iPhone 5 screen bulge

Have the same issue here with a 5. Will go to the applestore today and see if they will exchange it. Surprised to read that they actually still have iphone 5 in the stores at all.

my phone was doing the exact same thing. it was separating at the top left and top right of the screen. i set up a reservation at the Genius bar, which was inconvenient because they only had appointments 5 days later of when i needed service. anyway, i brought in my phone. the genius took my phone to the back. came back and suggested i replace the display......for $129. i asked him what could be causing the issue. he said he's not really sure, but he did mention the possibility of being of being a swollen battery. however, he said if it was a swollen battery we would be able to see the battery pushing up, which apparently it wasn't. he also said i could get a new phone.....for $200+. i declined the services and took my broken phone with me to try to work the issue with non-apple warranty.

all-in-all, i was disappointed with the fact that even they claim it wasn't a swollen battery issue, that in my mind it was a manufacturing defect because i have never dropped my phone and it has always been in a protective case since i bought it in 2012.

good luck to others who have a similar issue.

I recommend speaking with a manager at the Apple Store.

I had an issue with my Nike Fuel Band where the battery was leaking through on the wrist side of the band. I bought it at Apple two years ago. Two employees said that they were sorry, that they couldn't help me. I asked to speak with a manager and was given a full refund on the Nike Fuel Band.

This after Nike said that they couldn't help me -- even though it was clearly a manufacture defect. But since I bought it at the Apple Store, Apple provided great customer service (they also could have said tough luck -- but did not.)

since the "genius" said it wasn't the swollen battery issue, i don't know if i have much argument. if it was a swollen battery and they refused to replace it, then i could see myself going through the trouble of setting up another "reservation", waiting 5 + days for my reservation, and trying to convince a manager to give me a replacement.

I'm not sure where you live, but in any of the Apple Stores I have been in in two states, I haven't made a reservation at the Genius bar. I walk in, ask an employee to speak with the manager, and talk with the manager. Worst case scenario, they say no -- but with Apple reputation for customer service, I don't see that happening.

So tomorrow, when you get off work, head on in to the Apple Store without a reservation and ask to speak with the manager.

Good luck!

i can report that I had this issue with my iPhone and it was handled superbly by apple. I went to the store on a Tuesday. They Checked the phone and confirmed that they would replace it. They didn't have stock of the replacement phone but by the Thursday they had stock and I went in and got a new device. No hassle, no questions asked. My device was pretty old, at least a year out of warranty. All was done though the Apple Store in Covent Garden, London, UK.

I had this same issue - screen on four year old iPhone 5 was bulging outward due to a swollen battery. Made an appointment with the Genius Bar, they immediately diagnosed it as a swollen battery and swapped out the phone. They took great care to make sure my data was backed up and then sent me on my way with a new (or maybe refurbished) iPhone 5. Looks new, feels new, and hopefully I'll get another few years out of it. Extremely pleased customer. Thank you, Apple.

Same issue on my out of warranty iPhone 5. Noticed the screen was popping up and the light was leaking through the side of the screen. Walked into the Apple Store on Sunday and within 15 minutes had a new (probably refurbished) iPhone 5. They said that there was a program in place to address the battery swelling issue even for phones that are out of warranty. Great customer service. A+++

Hi

Friends, I have the same issue with my Iphone 5 which I purchased in Dec 2012. After three years of use , last week I found that scren is poping out from laft hand side and I can see the light coming out below the sreen, I thought battery got buldge as it becomes hot while chanrging. Scared me I thought it might charge mi Apprx. 6000 INR for repalcament of battery as my phone was not under warrenty. Then I read some reviews on internet and I found that apple recall some faulty batteries for the phone manufactured between Nov2012 to Jan 2013. Then I wend to apple offical site and saw the apple battery recall progrm where I need to enter my Mobile serial number to chek where it is eligible for battery replacement and it shows my phone is not eligible. Still I went to Apple store and I showed them my mobile for the problem and Guess what..Apple gave me Brand New Iphone... Only I got it after 5 days..
A happy Customer in Pune, India

Thanks to all those reviews and video who help me to review blogs on apple forum.

Apple support told me that the company will NOT reimburse me for the bulging battery problem because my iPhone 5 technically falls outside the designated replacement program time frame whenever my serial number is entered into their system (even though I bought my iPhone 5 new from AT&T in December 2012). The fact that a manufacturer defect such as this will not be covered because of a technicality is unfortunate. Apple has definitely lost me as a future consumer of its products.

I guess you better check other branch,

I forgot to update my last post when my iphone bulges.

My iphone5 was purchase during the december 2012 timeframe, so when the bulge happened, i had to google much and came to this forum posts.

I had went to the Apple official site to check my serial if my iphone 5 eligible for the battery replacement program. To my shock, the serial number is eligible for the power button replacement but not the battery replacement program. So I had to go to the apple authorized dealer and consult the apple Tech, without any question, the tech checked the serial number, and it doesnt fall under the program, but he said this, "the serial is not eligible for the program but we will send this to the tech and check". 5 days later, the tech called me and told me they had replaced the iphone.

So i guess you better check with other branches, in other places and try your luck,

No matter what you are having time bomb which going to explode anytime though.

Is it really a battery budge or some other default ? As per my knowledge the battery replacement programme is extended till Jan 2016. You better check again with another authorised apple store in your country.

You must get battery replaced or New Piece as per Apple recall programme if it is really a battery bulging problem..

Regards🙂

True , I am also in process of getting my phone replaced with same program within next 2-3 days

So, I had this same problem, went in to the Genius Bar last night in San Francisco, and the guy there pointed out the same exact thing as everyone else here (very little battery capacity, battery bulge in the same place, etc.). He mentioned that these were lithium batteries and that moisture from the sea air here in SF might have caused the issue. I've never dropped my phone, take good care of it, in a case, sits on my desk most of the time. I also had a MacBookPro 17' some time ago and had to have THAT battery replace ... FOUR times due to the same thing. Told the guy this he said, "well, you must just have incredibly bad luck with batteries." Bought my 5c from my cell carrier and it *just* went out of warranty last month. hmmmmm (my daughter's 5s, same exact thing happened a few months ago. We got our phones at around the same time.) Worst part of all this is ... there are several people claiming on this thread that batteries should be replaced free of charge on all Apple devices. Well, this guy charged me $80 for a new (he said it was new and not a refurb when I asked) 5c. Said that's what they do when you have a battery issue. ??? So my question to the Apple people reading this, is ... is it true that my phone should have been replaced for free, or is this incorrect information on the part of the people posting here?? I'm calling Apple Corp. today to get the facts. As a very long time Apple user, I'm 1) ****** off that I've had battery problems with several devices over the last 5-6 years or so (and know about the "accidents" that have happened to others with swollen batteries in their devices! Apple, get your act together and come up with a NEW BATTERY option!!!), and 2) mighty ****** off if I wasn't supposed to be charged for replacement of a defective device, if that's indeed the case.