iPhone 5 screen bulge

Update: I called the store this afternoon, and was just reimbursed for the blown battery in my phone. Apple did the right thing ultimately, and I received my replacement phone free of charge. Apple, PLEASE do something about the battery technology you're using! I've had way too many blow battery issues across products (not just with one device) and I know I'm not the only one out there experiencing this. This is a safety issue you must resolve. Safety should be priority No. 1 over any newfangled innovation in looks or functionality!

Was it difficult?

We have four iPhone 5 units that were purchased in Sep 2012. Of the four, three of them have developed the swelling battery issue. The first was in Mar 2014, and Apple required full payment for a replacement phone. That replacement developed a swollen battery in Sep of 2015 and the phone was replaced at no charge. One of the others developed a swelling battery and was taken to an Apple store today, and they charged $80 for a replacement phone, saying they were replacing the phone for the cost of the battery. We have one more iPhone 5 that is beginning to show a swelling that displaces the screen on the left side. Will ask Apple what their policy is on swollen batteries before returning it to an Apple store.

I just came back from store because of the same issue, charged $79 for battery replacement and got brand new phone.

My iPhone 5 was NOT in the battery replacement program, and was purchased May 2013 and out of warranty. Just informing people of the costs.

I had the same problem:

I have an iPhone 5, and a few days ago it screen detached from the case.

The first problem was being able to get an appointment at Apple Store at Morumbi Shopping in São Paulo, Brazil.

I went there at 6:30 pm. I talked to one of the Genius and the guy told me I would have to make an appointment at their website. I told the guy I have tried to make an appointment before, but it always showed a message like "At the time there is no appointments available at the store".

The Genius then explained to me that this appointment only appears between 7pm to 9pm. However, there is no place in the website saying that! This terrible! But even worse than that: the calendar appear at RANDOM times!

The guy told me that from 7 to 9 pm I would have to keep pressing F5 button constantly until the option to make an appointment appears. He also told me I would have to make it fast because it usually takes 10 min to fill all spots. That is insane! And the guy couldn’t even explain to me why it works like that.

In order to avoid not being able to make an appointment I decided to wait in the store from 7 to 9 pm so a Genius could inform me when the appointment at their website was available. I waited there until 9pm, so a Genius told me that actually the appointment didn’t appear to anyone. For this reason, he would get the name and email of everybody in the store and make the appointment by himself.

I started get very disappointed with Apple service already, how can they work like that? Is this nonsense only in Brazil?

So I went there yesterday, December 5^th at 11am and brought my iPhone with me. The Genius who talked to me was called Alberto. He ran some tests on my iPhone and told me it was a battery problem. It super-heated and expanded pushing the screen out. He said that there was some recall in the past because of this problem. However, my iPhone didn’t belong to this recall and because I had it for more than 2 years I would have to pay them to exchange it.

I couldn’t accept that. My iPhone was in perfect conditions! I always took care of it. And it was a manufacturing problem.

Alberto called Apple costumer service. So, I talked to Eidi and her superior Caio, the protocol is 1001706509. But they all said the same: I was out of the warrant period, so they could do nothing for me. It was not their problem.

But then why it should be my problem? I paid a lot of money for an Apple product expecting a high quality product, not a phone that would last less than 3 years.

Even smartphones who cost 3 times less doesn’t show this kind of problem. And last longer.

Apple has a huge legion of “Apple fan boys” because of the excellence they had with their products. I was one of those that would tell all my friends how good Apple products are and how their quality worth the money. But now I know I was wrong. After so many years Apple has been losing their touch with their users and with their high quality products. And it is from today they lose one more fan, and potential many others that I would bring with me.

Thank you Apple.

I got my iPhone 5 replaced just about a month ago Because of a swollen battery. I took it to the store and they had me sheduled for an appointment with a genius a few days later. They informed me that if I had caused the damage myself I would have to pay for the battery replacement but if it were a manufactoring problem it would be replaced without any cost. they took it pretty seriously asking me not to use the phone if I could until they have had a look at it. As they did their test they stated that it was a faulty battery and that the phone would get replaced without any cost. A few days later they called me to let me know that the new phone were in the store for me to pick up.

Quite satisfied with how how they dealt with it and I don't understand why they would treat the same manufactoring problem differently in othe stores/countries.

Just got off the phone with apple support. Spent about 30 minutes with first person explaining the swollen battery issue, she told me $80 for new iphone 5s. Told her that's unacceptable and eventually talked for 15 minutes with "Jimmy" and that's all he offered explaining I was outside the warranty period and this happens. I said I'm done with apple. If apple has such inconsistent support, some people get free replacement and some must pay for the exact same defect, then I'm done with them. I don't pay premium to be treated like this.

thpope wrote:

If apple has such inconsistent support, some people get free replacement and some must pay for the exact same defect, then I'm done with them. I don't pay premium to be treated like this.

You didn't pay the premium to get free after warranty replacements.

Although inconsistency of response is of concern, my primary concern is safety. If these devices were automotive vehicles, and there was a safety issue (which the swelling batteries certainly are), there would be a recall to fix the problem at no cost to the owner. The batteries pose a physical threat to the user and Apple should respond accordingly, rather than concerning themselves with warranty status. I have yet to encounter reports of this swelling/burning/exploding battery issue on phones manufactured by other companies. I wonder if the same issue will turn up on iPhone 6 devices? Apple needs to step up to the plate on this.

Hwedhlor wrote:

I have yet to encounter reports of this swelling/burning/exploding battery issue on phones manufactured by other companies.

http://bfy.tw/3QXD

Apple needs to step up to the plate on this.

They did.

-> https://www.apple.com/support/iphone5-battery/

Actually that response by Apple did not address the issue of swelling batteries, or burning batteries, etc. It only addressed "shorter battery life or the need to be charged more frequently." Additionally that offer was limited to the three year warranty period and the offer has expired.

Hwedhlor wrote:

Actually that response by Apple did not address the issue of swelling batteries, or burning batteries, etc.

It addressed batteries in certain serial numbered iPhones. .

Additionally that offer was limited to the three year warranty period and the offer has expired.

The iPhone warranty is one year.

This program is good for three years after initial purchase and is good until January 2016.

Obviously the premium I'm referring to is over competitors. So you believe it's fine for a company to knowingly sell batteries that expand and cause a safety issue after 2 years, that are not even replaceable by the user? I work in electrical safety products and can assure you we would not get away with that.

The bottom line, is several posters here have indicated they've received replacement devices free of charge after warranty and several have not. Apple is inconsistent and if someone gets hurt they will for sure be seeing lawsuits.

I wrote a few posts earlier that I had mine fixed without any costs but I want to make it clear that the apple rep. was very clear with that if they found signs of me having caused the swelling (dropped in water for ex) they would not do the replacement with me having to pay for it.

Hi Martin. The two reps I talked to never asked me if I there was any damage on my part, which there isn't. I was told over and over that $80 or $79 dollars is the cost to replace the battery but they were doing one better by replacing the entire unit. The first rep actually said the iPhone 5s is very expensive so this is a great deal. I KNOW ITS EXPENSIVE! I paid for it.

I previously received great support the one time I called before, about 5 or 6 years ago. But something has definitely changed, at least for phone support. The first rep clearly had little knowledge of anything technical and seemed to be reading from a script. The second one was absolutely worthless and waste of time. I've been an Apple enthusiast up until now because of their ease of use, quality of product, and superior customer support. That is simply no longer the case. I have and will continue to let friends and family know about this experience and will no longer steer them towards buying Apple.