White iphone with hair UNDER the glass - anyone else?

Question

Level 1

8 points

White iphone with hair UNDER the glass - anyone else?

Hi,

I just got my iphone last week Wednesday. I went with the 16GB White one. After getting home and opening my iphone box, which was still sealed, I plugged the phone into iTunes and did a software restore. The next morning (I'm retentive and wont use anything new until full battery charge) I was using the phone, and noticed an odd hair on what was a brand new phone. I went to smudge it away and realized that this white 1/2" long hair that I could see was UNDER the glass part of the phone. I've waited for the hype to die down to go into the store in hopes they would have phones in stock, and was also trying to convince myself I could live with it, but I just couldn't. So I called applecare today and they have me going into Genius Bar appt. tomorrow.

If you want to see a pic of my problem, I have one posted here:

http://gallery.mac.com/shottphotography#100371

Anyone else have this strange gift happen to them?

I'm hoping they will just give me a new phone (what the Apple Care guy said they should do). We'll see what they say tomorrow.

Santa Rosa MBP - 2.4 4gb 17" matte, Mac OS X (10.5.4), HP LP3065 (Apple needs to update their archaic monitor selection)

Posted on Jul 23, 2008 12:46 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 23, 2008 1:50 PM in response to zero halcyon

Apple store will exchange it without any hassle.

I went through 3 white iPhones. First one had a ton of dusts under the screen, the 2nd one had about 5 random stuck pixels and the 3rd one had dust + 20 stuck pixels in the same row.

I got sick of the poor build quality of the white iPhones and requested a black iPhone for the 4th phone and this one has zero dusts and zero stuck pixels!!!

I wonder if white iPhones were manufactured in a dustier environment???

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Answer 2

zero halcyon Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 23, 2008 2:28 PM in response to zero halcyon

Thanks for the replies, and some curious info on some QC with the white iPhones.

I was trying to convince myself, "oh you're being too picky." But after living with it for a week and knowing AT&T is going to hit me for a $175 1st mo. bill, and a $140 bill every month thereafter, I just cant live with it.

I've heard a lot about 3g problems and dropped calls (which I have), it will be interesting to hear more peoples' build quality issues.

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Answer 3

Jul 23, 2008 3:39 PM in response to zero halcyon

I am about to return mine today, as I've just noticed a strange orange dust under the screen - which only appeared in sunlight. Odd.

Hopefully I can get it exchanged.

Message was edited by: chrisageorge

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Answer 4

zero halcyon Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 24, 2008 2:43 PM in response to zero halcyon

Just a final follow up. I went to the Apple store on Michigan Ave today, and they did a swap for a new retail box. It was interesting that rather than use the sim I already had activated, they left that with the old phone and transfered my account to the new sim that was in the new retail box. Seems like an asinine step, but whatever, at least they replaced it and all was pretty painless. Saw 3-4 people there returning Black 3g's and one guy was on his 5th black 16. Ouch.

So add me to the White 16GB, no light leakage, no cracks in plastic, battery working as advertised, 3G always at least 3 bars group.

New serial number is odd though... has an extra digit.

Old one was: 88828
New one is: 888254

Anyone know why the extra numerical digit?

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Answer 5

Jul 24, 2008 2:47 PM in response to zero halcyon

They do that because they are associating the new iPhone IMEI with your account and it doesn't matter which phone they give you. Technically, if they gave you the old SIM back, you could choose not to activate the replacement iPHone and eBay it or something and put your old SIM into a different phone.

They are making sure that there are absolutely no loopholes allowing 3rd party sales of iPhones that are not directly controlled by ATT or APPLE.

Glad you have a nice shiny new iPhone!

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Answer 6

Jul 23, 2008 12:57 PM in response to zero halcyon

No, I don't have that problem ... but if I did, it would go right back to the store!!!! Definitely take it back Zee!

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Answer 7

BeccahRN

Level 1

5 points

Jul 23, 2008 1:55 PM in response to zero halcyon

Bizarre! Looks like someone needs a new hair net at the factory. Yes I would take it back, they should give you a new one no problem.

FWIW, I have a white 3G and have not noticed any defects.

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Answer 8

Jul 23, 2008 3:48 PM in response to chrisageorge

I would venture a guess that the white iPhones are made in a different factory than the black iPhones...

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