iPhone 3G Water Indicator

I posted this in another thread, but I realize this thread has much more information and is more likely to be of assistance to others searching for info on this issue. Apologies to those who are bothered by a cross-post.

I just finished a conversation with Customer Support on this issue on behalf of my girlfriend. A non-native English speaker, she got cursory and bordering on rude treatment at the Genius Bar, and was told that her 3G had water damage. She is the sort of person who will cry if they get a tiny scuff on her computer. It is impossible that the phone could have picked up moisture from other than humidity or a tiny bit of condensation.

The dock connector sensor had apparently been tripped, although I can't see that it has. The jack connector is certainly white.

My impression is that the dock connector is overly exposed and overly sensitive. I also get the feeling that replacement level warranty service done in store is an expensive proposition and Apple has to take a hard line with the millions of phones that are out there.

I did feel, however, that this was a legitimate case for exception and I talked, as firmly as I could without becoming a jerk, for a few minutes with one tech, then an iPhone specialist, and then a customer service specialist.

I told them what I had read here and in other forums, and was told that essentially, a tech had looked at it and Apple's position was that water damage had happened and they do not cover it.

So here's where a bit of conviction changed the experience. I told them I owned a lot of Apple products, and that while the sensor may have been triggered, it seemed that here was an opportunity to satisfy a loyal customer and not leave them **** off that a possibly poor design choice left them holding the bag. It got testy for a moment when I felt the CSR was assuming that water damage had happened when I maintained that it had not, but that possibly the sensor had not worked in a way that made sense. We stopped and reset, and he asked me for some serial numbers of products that I owned. Then I got what he was trying to work towards.

He wanted to make sure I really AM a loyal customer, and that I don't have a record of trying to swap something out for the latest thing or otherwise scam the company. They really can't do that sort of check in the store, and I'm guessing with the literally millions of iPhones out there, the iPhone and iPod are the areas where they are taking a harder line, possibly to the detriment of honest and loyal customers. I can't imagine the scale of growth support must have undergone since the iPhone and iPod became mass consumer products.

He did grant me an exception and was very explicit that this was an unusual thing that I had gotten. The phone will be replaced "like for like", which he made sure to point out was not a ticket to a new model -- I wonder if this is one more test of a customer's intent -- and I felt that this was fair.

In the end, being honest and honestly conveying -- indeed proving-- that I am a very regular customer and not a PITA worked to get what I felt was equitable customer service. Given the fact that I have seen folks return a box of bricks to Walmart for a refund on their "Xbox", I can kind of understand the hard line. On the other hand, given Apple's cash balance sheet and promise of great consumer experience, I felt that I really had to get into the prickly consumer advocate frame of mind and I really don't want to have to do that sort of pushy, snippy talk in order to be treated fairly.

This was my first experience with Apple Customer Support -- it felt polished and well-trained. I would have preferred if the general policy had been more in favor of customers, but understand why it is not. The treatment my GF got at the Genius Bar bordered on rude and accusative (this was at the 5th Avenue flagship).

Add me to the list. I went to get service for a problem which began the second day I owned my 3GS. Stupid me for giving Apple the benefit of the doubt and wating until the first 3.0 software patch came out, because somewhere along the line, unbeknownst to me, some water came in contact with that little, completely exposed, water indicator inside the dock connector.

Like some others, this was the only indicator tripped, and was merely pink, if that means anything. Who knows, maybe I sneezed on it. The point is, no one really knows for sure what can trigger this thing. So what I am I supposed to do. Truth be told, I can't say 100% that my iphone has never encountered moisture. I asked what conditions could cause this, and every Genius looked dumb(founded).

Apple officially says its that can be tripped for conditions outside of the "product's normal operating environment" which (several links deep off this page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3302) basically tells me it has not been safe to use this iPhone outdoors on no fewer than 3 out of the last 21 days in the DC area...

Environmental requirements
Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F
(0° to 35° C)
Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F
(-20° to 45° C)
Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

And when was the last time you saw anything in your local weather forcast about your relative humidity being "noncondensing". What exactly does that mean?

So while trying to save Apple some time and headache by waiting to see if the 3.0.1 software release fixed my problem, I basically screwed myself into paying a hefty replacement fee, for what appears to be a refurbished unit.

What irks me the most though, is I even shot a video of the problem and the manager at the Genuis bar wouldn't even bother looking at it. He COMPLETLY dimsissed and disrespected me and said over and over and over again, well it isn't doing it now.... ummm, ahhh, well,....DUUUHHH!!!!!!!. I told them from the start it was intermittent and that is exactly why I took a VIDEO of the problem.

This is extremely frustrating. Basically Apple has a built in "Get out of jail free card" and seems content to play it whenever it suits their mood. I feel like I am dealing with a big beaurocratic insurance company, from someone who claims to be progressive, service orented, and environmentally friendly.

And to add insult to injury, the tech was going to replace a phone for the woman in front of me for LCD damage, which the woman so much as admitted could have been caused by dropping her phone. So apparently it is all well and good to drop your phone, just don't sneeze while talking to someone. And don't forget to use that handy Apple Weather icon to check the conditions before making a call, uh, oh yea, too late if you already stepped out the door in DC during August.

MS may be cheap and unreliable, but at least they don't put on airs of superior products, and superior customer service, which is a big fat bald faced lie.

I expected better Apple.

My next purchase will definitely be a PC! Let's hope Windows 7 stomps all over Snow Leapard. It's on 3 of my machines already and has been rock solid, including a tablet PC which I have (gasp) taken outside on a hot humid day.

I am almost afraid to comment that I have not had this experience for fear of jinxing myself 😉 but after a year on my iPhone, living in Tampa area where it is known to get a little humid, I have not had that fateful experience of proving my innocence of not dropping my phone in the toilet, swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, or my pool. However, as another blogger indicated, my teen has owned two Razors (1st & 2nd Gen), along with another wireless phone which she has kept meticulous care of, that all three have had their moisture sensor turn red on her. Needless to say the wireless carriers only see things in a black and white spectrum, and sit firm that "moisture got into the phone... and that's all they base their judgement on". It's cost me $50 for each instance to replace the phones under warranty...but unfortunately with the iPhone there is no warranty to cover it

What gets to me about this issue is that Apple knew that water damage was an issue with the first iPhones and, instead of choosing to FIX the design flaw, they installed the red light and are enforcing a policy NOT to cover replacement or repair the faulty product.

I've treated my iPhone very well, and have had it for just under a year (and just shy of the one year warranty coverage too). Seems shifty...

I have loved my iPhone and up until this experience have thought well of Apple. But after this experience I'm not so sure about their products anymore. It does feel like I'm dealing with a shady insurance company and this has been a completely frustrating for me.

I used to use dessicant crystals many moons ago, that changed colour according to how much moisture they had absorbed. These were able to be dried where they then resumed their 'normal' colour.

Is the Apple indicator colour 'reversible' by e.g. the dry rice trick ?,