Broken US iPhone in Malaysia?

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Level 1

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Broken US iPhone in Malaysia?

My iPhone is from the US, through Verizon Wireless. The carrier has no offices here. But there are Apple authorized repair and resellers all over. Can I repair or replace it through them?

iPhone 4S, iOS 7.1.1

Posted on Mar 13, 2015 3:32 PM

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Answer 1

gdgmacguy

Level 7

21,885 points

Mar 13, 2015 5:42 PM in response to Donnie F.

Warranty replacement/service is valid only in the country where the phone was originally intended for sale. You will need to send the phone to someone you know in the US to bring the phone to Apple for replacement. That person will need to then send the phone back to you.

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Answer 2

Donnie F. Author

Level 1

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Mar 13, 2015 6:08 PM in response to gdgmacguy

That is certainly correct. But I think that solution is cumbersome and time-consuming, unsatisfactory for business travelers who need a working phone consistently. For example, these days it's tough to book a taxi in SE Asia's business centers unless you do it with a smartphone app.

I understand why Apple doesn't make provisions for this, especially when so many iPhones are bought through the carriers. But Verizon and the other US carriers should. And Apple should help, to protect the value of its brand as something that does not stop when you cross national borders.

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Answer 3

gdgmacguy

Level 7

21,885 points

Mar 13, 2015 6:19 PM in response to Donnie F.

This is a user to user technical support forum. You can provide your feedback here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/html

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Answer 4

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

230,371 points

Mar 13, 2015 6:24 PM in response to Donnie F.

My question would be, how many Verizon phones do you think should be stocked and used in foreign locations? Since the iPhone 4s would not generally be used in Malaysia, since there are not any CDMA carriers there, there is no reason to stock a replacement device, especially an out of warranty device.

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Answer 5

Mar 14, 2015 5:20 AM in response to Donnie F.

Donnie F. wrote:

That is certainly correct. But I think that solution is cumbersome and time-consuming, unsatisfactory for business travelers who need a working phone consistently. For example, these days it's tough to book a taxi in SE Asia's business centers unless you do it with a smartphone app.

I understand why Apple doesn't make provisions for this, especially when so many iPhones are bought through the carriers. But Verizon and the other US carriers should. And Apple should help, to protect the value of its brand as something that does not stop when you cross national borders.

Then provide your feedback to Apple, as directed. Your technical question has been answered.

I travel for work occasionally as well, and I have a backup device. If having constant connection is a requirement for your job, then taking appropriate precautions would be wise. I've had to send in a device to Apple for service, and instead of waiting for the replacement, I've used a backup device during that time. Not just personally, but for the units I manage as well.

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Answer 6

Donnie F. Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 14, 2015 10:41 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

True that. But who says that has to be the solution? I'd settle for physical repair if possible, replacement/upgrade from the 4 if Verizon would ship overseas, even renting a local unit from the Apple shop. The whole point of iCloud backup is this doesn't have to matter. I even had a chance to buy an 6 at a street market for apx 100US, but don't want the drama of jailbreak and support back in the US.

Point is, many possibilities where there's a will.

Again, this is not Apple's fault. But I bring it up here because Apple has the global presence that Verizon does not, and seems far, far, more committed to the quality of its costumers' experience than is Verizon.

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Answer 7

Mar 14, 2015 10:57 AM in response to Donnie F.

Then provide your feedback to Apple.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/html

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Answer 8

Donnie F. Author

Level 1

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Mar 14, 2015 10:59 AM in response to TJBUSMC1973

Perhaps a few years ago it was. But nowadays I find that any device's business model is so tightly woven into its technology that we can't so easily say that some discussions are technical and others are are not.

Spare device a good idea. But this almost certainly could not be an iPhone unless I buy a relatively-new 5 -- apple won't support Ios 7, and 8 is famous as an iPhone 4 killer.

Thinking thru all of the options, the easiest one would be for Verizon to overnight replacement units of all types -- warranty, sale, and upgrade -- to be picked up at the local FedEx office, initializing them first.

But second and probably most practical would be to rent a unit from the local Apple store. All this would take is a deal between the two corporations, already business partners. How hard can this be?

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Answer 9

Mar 14, 2015 11:36 AM in response to Donnie F.

Apple still supports iOS. My old iPhone 4 runs iOS 7.1.2 without issue. And no iPhone 4 should be running iOS 8.

If you meant iPhone 4S, I manage 45 such units, all running iOS 8.2 (well, almost all, I haven't finished updating a few, hopefully done soon, lol), and none of them have had problems with iOS 8, up to an including iOS 8.1.3 on those last few.

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