Q: iPhone 5 screen bulge

I've gotten much less satisfaction from Apple in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. I have an early iphone 5 and encountered the swelling battery issue about a week ago. My phone was not eligible for the free replacement which surprised me given when it was manufactured. So a new battery cost me $85.

No longer a satisfied Apple customer

Had the same Issue. Took it to my local Apple store, and i don't think i could of spent any less time in there! Told what the problem was, she told me it couldn't safely be repaired and just gave me a brand new 5c with no charge (usually it would have been £160+).

So yeah, GO TO THE APPLE STORE.

Update on this issue:

I found this post as well as another talking about the battery swelling when I started researching Iphone 5 screen bulge, so I decided it was worth a trip to the Apple Store to see what they would say.  I explained the battery swelling /screen bulge issue and the worker seemed very familiar with it.  They ran diagnostics on the phone and then opened it up to reveal the swollen battery.  With that, I was given a brand new Iphone 5 without any hesitation. 

Have the same issue here with a 5. Will go to the applestore today and see if they will exchange it. Surprised to read that they actually still have iphone 5 in the stores at all.

my phone was doing the exact same thing.  it was separating at the top left and top right of the screen.  i set up a reservation at the Genius bar, which was inconvenient because they only had appointments 5 days later of when i needed service.  anyway, i brought in my phone.  the genius took my phone to the back.  came back and suggested i replace the display......for $129.  i asked him what could be causing the issue.  he said he's not really sure, but he did mention the possibility of being of being a swollen battery.  however, he said if it was a swollen battery we would be able to see the battery pushing up, which apparently it wasn't.  he also said i could get a new phone.....for $200+.  i declined the services and took my broken phone with me to try to work the issue with non-apple warranty. 

all-in-all, i was disappointed with the fact that even they claim it wasn't a swollen battery issue, that in my mind it was a manufacturing defect because i have never dropped my phone and it has always been in a protective case since i bought it in 2012. 

good luck to others who have a similar issue.

I recommend speaking with a manager at the Apple Store.

I had an issue with my Nike Fuel Band where the battery was leaking through on the wrist side of the band. I bought it at Apple two years ago. Two employees said that they were sorry, that they couldn't help me. I asked to speak with a manager and was given a full refund on the Nike Fuel Band.

This after Nike said that they couldn't help me -- even though it was clearly a manufacture defect. But since I bought it at the Apple Store, Apple provided great customer service (they also could have said tough luck -- but did not.)

since the "genius" said it wasn't the swollen battery issue, i don't know if i have much argument.  if it was a swollen battery and they refused to replace it, then i could see myself going through the trouble of setting up another "reservation", waiting 5 + days for my reservation, and trying to convince a manager to give me a replacement.

I'm not sure where you live, but in any of the Apple Stores I have been in in two states, I haven't made a reservation at the Genius bar. I walk in, ask an employee to speak with the manager, and talk with the manager. Worst case scenario, they say no -- but with Apple reputation for customer service, I don't see that happening.

So tomorrow, when you get off work, head on in to the Apple Store without a reservation and ask to speak with the manager.

Good luck!

i can report that I had this issue with my iPhone and it was handled superbly by apple. I went to the store on a Tuesday. They Checked the phone and confirmed that they would replace it. They didn't have stock of the replacement phone but by the Thursday they had stock and I went in and got a new device. No hassle, no questions asked. My device was pretty old, at least a year out of warranty. All was done though the Apple Store in Covent Garden, London, UK.

I had this same issue - screen on four year old iPhone 5 was bulging outward due to a swollen battery. Made an appointment with the Genius Bar, they immediately diagnosed it as a swollen battery and swapped out the phone. They took great care to make sure my data was backed up and then sent me on my way with a new (or maybe refurbished) iPhone 5. Looks new, feels new, and hopefully I'll get another few years out of it.  Extremely pleased customer. Thank you, Apple.

Same issue on my out of warranty iPhone 5. Noticed the screen was popping up and the light was leaking through the side of the screen. Walked into the Apple Store on Sunday and within 15 minutes had a new (probably refurbished) iPhone 5. They said that there was a program in place to address the battery swelling issue even for phones that are out of warranty. Great customer service. A+++

Hi

Friends, I have the same issue with my Iphone 5 which I purchased in Dec 2012. After three years of use , last week I found that scren is poping out from laft hand side  and I can see the light coming out below the sreen, I thought battery got buldge as it becomes hot while chanrging. Scared me I thought it might charge mi Apprx. 6000 INR for repalcament of battery as my phone was not under warrenty. Then I read some reviews on internet and I found that apple recall some faulty batteries for the phone manufactured between Nov2012 to Jan 2013. Then I wend to apple offical site and saw the apple battery recall progrm where I need to enter my Mobile serial number to chek where it is eligible for battery replacement and it shows my phone is not eligible. Still I  went to Apple store and I showed them my mobile for the problem and Guess what..Apple gave me Brand New Iphone... Only I got it after 5 days..
A happy Customer in Pune, India

Thanks to all those reviews and video who help me to review blogs on apple forum.

Yes its free of cost replacement for defective batteries of apple.

Apple support told me that the company will NOT reimburse me for the bulging battery problem because my iPhone 5 technically falls outside the designated replacement program time frame whenever my serial number is entered into their system (even though I bought my iPhone 5 new from AT&T in December 2012). The fact that a manufacturer defect such as this will not be covered because of a technicality is unfortunate. Apple has definitely lost me as a future consumer of its products.