Question for Paul Brislen: Fault in the 32Gb iPhone 4 model

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Question for Paul Brislen: Fault in the 32Gb iPhone 4 model - microphone not working = no calls!

mattlaing

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Topic # 65245 31-Jul-2010 19:24

Summary:

I am a new customer, coming from XT, who bought a 32Gb iPhone yesterday. Today i have discovered the phone microphone does not work - ie any callers can not hear me talking into the phone, audio notes do not work, etc.

Brief Breakdown:

1) Purchased iPhone on new plan (new customer) at 12.34pm.
2) Got home and setup iPhone approx 5pm
3) Used iPhone on speakerphone that night.
4) This afternoon, discovered that the if I make or receive a call, the other person can not hear anything i am saying! If I switch to speakerphone it works perfectly fine (loud and clear). Audio notes also not recording so suggests is a problem with the microphone - or the noise cancellation code.
5) A quick search online shows that it's not just me with the issue.
(http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2476464&start=15&tstart=0)
6) Phone Vodafone store where purchased and they ask for me to bring it in.
7) Store ran some tests and agreed that it's definately a fault with the phone (and not a user fault like accidentally muting, etc). Their suggestion was to come back Monday so they can send it away to an Apple rep for repair.
8) I ask whether it would be possible to exchange as it is less than 24 hours old. Of course, this is not possible because there is 0 stock available for sale.
9) I ask whether I could exchange it for one of the three demo models - since I would be happy to just have a working iPhone, rather than getting a faulty iPhone repaired, or having to wait for 3+ weeks for a replacement. This is apparently not store policy. (Fair enough)
10) I phoned 777 - just in case there was something that could be done at a corporate level. I spoke with an iPhone tech who said that I should do a restore - and if that doesn't work I will need to get it sent away. Repair turn-around = 4-5 days. Replacement turn-round = ??.

My question to you is:

Is there anything Vodafone can do to assist with the faulty iPhone? (ie let me swap it out for a demo model, place me on a priority queue for a replacement when the next shipment gets in, any account credit while waiting for a replacement model - which could take 3-4+ weeks (according to reports))?

At this stage, any support you or Vodafone can give will be more than appreciated.

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Reply # 360768 31-Jul-2010 19:40

http://store.apple.com/Catalog/NZ/Images/salespolicies.html#deadonarrival

"14. Dead On Arrival (DOA) Product: System Failure Out of the Box

14.1 An Apple-branded hardware product is considered DOA if it shows symptoms of a hardware failure, preventing basic operability, upon its first use out of the box. If you believe that your product is DOA, please call Apple Care Technical Support on 0800-MY-APPLE (0800 692 7753) within 10 calendar days of the invoice date. Apple Care Technical Support will determine whether the product is DOA and offer you the following options:

14.2. Replacement: The same product that you ordered will be shipped to you at Apple's expense. An Apple Store Sales Support representative will contact you within 24 hours of your call with the replacement product delivery details and the procedure for returning the DOA product.

14.3 Service: You may have the product repaired; however, once serviced, the product is no longer eligible for replacement.

14.4 Product must be deemed DOA by AppleCare Technical Support within 10 calendar days of the invoice date in order to receive a replacement unit. "

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rebeltrousers

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Reply # 360771 31-Jul-2010 19:50

To be honest this has nothing to do with Paul Brislen but maybe he could reach down from the cloud and hook you up something.
I TOTALLY feel your pain though.

1.) Do a restore. My brand new iphone 4 camera app kept crashing and restarting the phone. I did a restore and now it's perfect even though people online with the issue never mentioned it as a fix.

2.) If that doesn't work go to the biggest Vodafone store you know, talk to the manager and don't leave until your happy with the answer. Be demanding, you don't want to wait weeks for another one, there must be a spare or few somewhere. Make them get on the phone and find you one.

:)

OR depending on your day to day needs you could just use the headset or speakerphone while you wait for them to get more stock so long as you're guaranteed the first one they get in. Sometimes it helps to have the letter to fair-go pre-typed.

rebeltrousers

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Reply # 360775 31-Jul-2010 20:02

Oh and even the Vodafone people on 777 can give you about $100 credit so know what you're worth! :)

mattlaing

46 posts

Geek

Reply # 360788 31-Jul-2010 20:18

Thanks for both replies - very appreciated.

Should have clarified - I did perform a full restore - and tested immediately after (before restoring from backup) and still no working Microphone.

I guess I'll have to rely on the goodwill of Vodafone to come to the party if possible. I'm hoping Paul will be able to at least advise who I should talk to to get some common-sense, targetted, support.

rebeltrousers

230 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 360791 31-Jul-2010 20:23

Do another restore but NOT from backup. Then you'll know for sure.
Look up vodafoneNZ on Twitter, may help also.

Let us know how it goes after you restore again, I'll check back to see how you get on.

Dingbatt

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Reply # 360804 31-Jul-2010 20:49

The biggest problem is you can't get blood from a stone. There aren't any replacements to be had. But if they can't replace the item to your satisfaction then surely some sort of compensation should be forthcoming. At the very least covering the time you will be without your 'precious'.

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mattlaing

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Reply # 360809 31-Jul-2010 20:57

Hi Rebeltrousers,

Yes - the restore was not from backup - but still no working microphone.

On reflection - it would be good to know whether Vodafone will replace the phone, and if so - some kind of indication of being placed on a priority replacement queue for available stock. (Either now or when more stock comes available)

rebeltrousers

230 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 360813 31-Jul-2010 21:06

Ok, sorry that didn't work.
I think we'll all be surprised by how soon stock arrives, I wouldn't blink if it was this week! :)
Best of luck, keep us posted.

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 360850 31-Jul-2010 22:28

Heya:

The stores won't be able to replace it with a Demo Model while it's being sent away, since these tend to be locked into a sort of "Demo" mode. Does your iPhone work with the included headphones? If so you can use them for the time being (abit annoying). Since this is a apple product it _has_ to be sent back to Apple, they are good like that.

I would go "Tisk Tisk" on buying a iPhone, but then again I have owned one of which I replaced with the HTC Desire 2 weeks later. It's just bad luck you bought one on launch and it was faulty. Vodafone might be able to hook you up with a account credit or something though.

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mattlaing

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Reply # 361018 1-Aug-2010 14:03

Does anyone from Vodafone read the forums and respond? Just curious.

marmel

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Reply # 361020 1-Aug-2010 14:15

mattlaing: Does anyone from Vodafone read the forums and respond? Just curious.

Yes but no so much over the weekends.

johnr

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Reply # 361027 1-Aug-2010 14:25

return phone to place of purchase with proof of purchase that is all that can be done. Let the store deal with it

John

VFNZPaulBrislen

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Reply # 361064 1-Aug-2010 15:56

Hi Matt, as I said on Twitter, unfortunately there's not much we can do at this point for a variety of reasons... there ARE no phones in country at the moment and your situation is covered by Apple's process, not ours.

Usually Apple treats repair/replace situations with priority so I don't think you'll be waiting 3+ weeks for a replacement unit. But you still have to go through either the 0800 number or, as JohnR says, take it back in store and see what you can get.

A note on loaner handsets in general - we used to do them religiously but all too often the customer would drop off a phone for "warranty" repair, take a loaner and then refuse to return it when it turned out their phone wasn't covered (for whatever reason).

This happened often enough that the stores (who have to buy these loaner devices) have either swapped to handing out phones nobody would really want to steal or not doing it at all.

Cheers

Paul

Paul Brislen
Head of Corporate Communications
Vodafone

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz

Finch

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Reply # 361066 1-Aug-2010 16:03

PaulBrislen: Hi Matt, as I said on Twitter, unfortunately there's not much we can do at this point for a variety of reasons... there ARE no phones in country at the moment and your situation is covered by Apple's process, not ours.

Usually Apple treats repair/replace situations with priority so I don't think you'll be waiting 3+ weeks for a replacement unit. But you still have to go through either the 0800 number or, as JohnR says, take it back in store and see what you can get.

A note on loaner handsets in general - we used to do them religiously but all too often the customer would drop off a phone for "warranty" repair, take a loaner and then refuse to return it when it turned out their phone wasn't covered (for whatever reason).

This happened often enough that the stores (who have to buy these loaner devices) have either swapped to handing out phones nobody would really want to steal or not doing it at all.

Cheers

Paul

Good to see the Big Boss is talking to a plain old consumer :)

rebeltrousers

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Reply # 361068 1-Aug-2010 16:08

There you go, right from the top!
Get on the phone to apple and use the headset till your replacement turns up! :)

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