iPhone 3G temporarily replaced with Siemens C65
Above: Hmmm… not sure what Marian’s problem is…
As I prepare for my 4th iPhone 3G restore in the first 2 weeks since buying it, even I am getting tired of all the complaining about the iPhone’s version 2 firmware (although, I’m not as sick of the complaining as I am of the smart-asses who say “I have never had a problem yet, you must be doing something wrong“).
So that’s why I found it so refreshing to receive a CC on faithful Slovakian Macenstein reader Marian‘s heartfelt e-mail to Steve Jobs detailing his iPhone 3G woes. First of all, unlike most of the recent iPhone bitching, what we have here is a good old-fashioned dead pixel story, the kind we 1st gen iPhone users grew up on. But more importantly, there is a twist to the story that will likely make you appreciate the customer service you’re getting wherever it is that you live (assuming it isn’t Slovakia).
Dear Mr. Jobs,
I’d like to share with you how disappointed I am with my recent iPhone 3G purchase. I’ve been an Apple fan for years and an active Apple user for about two years now. I even plan on getting a license for my own Premium Reseller Apple store here in Slovakia and I’d also like to register as an iPhone developer some time soon. I have never ever developed anything in my life, but I decided that the iPhone is worth learning how to do it, no matter how long it takes. I’m just about to start working on these things. But as I mentioned, that’s not the reason I’m writing you.
I had been looking at getting an iPhone since it was announced, but as I live in Central Europe, I hadn’t had much of a change getting one. Of course, there were ways to get it, but I wasn’t much into the whole cat&mouse unlocking game. Plus, our carries didn’t offer any suitable data plans. So I decided I’d be patient and wait for the iPhone’s official introduction in Slovakia. To be honest, I didn’t think it would happen before 2009, so I was really pleased when the August release date was announced. I just finished my masters degree studies the day I finally bought the new iPhone 3G. That was just three days ago, August 26. Well, this morning I was browsing through the App Store, all happy and playing with my new iPhone when I noticed that are a few burned out pixels on the screen. Just a few light-blue shining dots that did not disappear even after restarting the phone. Naturally, I thought I was eligible for a replacement as it was clearly a case of a production flaw. So I took it back to the Orange store where I bought it to have it replaced. However, the nice lady at the desk said she could not replace it, even though I bought it three days ago, and that I had to claim warranty. Claiming a warranty in Slovakia means that they take your product and since that moment they have a month to get it fixed or replaced. Now, I spent some time in the UK and I had absolutely no problems with replacing anything I bought at the local Apple stores up to 14 days from the original purchase. It looks like Orange Slovakia does not care for the standards of customer services Apple users are used to. They said they could offer me a loan, meaning they’d lend me another phone for the time being, until my iPhone gets fixed or replaced. I assumed that’d be another iPhone. But the nice lady brought me Siemens C65 !!! She said that was the only one they offer for loans right now. At that point, I was seriously blown away. If you’re thinking right now that this is a joke, it’s not. It’s very sad, but it’s not. So here I am, stuck with a crappy old Siemens phone, just three days after I got my first iPhone.
Long story short, after a year of waiting not only I had to return the iPhone I’d dreamed of for so long and I probably won’t see it for another month, but I even have cope with this so-called ‘temporary compensation’. I don’t expect there’s anything you can do about it, I just wanted to express my disappointment. Despite this unfortunate experience, I still plan on opening the Premium Reseller store and during the process I’ll try to raise the customer services to the level Apple users in Slovakia deserve.
Best Regards
Marian Minarik
Hey, it’s got MMS-es. It must be better, right? Right?!
I’m sure you’re getting better battery life and not wasting as much time surfing the internet, playing games or watching videos. You’re probably much more productive in the rest of your life.
I am awaiting my 3rd iphone 3G replacement as we speak.
iphone no 1: 2 dead pixels
iphone no 2: 6 stuck pixels
iphone no 3: 3 stuck pixels
I waited 10 days for my first replacement to get to me (iphoneless). But on discovering my 2nd phones screen flaws I arranged a advanced replacement ie. i keep the phone until they send me a new one and pay Australian $35 for the priviledge.
Hopefully iphone no. 4 will have a normal screen. fingers crossed.
haha, pawel_z_wrocka ++
Eitherway i think Marian should have written to some upper-level staff in Orange, not to the Steve himself. Oh well… hope to hear the sequel of this story ,)
I’d like to see Steve sending a plane loaded of shiny new iPhones to Slovakia, but I think it won’t happen any time soon.
Probably something as simple as not seeing the SYNC window and thinking the thing is hung when It’s just waiting for her to agree to some sync.
On my 4th iPhone 3G. Crash crash, restore restore! Over 40 times I have had to restore. My own emails to Steve Jobs and other Apple executives have gotten me an Apple support engineer to help me, so far restoring my iPhone 3G!
We have three iPhones in our household all syncing on different computers with different users. ALL of them have had many issues. I have two close friends with iPhone 3Gs that have had to get replacements and have had crashes needing restores.
The iPhone plainly is not ready to replace a Blackberry for serious business users due to all its problems and lack of stability. The iPhone was clearly not ready for prime time!
I pray for a software fix for the iPhone 3G and iTunes! YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG!!!!! Unless, you considering using your iPhone something wrong.
To all the people who will claim they NEVER had any problems, save your breath. The Apple engineer I am working with says different, and he works for the company supporting iPhones!!!
My friend got his Macbook, and a few weeks later a pixel died. Apple said they would only replace it if there are more than 8-10 dead pixels! WTF? (is this right?)
because it appears that one dead pixel was enough to Apple..
maybe there’s a ratio “dead-pixel-per-square-inch”?
@ Alex
Yes, unfortunately it’s true. I used to work for an Apple reseller some years back. The policy apparently differs slightly from brand to brand. Anything between (i think) 6 to 12 (or maybe more) dead pixels.
Sad, but true.
Wow. I guess I’m lucky. I’ve only had problems with dropped calls and crashing apps.