iOS 8.3 killed my iPhone5c

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iOS 8.3 killed my iPhone5c

So I just updated my iPhone 5c to iOS 8.3 a couple days ago which immediately killed the cellular service. It now displays "no service." I read dozens of posts on the issue on the forums so I was able to cut to the chase on troubleshooting:

First, I went to AT&T to verify there were no issues with my account or SIM card. They verified the account was fine and they put in a new SIM card (they also tested it in another phone to make sure it was good). No luck so next I met with a Genius at the Apple Store.

After trying a couple things, the Genius did a factory reset (I had already backed up) which did not fix the problem. They said, well that's it. That's all we can do besides sell you a new phone. ***?

I pointed out that this issue didn't arise until updating to iOS 8.3 and she didn't even attempt to rule out software as the culprit. She basically admitted the problem is likely software but she told me (in her words) that "updating your iOS can be too much for some phones to handle" and although the update may be the problem they aren't able to test or downgrade, even to save a customer's phone. I can understand an iPhone 3 or 4 not being able to handle it. But a 1.5 year old iPhone 5c??? That is totally unacceptable.

My next step is to try and hack a downgrade of iOS. There are some tutorials online.

I've been a lifelong Apple supporter but I have become totally disgusted with their business practices. I know most corporations exist to serve shareholders not customers but I've always felt Apple was a little bit different. I'm not so sure anymore.

Anyhow, if I can't find a workaround for this crappy update I think this is my last iPhone.

Sorry for the rant but I need to vent. If anyone has any suggestions (besides switching to Android) please let me know.

Posted on May 30, 2015 2:52 PM

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Answer 1

Ethan7988

Level 4

1,749 points

May 30, 2015 2:57 PM in response to holamateo

You've taken it to the Apple store and everything. They would know all the troubleshooting steps and would not just let you leave without trying all of them. Your iPhone is out of it's 1-year warranty so Apple won't help. Sorry, the best thing to do at this point would to recycle it and get a discount on a new one.

-Ethan

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Answer 2

holamateo Author

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May 30, 2015 3:32 PM in response to Ethan7988

Thanks for the reply Ethan. Sure, I get that I can recycle the phone and get a new one but I feel as if I've being robbed by Apple. What gets me is they made an update available to essentially disable my 1.5 year phone and force me to upgrade my hardware. I know software is not perfect and there will be bugs. But to leave you hanging after their buggy software disabled my phone is very poor customer service. They could have made an exception to the "we do not downgrade software" policy to keep a happy customer.

Since I'm not due for a subsidized upgrade with my carrier I now have to shell out the cash for a replacement. And since my phone can't even be recycled as a functioning unit now I won't get much for it.

What happens in another 1.5 years? Do we repeat this again? Is this the path that Apple is going down is the post-Jobs era? I'm losing my faith.

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Answer 3

Ethan7988

Level 4

1,749 points

May 30, 2015 3:52 PM in response to holamateo

No, Apple devices should last much longer than that. Apple provides a one year warranty. They expect it to live at least a year (but obviously longer than that). I have owned an iPod 2 for three years now and it still works fine. My Dad bought an iPad 2 back in 2011 and recently sold it (still working smoothly). As far as recycling, There may only be one or two hardware problems with it so they may still give you quite a bit for it.

God bless,

-Ethan

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Answer 4

May 30, 2015 5:23 PM in response to holamateo

I would call AppleCare and explain the situation to them. This situation doesn't sound like a hardware issue necessarily. Have you even contacted your carrier yet? The number for AppleCare is 1-800-692-2273 or you can go to expresslane.apple.com.

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Answer 5

holamateo Author

Level 1

0 points

May 31, 2015 9:16 AM in response to iCensored

iCensored: Good idea, I'll give AppleCare a shot. Or I may try another Apple Store to see if I can find a more understanding person.

Ethan: I hear you. My older Apple products are still running as well too. But my recent purchases let me down around the 1.5 year mark (this phone, Airport Extreme). Time will tell how long my 2015 MBP lasts. At least I have Apple Care for that.

I appreciate both of your replies.

- Mateo

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Answer 6

Jun 7, 2015 6:27 AM in response to holamateo

The same thing happened to my 5c after having it for only 5 months. Mine crashed along with my iPad when I updated to iOS 8.0. I spent 8 straight days and anywhere from 6-10 hours at a time with Apple Tier 2 Tech Support and after the 8th day I was done. They was never able to resolve the issues I was still having so I gave up. After time, more and more things started happening to my 5c. The app I wiy be using would continuously turn off and go back to My home screen, apps that were installed on my phone would start disappearing, the battery started getting hot, etc... Then I started receiving alerts from our service provider stating after two weeks of being in a new billing cycle 75% of a 10 gig data plan was alread used. Then two days after receiving that alert we received another one stating that one line out of the 3 lines on our plan used 19 gigs of data just on my line with the crashed 5c. The reason why was because the battery was overheating it was also swelling inside the phone pushing up the screen and separating the screen from the components that accept and do what I want the phone to do when I touch the screen. When that happened the home button at the bottom of the phone quit working completely preventing me from closing any apps I had open so my data usage was running non stop for months. The phone couldnt even be powered off because i wasn't able to swipe the screen for the phone to power off which would stop the data from continuously running. Not being able to turn the phone off kept making the battery so hot that the entire screen fell completely off of the phone. I have had nothing but problems with that 5c. Thank God my 5c was still covered under a one year warranty through Apple so I was mailed a new 5c. Now my settings on my new 5c are wanting me to update to 8.3. I refuse to do anymore updates and told the Apple Tech Support Rep that also. He said it would be fine to not ever update 9.0 , 10.0, 11.0, etc. Those will be the updates with the issues that can crash you phone. However all of the updates between them like 9.1, 9.5, 10.2 will be completely safe because those updates will fix everthing wrong with the first update with the new number. (8.0, 9.0, 10.0). Then I ask him a question that he absolutely didn't want to answer because he knew I had just caught him lying. I asked him "if every new number with a .0 behind it has such bad issues an the update with .1 behind it fixes most if not all of the issues that .0 has then why is there an update .2? Is it because it fixes issues that .1 has and wouldn't .3 fix issues with .2 and so on? There was the longest time of dead air you could experience on the phone and conveniently the call dropped. Now im really terrified to do another update because I can promise anyone, if I have anymore trouble or issues like I did before with the 8.0 update then I will pay whatever I have to pay to get out of my contract and never own another iPhone ever again. It seems like when Apple comes out with a newer model iPhone they get more expensive but are made with cheaper parts and they have more issues than the previous model. I originally had an iPhone 4 and never had one issue with that phone and I used it over 3 years and had to upgrade because I dropped my 4 in my pool by accident and fried it. I'm Glad I researched feedback about the 8.3 update. My new iPhone that Apple sent me is only a week old and if people are still having all kinds of issues from these updates I would rather not take that change again!

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Answer 7

holamateo Author

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Jun 7, 2015 9:49 AM in response to angela2141978

Thanks for the information Angela. And what a horror story but i'm glad you were able to finally get support you needed.

I did not have as much luck as you though. I have now gone to the Genius Bar twice, talked to the store manager and spent about 45 minutes with Apple Care and they all have all refused to support me as a customer because the phone is 1.5 years old. It kills me that I had a perfectly fine working phone before the 8.3 update. The best they could offer me was to do a repair for $269! I don't expect them to replace the whole thing given I'm out of warranty, but if they even offered to flex a little to help make this right it would go a long way to keep a customer happy. I'd even pay $150. Just a flat no.

I told them this is the 2nd time this has happened to me recently. My Airport Extreme was also bricked by a software update at the 1.5 year mark and again they left me hanging. I understand Apple would like you to believe their hardware and software are perfect, but of course they're really not. Nothing can be. But rather than make a gesture to make things right they're choosing to lose a lifelong customer over this. The complacency from all four people I talked to is really telling about the state of the post-Jobs Apple culture. It really saddens me.

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