1st Gen Nano Recall Notification

When I gave Support the serial number, they said it was 6th generation.

Not sure how relevant this is to everyone but....

I also requested the iPod Nano recall service on Nov. 14th and logging into the site it still says "Service Requested"...

However, I am signed up on the UPS website for this new service called UPS My Choice, which is free for some basic service. Essentially, you sign up with you name and address and UPS will automatically send you email notification when something is being sent to you at your address with them as a carrier. Moments ago, I got 2 email notifications with 2 tracking numbers and indeed they are from Apple Returns and the packages will arrive this week.

So even though Apple's Service page still says "Service Requested" and nothing about box being mailed, it has been sent since Dec. 16th via UPS Ground shipping and will arrive to me soon. Just info for those still in the awaiting phase....

The letter simply said "replacement". If I had known that I would get an ugly, square 6G, I definitely would have kept my almost-pristine 1G and taken that slim chance on the battery issue.

I am a MOST unhappy Apple consumer right now. They handled this whole thing very poorly! A little information from them would have enabled me to be perfectly happy to keep my beautiful 1G instead of waiting for an ugly 6G (where I don't even get to choose the color for heaven's sake!) that I will probbaly use even LESS than I used my 1G. I kept my 1G -- even though I have two newer nanos AND a 1G Touch -- because it worked fine and I loved the way it looked. Now it is in Apple's trash heap. 😟

I remember it was stated very clearly that you might get any model as a replacement - no guarantees on color, size, shape, etc. They specifically stated they weren't going to take specific requests.

Mine worked fine too, and I was very happy with it, but in two months the battery might have exploded so I opted to trade it in. Will I get back the same ipod? No. They're sending me a 6th gen nano. I probably won't like it as much, but I think this is a fair replacement.

I don't know what email and letter YOU got, but none of the things that I received -- I still have both emails and the letter that came with the box -- said anything more than that you would receive a "replacement"... there was NO indication that it even might be something other than a 1G.

All I am saying is that they should have been CLEAR in the very beginning about what they were going to do... and then I would have been willing to take the chance -- for as much as I used the old nano, anyway -- and keep it rather than exchange it for something I hate and will not use.

It isn't clear to me that Apple even knew it would not be able to meet demand for replacement 1st-gens. Maybe they were refurbishing them but found too many were trashed in some way that drove the cost up enough to pull the plug and go with 6th-gens instead. Maybe an unforseen firmware incompatibility or something about Cloud compatibility. Who knows? I wish Apple would open up a little more to alleviate uncertainties. But in some ways, mystery seems to be part of their identity.

If you've gotten only two emails, it sounds like you haven't yet received the one saying a repacement has been sent, and which includes the serial number of the replacement unit.

I hope I like the new unit; I've never even seen one. Small isn't always better, but I might find that handy. Increased capacity is good, too. Plus, as I suggested before, I might be glad to no longer have a clickwheel.

I suppose someone who really really loves 1st-gens might be able to find one of the refurbished units, or even a pristine used unit, on eBay for a good price. We're not talking about high-dollar MacBook Pros, here, so the monitary issues aren't (or shouldn't be) the end of the world.

All that said, 1st gens were really pretty, and I'd love to see Apple make the next one bigger. I've seen suggested prototypes on Apple-geek sites that were pretty cool looking. They look like skinny-minny iPod Touches because of a larger screen. That's just idle speculation for the heck of it.

Oh, I hope I don't get a pink one, or some other flashy color. I'm older and would like something not too hip looking.

What I'm thinking/hoping is that earlier requests that are taking longer than newer requests will be getting the last of the 1st gens, but its taking time to refurb them.

Why else would they deal with peoples requests who sent in quite late over mine, which was done on day 1?

The delay -- whatever the reason -- is NOT because of a delay in refurbishing the 1G nanos, because they are NOT doing that. They sent out the ones they already had in inventory early on and are now sending refurbished 6Gs. It is more ;likely a delay in having enough 6G refurbs to send out to us. I'm waiting for the next "news" to be that they are out of 6G refurbs and cannot meet the demand with those, either, and will now be sending refurbished 2G or 3G units....

I thought that might be the case, too. I sent mine in on the 15th of November, and many on several threads and other fora who sent their requests in after me were already receiving their shipping confirmations and repacement 6th gens. That's when I figured out that I might be jealous getting a 1st gen back, but resolved to be happy either way.

DOn't Know where you are getting your news?

I made my request on Nov 12, they sent me an E-mail indicating that service was requested. I then waited for a box and heard that they were behind in sending out boxes. Gt a box and returned mine. They got it pretty quick and the online status indicated Replacement pending with a date of November 21. This morning I got an E-mail that a replacement was sent. I took the S/N as suggested here and found out that a G6 was being sent. The original context I saw was they were sending G1 replacements. but all the fine print you can find also suggests that Apple can make the decision what to send you. No problem for me. The old one would not hold a charge and I did not use it much either. However the new G6 will not work with my Power PC Mac Mini. I probally need a new Mac anyway. Look at your request date (mine was Nov 12) add the days and you should be getting your replacement within a similar timeframe. Apple said 6 weeks got my new one in 4 weeks. Great job Apple!

Mine came today. Silver 8GB 6th gen. Looks great and works great.

It's unlikely that the 6G units are refurbs, if you look at the teardown for the 7th gen (same as 6th gen):

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPod-Nano-7th-Generation-Teardown/6554/1

You'll see how fiddly it is, assuming that the screens and docking connector are replaced and the fault found that probably caused the 6/7th gen nano to be sent back to Apple it's likely to be just as cheap to use a new one. The cost alone of setting up a line and training staff to refurb the units would be high - why not just take it on the chin (it's deductable) and increase production slightly of the 6th/7th gen units to cover.

My guess is that they scheduled a ramp-up in production on the 6/7th gen units sometime ago and that the 'six week' timing is close to perfect - the replacement units people are getting are likely to have been minted a few days ago. These guys are very skilled at massive product launches.

As far as the communications go? Apple have always played their cards close, I don't think this is any different.

For the record, I'm in the UK and here's my status:

1. Step 1 Request

   November 17, 2011: Product received

2. Step 2 Service

   November 17, 2011: Issue identified

3. Step 3 Return

   November 17, 2011: Product replacement pending

Mine just arrived. Silver, 8 gb. Suhhh-WEET! 😎

I'm a patient person, but I was on wringing my hands. It took a day longer than originally projected on the FedEx tracking site, but it got here the next (this) morning. Hang in there, you'll get it!

Hey nice!

When did you request, when did you send it?

Request sent November 11

Received shipping box November 14 - sent old Nano back same day

Received at Apple repair center November 15

Replacement shipped December 19 (Pennsylvania to Seattle)

Arrived December 23

Exactly 6 weeks.

It's a pretty sweet little unit, and suddenly I don't miss my old Nano as much as I thought I would. It comes by itself without anything (no original box, headphones, charger, manual, etc.). I downloaded the manual just to see if there was anything I didn't already know. It recommended charging the battery for 3 hours before first use, so that's what I did.

You can download the manual at:

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iPod_nano_6thgen_User_Guide.pdf

I hadn't even bothered to look at the 6th gen on Apple's website. I'm surprised by how much they retail for. Merry Christmas! 🙂 Two features I was surprised it had: One is FM radio (with song I.D. if the station supports it). I've been listening to the radio all day. I still have the Apple FM-radio accessory add-on for my old Nano, which is about the same size as a current iPod Shuffle, but I should be able to sell it on eBay or Craigslist easily.

I was also pleased that it has voice memo. The nice thing about having a working Nano again is I can use it for listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks instead of my iPhone. I'm often in places where I'm unable to re-charge my iPhone, so to conserve battery for phone and email, I don't use it for listening to music/podcasts.

A potentially major disappointment for some might be that the 6th gen doesn't sync your address book, calendar, notes and to-do lists. I don't know in which generation of Nano that stuff went away, but if I didn't have an iPhone, I'd be pretty crabby about that. I used those features on my Nano, like a portable organizer, for years until I got my first iPhone, but I guess I wouldn't need them now even if it was still possible.