iPhone 4 Power Button Stuck

Looks like I'm in the same boat as everyone else here. I got my iPhone 4s (which was my first iPhone) not quite a year ago, and the lock/power button is completely stuck. I've had my phone in an Otterbox Commuter for the last 5 months. About a 1 1/2 weeks ago, my power/sleep button became stuck in the down position. I took it into Sprint to see what they could do, forgetting that they don't do repairs on Apple phones (which is a headache in itself). So last Monday I call Applecare to see what they can do, and they agree that since I am still under warranty and have the extended Applecare warranty , they will give me a replacement phone since it is a hardware problem. My options are 1) go to an apple store and get one there 2) send in my phone and they will send me back one when they receive mine or 3) they send me a phone, but place a $600 dollar "holding" charge on a card until I send my broken phone back to them. I live almost 3 hours away from the closest Apple store and I work every weekday, so that option was out of the picture. I also use my phone for work, so that option wouldn't work either. So I opted for the third option. Little did I know, that was a big mistake on my part. Apple sent out a replacement phone and said I should get it Wednesday. I received my package Wednesday like they said, and took it straight to the Sprint store to get things switched over. I come to find out, Apple sent me a Verizon phone instead of a Sprint phone. Apparently there is some sort of different programming and software, plus the SIM card in my Sprint phone isn't compatible with the new Verizon phone they sent me. I had no idea my phone even had a SIM card, since Sprint phones hadn't had them in the past. So after Sprint trying to work their magic, there was nothing they could do so I had to call Apple back again. After being on hold for about 35 minutes, they said they'd get in contact with the engineering department to get the phone switched to work with Sprint. I had to wait a day, got a call back and I was told I can take the new phone back to Sprint and get it set up. So back to Sprint I go and find out it is still programmed for Verizon and they can't do anything still. Called Apple back a third time, they try resetting and reinstalling software on the replacement phone which did nothing. I was told by Apple I'd be called back when they figured out what to. After 2 hours of waiting, they said they have to send another claim to engineering to fix the problem, which could take up to 2 days, if it even works. So still stuck with a phone with broken button, an outrageous "holding" fee on a card, and a replacement phone that won't work on my network.

At this point, I realized I should have just stuck with Android...

it happened to me also. the genius dosen't even know what he is talking about. LOL.

was your phone still under warranty? i had same problem, went to apple store. the genius told me it is out of warranty. if i want to fix it, it will cost $150.00

Just like everyone else, my power button is stuck. I took my iPhone 4 to the AT&T store where I purchased three out of the four iPhones we have. They told me my warranty expired yesterday and they don't service the phones anyway. They made me an appointment at the Apple store here in Modesto. When my wife and I arrived, the Genius said our warranty expired a month ago, not yesterday, and it would cost $200 for a refurbished phone. Then he turned us over to someone else just like that.

I told the girl he turned us over to that I wasn't going to pay $200 for a refurbished phone. She showed us the Assistive Technology work around. I told her I already knew about it because if you Google "iPhone 4 po" you come up with a ton of listings for iPhone 4 power button issues. (This thread is 28 pages long with over 648,000 views.)

The whole point is, there are iPhone repair shops here in town that will fix it for $65 or less. Why won't the Apple store do the same? You can buy a repair kit for this exact problem on eBay for less than $10 with the part and all the tools required to do the job (and free shipping)! I know it's not an easy fix for most people, but it's obviously being done to iPhones everywhere since the parts and know how are all over the internet.

Here's another thing. I interviewed to be an Apple technician at that very store. I know they have a state-of-the-art repair facility on site. I was given a tour of it when I interviewed. I guess they don't fix iPhones for customers. They must just take in the $200 and the broken phone, fix it for a couple of bucks in parts and whatever they pay their techs, then resell it for the going rate.

If I ever get another iPhone, I guarantee you I will make sure I know the exact date when my warranty expires. I will also ride that power button like a hobby horse and make sure it's done before the warranty expires.

Mine is an iPhone 4. It is a replacement from an Apple store that I paid for rather than paying AT&T for a new one and signing a new 2 year contract. This phone came with a 90 day warranty (I think). I received it about 8 months ago. Like everyone else here, my power button no longer works. Replacing the phone really ***** for me because mine is a 32Mb iPhone 4. The only replacement is an iPhone 5 as the 4 only come in 8Gb now, and the 4s only in 16Gb. And of course, the 5 uses a different cable, so all my docking stations, 12v chargers, etc will not work with it.

I've been very loyal to Apple... but I think it is time to reconsider that loyalty and take a much closer look at the competition - both for phones, as well as mobile computing.

EVERYONE:

I would call the apple support line and ask to speak to a manager. I basically said this " with all due respect, this is completely apples fault. It is well documented that it was a manufacturing error on YOUR part and that if you have a iPhone 4 for long enough it will eventually go bad" tell him that your warranty just expired (mine was like a month past) and you are very upset. Say you will not pay for something that is entirely their fault and they need to fix their problem.

I said that and got a replacement iPhone 4 shipped to me overnight. Be calm and respectful, but don't take any crap.

Pathetic. That's the one word I have to bring it down to. Just returned from the Palisades/NY Apple store with the same issue - power button stuck, can't lock the iPhone any longer. The "Genius" suggested that it's a mechanical problem with a spring and that things eventually break. I had this phone for just over 2 years, and he was kind enough to rub it into my face that my warranty is lapsed, and the only option is to purchase the same model for $149 plus tax (he even demonstrated his level of genius by telling me to the penny how much that would be including tax...!). Apple, are you kidding me? I am not treating your product like an irresponsible person, there was never anything wrong with it, and once your mechanical parts break because alledgedly that "just happens", you want me to fork over another $160-something dollars for a replacement?

The alternative "option" to get a AT&T upgrade, for which I would qualify, is not satisfying either: iPhone 4 comes at 8GB for free, or 16GB for $99 (iPhone 4S), what good does that do when I have a 32GB model? In addition, I am forced to commit for another 2 years to AT&T, for which you, Apple, get a commission as well. Is that how you treat your long-standing customers? Shame on you!!!

And now, the software "solution" (General -> Accessibility -> Assistive Touch -> "ON") is not a satisfying solution to the power button being stuck. You start to disappoint, maybe you have passed the height of your excellence as well and are now on the decline of many other companies that once were great.

**to be continued**

I contacted the local Apple store regarding my power button issue. They flatly denied it was a widespread problem. I showed them this thread of 28+ pages, nearly 700k page views, and got a response that was best described as "deer in the headlights".

I did, however, find out something more alarming regarding Apple's warranty. These phones are warranted from the date of original purchase... by whomever originally purchased it! So, lets say you bought a phone, and needed to replace it. You are given a refurbished phone... that phone could be considerably older than your original phone, as was the case with mine. They were unwilling to do anything about mine because, although I only owned it for 7-8 months, their records showed the serial number as being a year or more out of warranty. Might have been a very different story if it was just barely out of warranty.

So, moral here is if you get a replacement, make sure it is at least as new as the phone it is replacing.

.

I don't care HOW big this company is- they can't get by with this large of an issue! Keep your eye out :/

<Edited by Host>

iPhone broken power button free solution fix: just jailbreak your phone, download a program from cydia called Activator and set it so that when you double tap the clock it simulates the push of the power button, I prefer the double tap to using the power button now.

Hi I have the same problem today.. I am from Malta and the customer care here is no good so i doubt i will get a new phone!

THIS IS A FIX TO A LOCK BUTTON THAT DOESN'T CLICK

THIS IS FOR THOSE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY

Take it apart via directions from online. You can either replace the IPHONE 4S FLEX CABLE, or you can do what I did...

The problem the push button connection underneath the actual button.

It's normally a small gold-plated disc that inverts and automatically pops back out creating a click. This disc begins to flatten with time thus the click is lost and the connection is compromised.

What you can do is when you find this small disc, use a small plastic item to press it in the middle to see if it clicks.

If it still clicks when you use something sharp (rather than the button which is flat) here is what you can do:

CAREFULLY place a VERY small dot of hot glue (about the size of a ball point or a half millimeter diameter) in the middle of the disc and let cool. This will remedy the connection between the button and the disc allowing the disc to invert again and your button to function.

CONGRATS....YOUR iPHONE LOCK BUTTON WORKS AGAIN WITHOUT HAVING TO PURCHASE ANYTHING

My sons I4 button just crapped out yesterday.... 3 months old... Does anyone know the warranty periood offhand?

Should I go back to the verizon store or apple store to swap out?

Thanks

I got the same problem. The power button still works if I press it really hard. The button is depressed.

My iphone 4S is 9 months old and is still under warranty.

Guys, I have two questions:

1) if they replace the phone with a new one, will I get 12 months of warranty on that new phone from the date of replacement?

2) will they give me a white one (if I request) if my phone was black?

Thank you in advance!