new, but obviously not.

People return faulty iphones, if they can't repair it instore, which they do offer, they send it off for refurb.

A guy in the store told us they can fix mics, speakers, glass, home button, etc but not cameras.

My guess is people take them back with faulty cameras which are intermittent, they get refurbed and shipped back to the shops for poor unsuspecting punter who will suffer the same fault at some point in the future.

Getting a brand spanking new one, with plug, cable, earphones, etc is the only way of getting out of the cycle.

As above, the replacements we've had upto now have been refurbed. Look like new, but obviously not.

People return faulty iphones, if they can't repair it instore, which they do offer, they send it off for refurb.

A guy in the store told us they can fix mics, speakers, glass, home button, etc but not cameras.

My guess is people take them back with faulty cameras which are intermittent, they get refurbed and shipped back to the shops for poor unsuspecting punter who will suffer the same fault at some point in the future.

Getting a brand spanking new one, with plug, cable, earphones, etc is the only way of getting out of the cycle.

If it was a brand new phone would it not be boxed and sealed with cellophane?

Yeh, the brand new ones are in sealed boxes with all the accessories inside.