Extend your iPhone 3G Warranty with Honesty

By Gary Ng on October 24th, 2008 110

Most early adopters of the iPhone 3G had to sign onto a 3 year contract (including yours truly. What does this mean? Well, it means hopefully your iPhone 3G will survive three years of accidental drops, scratches, and scuffs (not if you have an invisibleSHIELD installed though!). The iPhone’s warranty is one year from Apple. I’ve used this warranty through Rogers to exchange for a new unit due to my original’s horrific battery life.

Apple is an industry leader when it comes to customer service and satisfaction. Take a gander at the following account of iPhoneinCanada.ca reader, Conrad. If this story doesn’t represent amazing customer service and impressive after-sale service, I don’t know what does. Here we go…

I live in Edmonton, AB, Canada. My carrier is Rogers.

I dropped my iPhone 2 days ago and was devastated. Fortunately for me it was still perfectly operable. Just only had a crack in the screen, which was esthetically not pleasing.

I took it into Rogers and they said their warranty does not cover “accidental” damage. They said a replacement fee would be approximately $300 for the 16GB iPhone.

Considering that within a year I shelled out for an iPod Touch, a Macbook Pro and an iPhone 3G I really did not want to spend more money.

I decided to take it into the Apple Store in West Edmonton Mall. I was truthful with the person at the Genious Bar and told him that I dropped my iPhone and that the screen was cracked. They key here is that I was honest about dropping and did not concoct some complex story. I asked plain and simple if there was anyway I can get a new iPhone without paying the replacement fee. The Genius then said that usually they charge a $340 replacement fee, but for one time only they’ll give me a new one….No Charge.

I am now restoring my shiny new iPhone. Talk about great customer service.

Bottom line….It pays to be honest. Ask for what you want. Rogers Sucks. Apple Rocks! And lastly, treat your iPhone like it’s the last one in the world. You don’t want to go through with what I did.

Could AppleCare for the iPhone 3G be available in the near future?

What a story! I’ve heard similar experiences where people have been able to walk into an Apple Store and get their Apple goods replaced on the spot, depending on the situation of course. It’s very reassuring to know that Apple will step up to the plate and go that extra mile to make customers happy.

This story reaffirms my recent decision to buy my first Mac. However, it is still the responsibility of each person to take extra care of their gadgets, but of course accidents do happen right? I look forward to enjoying more Apple products in the near future–have I turned into a “fanboy” yet?!

Anyone else out there have some amazing Apple customer service stories to share?

**Looking for an iPhone 3G case? Go get an invisibleSHIELD, the strongest protection for your iPhone backed by a 30 day moneyback guarantee, lifetime replacement warranty, and FREE shipping! Use coupon code iphoneinca for 20% off your purchase! Order today!**

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  • stagg_09

    I purchased a 3G iphone from someone who had used it for a phone only.. He told me that the Iphone has 11 months of warranty… Now my question is if something happens to my iphone during the 11 months , would apple or rogers will cover the warranty on it, even though I didn’t directly purchase the phone from them???
    My 2G iphone was purchased from USA when they first came out from someone and receintly it’s screen not fuctioning, when I went to apple they simply said we dont support 2G in canada and i didnt bother with Rogers.

  • stagg_09

    I purchased a 3G iphone from someone who had used it for a phone only.. He told me that the Iphone has 11 months of warranty… Now my question is if something happens to my iphone during the 11 months , would apple or rogers will cover the warranty on it, even though I didn’t directly purchase the phone from them???
    My 2G iphone was purchased from USA when they first came out from someone and receintly it’s screen not fuctioning, when I went to apple they simply said we dont support 2G in canada and i didnt bother with Rogers.

  • stagg_09

    I purchased a 3G iphone from someone who had used it for a phone only.. He told me that the Iphone has 11 months of warranty… Now my question is if something happens to my iphone during the 11 months , would apple or rogers will cover the warranty on it, even though I didn’t directly purchase the phone from them???
    My 2G iphone was purchased from USA when they first came out from someone and receintly it’s screen not fuctioning, when I went to apple they simply said we dont support 2G in canada and i didnt bother with Rogers.

  • stagg_09

    I purchased a 3G iphone from someone who had used it for a phone only.. He told me that the Iphone has 11 months of warranty… Now my question is if something happens to my iphone during the 11 months , would apple or rogers will cover the warranty on it, even though I didn’t directly purchase the phone from them???
    My 2G iphone was purchased from USA when they first came out from someone and receintly it’s screen not fuctioning, when I went to apple they simply said we dont support 2G in canada and i didnt bother with Rogers.

  • Bob

    I have an Iphone 3G, and I’m not going to lie, I have a small little chunk out of the bottom, near the speaker (hard to notice), I have been very careful with it, and I have noticed a few dead pixels etc. My battery life isn’t all that great, and th Sleep/Awake button is somewhat tough to push down. Do you think that the apple store will be able to replace my iphone? I am still covered under the warranty, I just hope that the “Genius” doesn’t notice my small little chunk and say I am illegible for a new one.

  • Bob

    I have an Iphone 3G, and I’m not going to lie, I have a small little chunk out of the bottom, near the speaker (hard to notice), I have been very careful with it, and I have noticed a few dead pixels etc. My battery life isn’t all that great, and th Sleep/Awake button is somewhat tough to push down. Do you think that the apple store will be able to replace my iphone? I am still covered under the warranty, I just hope that the “Genius” doesn’t notice my small little chunk and say I am illegible for a new one.

  • Bob

    I have an Iphone 3G, and I’m not going to lie, I have a small little chunk out of the bottom, near the speaker (hard to notice), I have been very careful with it, and I have noticed a few dead pixels etc. My battery life isn’t all that great, and th Sleep/Awake button is somewhat tough to push down. Do you think that the apple store will be able to replace my iphone? I am still covered under the warranty, I just hope that the “Genius” doesn’t notice my small little chunk and say I am illegible for a new one.

  • moh

    hey guys, i gotta ihphone 3g, 8gb, had it for about 4 months it kinda got those scratches on the back but not noticeble, my problem wit the phone is..it often freezes, and i get the black screen and it doesn’t work, till i hard boot it, once i also got the white screen of death,

    but main this is the volume button to lower the volume is a little in, once it got stuck too till i had to hard reboot it,

    are those basis good enuf to get a new phone??? or try to get a new phone?

    secret for yu guys,,i once dropped the phone in a mud mudle while it was raining, the speakers died for bout 5 minutes but everythign works good after too, stupid mistake by me

    so wut uy guys think,, should i try?

    plus, wut is the number for apple customer care?
    my email is bad4yaall@hotmail.com < if yu wanna contact me straight on that

    by the way, i live in ontario, canada

  • moh

    hey guys, i gotta ihphone 3g, 8gb, had it for about 4 months it kinda got those scratches on the back but not noticeble, my problem wit the phone is..it often freezes, and i get the black screen and it doesn’t work, till i hard boot it, once i also got the white screen of death,

    but main this is the volume button to lower the volume is a little in, once it got stuck too till i had to hard reboot it,

    are those basis good enuf to get a new phone??? or try to get a new phone?

    secret for yu guys,,i once dropped the phone in a mud mudle while it was raining, the speakers died for bout 5 minutes but everythign works good after too, stupid mistake by me

    so wut uy guys think,, should i try?

    plus, wut is the number for apple customer care?
    my email is bad4yaall@hotmail.com < if yu wanna contact me straight on that

    by the way, i live in ontario, canada

  • moh

    hey guys, i gotta ihphone 3g, 8gb, had it for about 4 months it kinda got those scratches on the back but not noticeble, my problem wit the phone is..it often freezes, and i get the black screen and it doesn’t work, till i hard boot it, once i also got the white screen of death,

    but main this is the volume button to lower the volume is a little in, once it got stuck too till i had to hard reboot it,

    are those basis good enuf to get a new phone??? or try to get a new phone?

    secret for yu guys,,i once dropped the phone in a mud mudle while it was raining, the speakers died for bout 5 minutes but everythign works good after too, stupid mistake by me

    so wut uy guys think,, should i try?

    plus, wut is the number for apple customer care?
    my email is bad4yaall@hotmail.com < if yu wanna contact me straight on that

    by the way, i live in ontario, canada

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