What should I do next? -My new iPhone came defective out of the box, and Apple is refusing to replace it

I need some advice on how to proceed here.

I just made a similar post but Apple took it down so I'm not sure If I am allowed to even ask anymore. I'm kinda at my witts end but essentially my new phone never worked, phone support says I'll get a replacement, and the actual Apple store says otherwise.

Here is all of the details:

I purchased a brand-new iPhone 16 Pro Max from an AT&T corporate store on 12/23/2024. Within 12 hours of using it, the phone developed a serious battery issue:

• The battery suddenly drops from 99% to 1% and shuts down.
• It displays "Unverified Battery," even though it was brand new and unopened.
• When in the "Unverified Battery" state, the phone will not charge at all.
• The back glass is also defective, preventing wireless charging.

This phone is used for my wife’s business, but because she cannot process payments when the phone is in this state, she has had to temporarily shut down, costing us thousands of dollars.

Since the Apple Store is 1.5 hours away, every trip means paying for babysitting and spending several hours traveling and waiting.

Apple Support Initially Promised a Replacement, But the Store Refused

Three days after purchasing the phone, I called Apple Support. They apologized and confirmed the phone was eligible for a replacement but wanted to verify it had not been modified first. They booked an appointment at the Apple Store, stating the phone would be swapped out.

When I arrived early, I waited over an hour and a half before a technician could look at the phone.

• The technician confirmed it was a hardware issue, ran diagnostics, and said it was eligible for a replacement.
• He mentioned that manager approval was needed, so he couldn't guarantee the swap.
• When the manager arrived, she reversed the decision and said they could not replace the phone.
• 
  

Instead, Apple claimed AT&T was responsible because they sold it. I showed my receipt, which states Apple handles warranty claims, but the manager dismissed it and told me AT&T was lying.

AT&T Confirmed Apple is Responsible, But Apple Still Refused to Help

AT&T has been clear that Apple does not allow them to process warranty claims. To appease the Apple Store manager, I went to a nearby AT&T corporate store, where they confirmed:

• Apple does not allow AT&T to handle warranty replacements.
• AT&T regularly directs customers to Apple for warranty issues.

I also called four different corporate AT&T stores, and they all confirmed the same thing.

When I returned to Apple, the same manager finally offered to replace just the back glass because they couldn’t verify the battery.

• They admitted the battery was too damaged to read, yet still refused a full replacement.
• They said I would need to return for a separate battery replacement later.
• They contradicted their own diagnostics, claiming it was a software issue despite two prior technicians stating otherwise.

They scheduled a repair appointment but said they couldn’t guarantee it would fix the issue.

Temporary Software Fix – But the Issue Returned

A day before the scheduled repair, I noticed a software update was available. After installing it, the phone seemed to work, so I canceled the repair, thinking the issue was resolved.

However, a few days later, the battery issue returned, proving this was a hardware failure.

Apple Support Promised a Replacement Again – Then Revoked It

At this point, I called Apple Support again. This time, the representative apologized and, after reviewing my case, was surprised it hadn’t been replaced earlier, saying, "They really gave you the runaround."

• They confirmed that Apple should have replaced the phone the first time.
• They escalated the issue to a manager, who approved a replacement.
• They put me on hold to find a store with a replacement unit.

Then, I was suddenly transferred to another representative who had no knowledge of the previous conversation. They could not reconnect me, and I had to start over.

This new rep also approved a replacement but said it would be a refurbished device instead of a new one. I explained that since the phone was defective out of the box, I should receive a brand-new replacement.

They refused but promised the refurbished phone would be fully functional.

They scheduled another appointment at the Apple Store.

Third Apple Store Visit – Another Excuse, No Fix

At this appointment, the store refused to replace the phone again, claiming it was just a software issue.

They forced a factory reset and told us we could not restore from backup, meaning we had to manually reinstall everything. This process took hours.

Within 12 hours, the issue returned.

Is This Normal?

At this point, I have spent over 30 hours dealing with this, and Apple has wasted my time and money. My wife cannot run her business, we have paid for babysitters for each trip, and Apple keeps promising a replacement but then refusing to provide one.

I just need a working phone for my wife. Any ideas?