Just Another Apple Store story
My first 3GS was in working condition for almost a year, but had developed a rather large crack near the bottom of the casing. I replaced that sucker in late June, just as my one-year warranty was about to come to an end, and was given the 3GS I currently use.
Unfortunately, I realized some time during the past two weeks (especially while using the Enigma case) that my Home button was in pretty craptastic condition. It was very difficult to press, let alone double-tap, and I actually needed rpretrich’s Activator gestures to get anything done on my iPhone. I was getting ready to cough up the $70-120 I thought it would take to get my iPhone repaired in a shop around town when a friend suggested I give the Apple Store a try. It actually hadn’t crossed my mind, since I was already a month out of warranty and had just received a new device. However, I was pretty desperate for a cheap solution, so I booked an appointment for 3 PM earlier today.
After waiting for about 20 minutes in the sweaty and shiny store, I was called by name and instructed to share my sorrows with Allistair at the bar. I told him I was homeless that this was a relatively new 3GS, but the Home button was already almost broken. I was careful not to mention that I was a month out of warranty, since I figured it would simply come up if it was important. After three minutes of looking at the computer, Allistair told me he would fix the screen, but didn’t mention the cost. He then walked into the back room with my iPhone 3GS in hand.
Allistair re-appeared about five minutes later with a giant plastic sticker on my iPhone screen, and jumped right back to work on the computer. He told me something about signing this or that, but I was completely focused on peeling back the sticker on my screen and testing the button.
*CLICK* *CLICK*.
Oh, how I had missed that sound. I breathed a quick sigh of relief, signed the pieces of paper Allistair had given me, and concluded the appointment.
It was only after I had walked out of the Apple Store that I thought to check my receipt to see how much I owed Apple Inc.: $0.00 for services rendered. Not bad for a long shot. Thanks, Allistair!
*CLICK*
Tee hee.
I am glad that you got it fixed! They also replaced a HD on a macbook of mine that was 3 months out of warranty-at no charge. I can’t complain about that.
I have always had really good luck taking my iPhone back to the Apple Store to handle situations just like these. Glad it worked for you, too!
Actually, this was covered under the replacement's warranty as opposed to your original warranty. The replacement is warrantied for 90 days regardless of when your original warranty ends
Ah, that's news to me. Thanks for the clarification!