Naturally, it's free. These are the terms of Apple's worldwide warranty on its products. If your smartphone turns out to be defective and you are not satisfied with its performance, you come to Apple service departments and receive a new device in return. To us, people accustomed to unobtrusive Russian service, such offers seem not only fantastic, but even suspicious. I immediately want to ask: “Is this a scam?” No, this is Apple's real working policy - the customer is always right. And this is what competitors are sharpening their grudge against Cupertino for, because they are not ready to take on the same broad warranty obligations to their customers.
Is there really a catch, or why does Apple need this?
There is no catch. Apple provides a worldwide one-year warranty on almost all of its gadgets, including the iPhone. The smartphone is buggy or within 12 months of use some kind of assembly defect has arisen and the like, you have the right to come and demand a new iPhone. What will many people think after these words? That’s right: “Well, yes, I have the right. And then it starts: prove that it’s a defect, wait 3 months until we send the phone for examination, etc.” Breathe out and forget this nightmare.
No examinations and what’s more, you don’t even need a box or a receipt. Apple service center specialists will check the phone using its IMEI number and find out for themselves where and when you bought it, and whether the warranty is still valid. You will not be interrogated or confronted with experts in an attempt to prove that it was not a manufacturer’s defect, but your negligence that led to the slowdown of the device. Your complaint will be listened to politely and an apology will be apologized for the inconvenience. And you will leave the center with a new device. (The only thing to check when replacing gadgets is whether the moisture indicators are activated. Recessed Apple devices, as is known, automatically void the warranty. By the way, the sensor can also work when using iPhone in the rain, keep in mind).
Still can't believe it? But it's true. Here in the photo is the same iPhone, exchanged at an Apple service center in Germany in one day. Yes, by the way, the warranty for the new device is also given for a year and will be calculated from the moment the gadget is activated.
Why does the company itself need all this? After all, it won’t take long to go broke if you give out new devices left and right. There are, after all, unscrupulous buyers who can simply profit from such unprecedented integrity of the seller.
Well, first of all, Apple ends up making everything work anyway. Thus, defective devices that are handed over are disassembled into parts, from which new iPhones are then assembled and sold for 50 euros cheaper than the standard price.
And secondly, the common phrase from manufacturers “I am responsible for quality” is not an empty phrase for Cupertino residents, but a guide to action. Apple spends a lot of effort, time and money fighting defects, ensuring that reliable devices leave the assembly line. And it is confident in the perfection of its products that allows it to offer such a guarantee. According to statistics, no more than 1% of buyers apply for a warranty. There were no cases of warranty claims with the same device more than once (according to the terms of warranty service, the buyer can choose either to replace the device with a new one or repair his device).
The Russian service is not yet very serviceable, but still...
To be fair, it is worth noting that this approach to customers under a worldwide guarantee has not yet been fully extended to the entire world. In the USA and Europe, there will be no issues with exchanging a phone, but in Russia there may be some nuances. So, just a couple of years ago, iPhones that were not purchased in the Russian Federation and were not intended for our country were not subject to such an exchange at all. Although there were no more than 10% of official devices on the Russian market at that time, it was “gray” phones imported from the same States that predominated. But Apple adhered to the following point: whichever country the phone was intended for, that’s where you can take advantage of the warranty.
Cupertino admitted that Russian market Apple still develops according to some of its own special rules, and they have changed the terms of warranty service for their products in the Russian Federation. Since 2014, authorized service centers (ASCs) must repair Apple gadgets, regardless of their country of origin. True, you still can’t count on a replacement on the same day, but, according to statistics, it takes no more than 7 days to repair or order a new similar device. And by Russian standards this is very fast. At the same time, the warranty is extended while the product is in the service center.
Service to service - discord
And in this case, I am no longer talking about the provision of a service, but about the organization. If you are planning to buy or have already purchased new technology Apple, it would be a good idea to know which service center you can contact if you have any questions. So, there are 3 types of apple service centers.
1). Apple's own service divisions
They exist at retail Apple Stores. And it is in them that you can count on those miracles of warranty service that I wrote about above. In such centers, as a rule, they do not repair anything; they simply check the device for compliance with the warranty conditions and replace the iPhone with another one of the same type. In Russia, accordingly, there are no such centers, as well as retail stores Apple Store
2). Authorized service centers
They work under an agreement with Apple, receive spare parts through official channels, and are required to comply with the regulations and provisions of the agreement. Which in practice means that within 72 hours you must be given an answer about the cause of the breakdown and an exchange must be made. warranty devices beyond repair, to new or refurbished. Such service centers are represented in major cities of Russia.
3). Commercial service centers
They are the majority in Russia. These organizations provide guarantee iPhone support under agreements with trade organizations, spare parts are purchased on the free market, and invoices for warranty repairs are issued to sellers. In addition, commercial service centers provide a full range of paid repair and post-warranty services.
What if the client is really to blame?
And this happens very often. iPhones are drowned, they fall into the hands of jealous lovers, or they simply fall on the asphalt from the not-so-direct hands of their own owner. The result is torn displays, broken cases, cameras, antennas, sensors. You never know what you can do with a poor, unresponsive gadget.
All of these cases, for the most part, do not fall under warranty. And it also happens that they occur after the warranty period has expired. Something cannot be repaired at all, and in some cases the cost of replacing components costs such a pretty penny that, willy-nilly, you begin to think about purchasing a new device.
That same feeling that repairs won’t help :)
Especially for such cases, Apple has developed the “authorized exchange of complete device” service, which is extremely simple and attractive for the client. You take your out of order, broken, smashed, drowned iPhone, iPad or iPod to a service center apple center and after 3-5 working days you receive in return a completely new device with a small surcharge (it is about 1/3 of the cost of a new one). In addition to the new gadget, the customer will also receive a one-year warranty on the replaced device.
In order to use the program, you need to meet only 2 requirements:
- the device must have the “Find iPhone/iPad” function disabled;
- the device must be completely complete, have no traces of unauthorized repairs and not contain non-original spare parts (in this case, “completeness” does not mean the charger and headphones for the iPhone, for example, but the integrity of the device itself).
This is how the “customer is always right” rule works in practice at Apple (even when he is not entirely right 😉).
Before purchasing, it is strongly recommended to evaluate the device for its condition. Buying used gadgets is always a lottery. Do not forget that you should not trust the seller under any circumstances. You only need to believe the facts.
Is it worth saying that diagnostics will reveal whether the gadget is original or not?
Replacing original beats with Chinese ones
If the previous owner handled the gadget incorrectly:
- dropped;
- drowned;
- bent, etc.
It is very likely that he resorted to the services of repair studios. But original spare parts are very expensive. Perhaps the careless owner, knowing full well that the gadget would now only last a short time before another breakdown, allowed him to get rid of it and buy himself a completely new device.
A non-professional is unlikely to be able to distinguish a used device from one that was repaired. The easiest way to assess the condition of white gadgets. If the body is shabby and is more steel than white, you need to understand that it has been in use for a long time and the risks of purchasing a repaired structure increase.
Be sure to request a box for the gadget and documents (warranty card - even if it has already expired). Thus, you insure yourself against purchasing a stolen gadget.
IMEI is a unique code that is printed not only on the box itself, but also inside on parts of the gadget. You can see it if you take out a SIM card. By the way, never trust that your gadget is unlocked.
Put it into the device and if the operator can figure it out without any problems, then everything is in order. On the official website you can find out almost everything by IMEI - whether it was repaired, when it was produced, when it was activated, etc.
But all the above measures are shallow. Only specialist diagnostics can provide a 100% guarantee that the gadget will not be repaired. To carry it out, you need to agree with the owner about diagnostics.
Under his supervision, the master will open the gadget and examine its components. If Chinese counterfeits of original parts are noticed, you can safely refuse to purchase, no matter how low the price.
Otherwise, constant breakdowns will force you to be disappointed more than once.
Few Russian citizens can afford such an expensive toy as an iPhone. But even people with good incomes do not intend to throw money away. If an expensive phone turns out to be of poor quality (and this happens), they are determined to either replace the device or return the money paid for the device.
The situation is even sadder when poor buyers, wanting to own a status item, take out a loan, after which it turns out that the phone does not work. Therefore, instructions on how to exchange a broken iPhone under warranty for a new device or get your money back will be useful to readers with different levels income.
Until April 2017, owners of a non-working iPhone under warranty had two alternatives. By contacting the service center, they could:
- demand a refund cash for a device that has broken down;
- get a new mobile phone to replace a non-working gadget.
In the second option, receiving new iPhone was conditional. The iPhone manufacturer honestly warned buyers on its official Russian-language website that a low-quality device would be exchanged for a “functionally identical” product under warranty. The company did not promise that it had not been used by anyone before. In particular, components from other returned phones could have been used during warranty repairs. About that.
The situation has changed since spring. An elite mobile phone can now be repaired, as Apple has begun supplying original parts to Russia. Now a buyer who needs a fashionable device, and not money, has the right to choose what kind of request to contact the service center - for replacement or repair. Owners of failed iPhones 5 and 6 warn that centers are now more willing to repair them than replace them.
What to do if your iPhone is broken
Before deciding where to take the iPhone, the buyer needs to decide what to do. The owner of a non-working mobile phone must have a clear idea of what he wants to achieve from the seller or manufacturer:
- return of a sum of money in exchange for a phone;
- replacing a defective iPhone with a new, working gadget;
- device repair.
The request for a refund for the iPhone should be submitted to whom it was paid, that is, to the seller. To request replacement or repair of the device, please contact the service center. Its employees have similar replacement phones and genuine, non-counterfeit parts that allow them to repair expensive equipment.
Experienced iPhone users advise: if the phone breaks down, it is more profitable for its owner to contact Apple support directly rather than to the service centers authorized by the corporation. This gives the buyer a number of advantages:
- Department specialists have the ability to test a non-working phone remotely. Sometimes the problem of its functioning is already solved at this stage.
- The owner of the iPhone will be offered to carry out the repair themselves by sending a new part (instead of the “dead” one).
- If your phone requires replacement or major repairs, shipping and packing costs will be covered by Corporation. The buyer will only have to call the courier.
When they refuse a free replacement
Free iPhone replacement is provided only under warranty. You can make sure that it is still valid on the manufacturer’s official website by entering the serial number of the device. Depending on the type of device purchased, the warranty period ranges from 1 to 3 years. Without a guarantee, even minor operations (for example, replacement glass iPhone 7 plus) free of charge will become impossible.
However, there are a number of circumstances in which there is no point in handing over an iPhone under warranty, since the buyer will be denied free service, including the provision of a new device. This will happen in the following cases:
- the serial number is missing or damaged on the product;
- you hand over a stolen phone to a service center (even if the new owner has nothing to do with the theft);
- damage to the device occurred due to improper operation of the gadget or installation of unlicensed software;
- the phone failed as a result of natural disasters: flood, earthquake, fire;
- Traces of moisture were found in the device;
- you asked for a replacement after they tried to repair your mobile phone outside the service center.
Before you return your iPhone for replacement, you need to check whether it is certified this device on the territory of Russia. Without this, the device cannot be replaced or repaired. If the phone has external defects (scratches, stains), a replacement will also be refused.
Start and extension of the warranty period
The warranty for most Apple products starts from the date of purchase. But an exception is made for iPhones: the start of the warranty period is the moment the gadget is activated.
If a faulty device has been replaced with a new one, then from the moment it is received, the warranty period begins to run again. That is, the buyer has at least another year to make sure that this time he has purchased high-quality equipment.
How to get money back without a receipt
The buyer has the right to return an iPhone that is under warranty to the seller. In this case, the store is obliged to pay the consumer by returning the full cost of the phone. If the return does not occur on the day of purchase, the citizen will have to write an application and present a civil passport (if a store employee requests it).
From time to time, conflict situations arise due to the buyer’s lack of a receipt. Without it, stores often refuse to accept expensive phones back. This position of employees is inappropriate for several reasons:
- the store maintains detailed documentation regarding the goods sold, and has the opportunity to check whether it really sold a low-quality iPhone;
- The Consumer Rights Act allows goods to be returned without a receipt (Articles 18 and 25).
When returning an iPhone without a receipt, a citizen has the right to prove the fact of purchase with testimony. There are enough of them to start the procedure of exchanging goods for money. However, the buyer should not expect that the amount paid for the iPhone will be returned to him on the same day. Most likely, the seller will send the device for examination to make sure that the malfunction was not the fault of the owner.
A significant advantage of replacing an iPhone is that the buyer receives a new device with a nullified warranty period. However, service centers have strict requirements for returned phones. The buyer will not be able to return either “gray” or stolen equipment. But if the purchase was transparent, and the breakdown was not the fault of the owner, the consumer has a high chance of receiving a working gadget in return.
If you decide to purchase a gadget that someone has already used for a while, you should definitely pay attention to the issue of repairing it, especially if it is such a serious purchase as the iPhone. How to find out if an iPhone has been repaired? We have prepared a list of possible indicators to check this issue, since you don’t really want to trust the seller in this matter.
Of course, you can contact a service center, where the experienced eyes and hands of a professional, after a small diagnostic, will accurately determine whether it was repaired specific device. But you also need to focus on the main points.
Replacing original parts with Chinese ones
If the previous owner dropped or significantly damaged the iPhone, then it would not be possible without replacing parts, and often, in order to save money, they are replaced with Chinese ones. Since such a substitution will directly affect the longevity of the smartphone, its owner can remain silent about this fact. Unfortunately, a non-specialist will not be able to qualitatively assess such changes.
As for the case, if the smartphone is white, then all the abrasions are clearly visible on it and you can independently determine the approximate time of use of the device. Be sure to ask the owner of a used device for the box and documents, even if the warranty card has expired. This way you can protect yourself from buying a stolen phone.
Checking iPhone by IMEI
Let us remind you that IMEI is a unique code that is applied not only to the box, but also to parts of the gadget inside. Just by taking out the SIM card you can see it.
By inserting a working SIM card into your phone, you can eliminate the first problem that you might encounter - determining the operator. The IMEI website stores almost all information about the smartphone: repair, activation time and when it was performed.
But you can get a 100% guarantee that the iPhone has not been repaired from a specialist. You just need to agree with the seller so that the technician inspects the device in his and your presence. This way, Chinese parts may be found, which will significantly reduce the price of the smartphone.
Last week, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) issued a warning to the Russian structure of Apple - Apple Rus LLC - in the case of after-sales service and obliged to open a service center in Russia by May 1. Otherwise, as stated by the head of the department, Igor Artemyev, the organization may face fines.
FAS initiated the case against the company after Dmitry Petrov’s complaint to the Basmanny Court, which was refused to replace the damaged iPhone display 6 Plus in several service centers, who are official partners of Apple. The man was offered to replace the device with a new one at an additional cost because
the necessary parts for replacing screens are not supplied to Russia.
“I am completely satisfied [with the FAS decision]. This was not a dispute about replacing goods or collecting a penalty. Apple had to change the customer service procedure for Russia, which obviously required approvals from their HQ (head office - Gazeta.Ru). Obviously, such processes do not happen instantly,” Petrov said in an interview with Gazeta.Ru after the warning to Apple Rus.
According to him, Apple representatives at the FAS confirmed their intention to open a service center. Indicative, according to Petrov, is the fact that the department has so far avoided a fine. “This also means that the commission believes that Apple will comply with this requirement,” the publication’s interlocutor added.
It is noteworthy that a few days after the order of the FAS of Russia, Apple, according to the publication MacRumors, specializing in inside information regarding Cupertino residents, decided not to revoke the warranty of iPhone owners who used unofficial service centers. These rules apply if there is a valid warranty on the device.
However, the innovation again does not apply to the smartphone display, which must be replaced according to the “old tariffs”: either separately (if this is provided for a particular country) the screen itself, or with a replacement for a new device. It's no secret that broken screen- most common reason to request repairs.
The argument is not about money
At the same time, Dmitry Petrov fought for the supply of this particular part of the iPhone to Russia for repair work.
He explained that the case itself is based on the Russian law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights.” According to it, Apple is obliged to provide service support to its customers. In addition, the case was confirmed by foreign experience. “In particular, I referred to the experience of the United States, where there is such a service and, for example, the cost of replacing glass is three times lower than services for replacing a device in Russia,” he said.
Apple, according to Gazeta.Ru’s interlocutor, not only violated the law, but also discriminated against Russian consumers.
Petrov confirmed to the publication that he abandoned the lawsuit, since, in his opinion, there is no longer any point in arguing.
“It was not a dispute about money, but about the supply of spare parts to Russia,” he explained his decision.
"Official Apple service is a closed enterprise where ordinary person can't get in. They are mainly created specifically for authorized partners. Through them a smartphone or other Apple technology end up in the service,” Sergei Vilyanov, managing director of the Mobile Speed Rating agency, explained to Gazeta.Ru.
Partners do not repair, but act as a collector, receiving phones and sending them to Apple. The Apple corporation itself controls them very tightly.
Thanks to Petrov’s efforts, it is expected that a technical line will appear in Russia that will allow changing screens through official repairs.
This is confirmed at re:Store, where owners of Apple devices can submit them for warranty repairs at any store. “It is not necessary to have a receipt: we know all our customers by serial number devices. The buyer receives an act of acceptance and transfer of goods for safekeeping and leaves the device for up to 45 days for repair. In fact, the process happens faster,” the store’s press service said.
It is noted that you don’t have to do all this through the store, but immediately contact an authorized service center by selecting it yourself on the Apple website. “If the center is not on the list, it means that it is not authorized by the vendor and you need to beware of unscrupulous partners,” re:Store warns.
According to information presented on the company's website, Apple has 18 authorized service centers in Moscow that carry out one or another type of warranty repair work.
In one of them - MCLABS - Gazeta.Ru was told that at present the display module and, for example, the motherboard are not really being replaced. There are other parts that cannot be replaced individually at authorized locations.
Villanov predicts that
the cost of replacing a screen “in white” will average 13-14 thousand rubles. For old people iPhone models the price will be cheaper, but for new ones it can reach up to 20 thousand rubles.
Smartphones for organs
The expert also touched upon the topic of unofficial repair organizations. “Until recently, to be honest, there was no difference in quality between a good illegal service and an official one in terms of quality,” says Villanov.
This is due to the fact that the phones were quite simple from a technical point of view, and if the parts were available in the service, repairs could be carried out without a noticeable loss of consumer properties.
A major change for black repair businesses came with the release of 6S.
“Trivial screen replacement has become almost impossible, because the display has become one with Home button, which reads fingerprints.
On the iPhone 5S it could be changed, but with the release of new models, repairs are not carried out just like that. If you replace a key whose number is written in motherboard, then the smartphone simply does not recognize it,” explains Villanov.
There are other parts that are almost impossible to replace without compromising the performance of the device. Thus, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus received moisture resistance, which is achieved by an internal gasket system. “It is impossible to disassemble and assemble them without special equipment. There are many other nuances that require a serious approach with serious equipment, which most of these “knee-jerk” services simply do not have,” the expert notes.
You shouldn’t trust engineers in unauthorized service centers when they offer to replace the glass with cheap illegal glass, which, as they claim, is in no way inferior in quality, but only “yellows,” or the so-called official one, the price of which is higher.
Villanov claims that Apple has not officially put a single screen on the market in recent years.
“These guys themselves admit that they buy the so-called official screens on eBay. They are recovered from already dead phones,”
— the expert shares his experience of communicating with such repairmen.
The Chinese have been especially successful in this type of detail analysis, taking “dead” devices and disassembling them piece by piece using the necessary equipment that allows them to carefully separate the working layer from the screen.
Currently, experts have learned to “repeat” displays for all fifth-generation iPhone models. But for the iPhone 6/6S and especially for the iPhone 7 - not yet.
