Apple iPhone 4s - hardware/software malfunctions

mingleheaven

Hi

I am also experiencing the same problem as everyone else. Vodaphone and Apple are not admitting responsibility.

Where can I go?

gycraig_2

Momoneyman wrote: »

I cant go back to this person as the phone was working fine when received, had it for a day, updated to ios 7.1, wifi doesn't work. small claims would be a waste of time and money, it would feel morally wrong to do that. Plus its not that persons fault its Apples fault for

A) not taking responsibility and recalling faulty phones that don't work with the updates, Infact break with their software updates

for riling thousands of customers with this issue, i've done some research and these issues have been going on for a while with this device.

C) this ones controversial - for engaging in a fairly widespread planned obsolescence tactic.

see links below. (i cant post links so removed the http)

discussions.apple.com/thread/5112134?start=0&tstart=0
discussions.apple.com/thread/5984942?start=90&tstart=0
qz.com/141297/of-course-apple-is-engaging-in-planned-obsolescence/

I'll probably sell this on and lose some cash.

Phones aren't made to last forever and yours is probably 4 years old never been turned off and thoroughly well used.

No company offers a life time guarantee on its products, it's the risk of buying second hand .

gjchester

Momoneyman wrote: »

I think if you have reset/factory reset a number of times, including the reset connected to itunes, then it a case that the WIFI chip has overheated and burnt out when it was trying to do the IOS update, thats what mine has done.

You've posted in another thread you will hairdryer the phone to reset the chip, but here you say its burnt out.


If it's burnt out or overheated to the extent that the chip needs reflowing then you'd be looking at 200+ degrees C. A hair dryer can't "reset" a chip but its possible it does cause localised heat high enough to give a reflow effect, but you are risking de-soldering other components in the same area as well as thermally overheating the chip and really burning it out.


Be very careful of internet solutions, without being very sure you have the same issue as the poster had you can make things worse.


Resetting the chip could eventually cause damage to flash memory, but your talking thousands of resets to see that even being likely. Its possible , or it could be a bad solder joint, bad chips from a supplier, or bad software, and the way IOS7 talks to the chip is different, but at this point your only real recourse is to get it examined by an independent repairer (and probably an accredited one rather than a local man who does it on the side, who may know the problem but does not have the certification behind him) and if they believe it's a fault that was there at the time of manufacture sure the seller for it being fault.


In your case that probably means the seller on Ebay, but as you pointed out it was fine before you upgraded, so you could only really say that the cause was the manufacturer, and attempt to sue Apple.


GYCraig raises a valid point, can you not put the serial number into Apples Warranty checker to get an idea when it was made? It won't make it better but if the phone is a couple of years old then it could be seen as the normal lifetime of a mobile device..

Momoneyman

Hey, thanks for the replys

The phone is just under 1 year out of warranty. I contacted the ebay seller to go back to Three mobile where she got the device but never heard back from her. I have emailed Three about the phone, Apple told me under uk consumer law I can go back to the place of purchase to get them to sort it if it's under two years, but I take it this is not valid if you've purchased the phone second hand?

@gycraig the iPhone 4s I'm discussing is just under 2 years from knew, you do have a point, also I suppose £500 for a device that lasts 22 months is that bad? I'm just interested in this issue as it's effecting people who are a couple of months out of warranty and they are being asked to pay.
Thanks for the advice @gjchester

gjchester

Momoneyman wrote: »

The phone is just under 1 year out of warranty. I contacted the ebay seller to go back to Three mobile where she got the device but never heard back from her. I have emailed Three about the phone, Apple told me under uk consumer law I can go back to the place of purchase to get them to sort it if it's under two years, but I take it this is not valid if you've purchased the phone second hand?

The two year warranty is a myth, EU rules give you 2 years to claim for a defect that occurs within the 1 year warranty period, however the UK Sale of Goods Act overrides that and lets you claim for up to 6 years afterwards. Thats not the same as warranty cover for the two years.

And Yes there are a lot of arguments why Apple only offer a year when other phone makers offer two, but thats a different matter

Your claim has to be against the seller, they may then choose to claim against Three and Three go back to Apple.

However private sellers are different to a business, basically its pretty much sold as seen, the only come back is is really if it's not as described, and it was, you chose to upgrade.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange

Momoneyman

@gjchester If the private seller has given me all the documents, were on the same network: Three mobile, she's given me a bill and an upgrade document for the phone so the device can be transferred to my account and its under two years old, do you think i could argue under UK consumer rights sale of goods then?

d123

Momoneyman wrote: »

@gjchester If the private seller has given me all the documents, were on the same network: Three mobile, she's given me a bill and an upgrade document for the phone so the device can be transferred to my account and its under two years old, do you think i could argue under UK consumer rights sale of goods then?

No, your only recourse under SOGA is with the seller (and has been said, not really likely when you bought from a private seller).

Momoneyman

Having complained to three with all the facts i've been offered half the price of the apple replacement via phone bill credit. Not a bad deal. They must be getting a lot of calls about this issue.

marco1dog

Hi I have an I phone 4s which developed this fault and I have no Wi go. This happened two weeks out of my guarantee. I am with Orange on two year contract. Orange tried to help me reset it and then said phone Apple who again tried but wanted over £100. I am finished my contract with Orange in September and will never get a phone from them again. It has put me off buying an I pad which I was going to have for Christmas.

Momoneyman

i think if you get back on the phone to them and discuss the sale of goods act at possibly going through small claims you may get a different response