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Thread ID: 149772	2021-04-29 07:07:00	Sent iPhone X for battery replacement, Apple say it's been modified and returned it	Beemer (6956)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1476833	2021-04-29 23:07:00	This is what I found when I googled authorised Apple repair agents near me.	Beemer (6956)
1476834	2021-04-30 00:16:00	Well, looks like I am pretty stuffed. Got this response from the repair agent: "I’m very sorry to hear that this is the result you have ended up with. I would have thought Apple would have contacted us to discuss the situation. Unfortunately since Apple have made this determination, we are unable to provide a battery replacement in store as we go through the same Apple system. Because this has been declined for the reasons they declared, we cannot take on any further repair of the device. We wouldn’t want to return the iPhone to the either based on the fact that there may indeed be charges from them and a further decline of service. The only way to proceed with repair will be if Apple agree to make an exception for this. We would need to see evidence of the exception registered against the serial number. My suggestion would be to contact Apple again. We are unable to proceed as it is a consumer issue but we are more than happy to speak with them and provide any additional information that they will need if they contact us. Also, did they give you any further details of the tampering that they have concluded has taken place? I have referred this to my team leader in case he has any further suggestions."	Beemer (6956)
1476835	2021-04-30 01:29:00	I got a response from someone else at the repair agency: 'I have just had a chat with Apple and managed to get them to escalate the issue, setting the expectation that the situation may not change. Escalation #: ... Apple reminded me of their policy on mail-in repair decline as quoted below: Can you tell me which part Apple is claiming has unauthorized modifications, or has been tampered? "For security reasons, we’re unable to provide specific information or photographs of the modifications. Apple keeps this type of information secure which is why the notes do not have specific details. If you don’t agree with or are uncertain about the determination, I can escalate the case to Apple for additional review. This will take 3 business days." Once I get a reply on this escalation, I will let you know of the outcome.'	Beemer (6956)
1476836	2021-05-10 05:21:00	It is now the sixth business day since the repair agent got Apple to agree to escalate the issue. I asked last Thursday if they had heard anything and was told the status showed it was still being looked into. I've emailed again, but haven't had a response as yet. It looks like Apple is hoping I'll go away. If they reject the repair, or want $150 to even consider looking at my phone (and may then decline to replace the battery anyway), are there any repair agents in NZ who have successfully removed stripped screws and who can replace the battery for me? The repair agent I took it to obviously isn't keen to upset the Apple cart (pun intended) by doing any work on my phone, but all I want is a new battery so I can continue using the phone for another few years before needing to replace it. I'd prefer an Apple battery because from what I've read, the generic ones aren't that great. It's not like I need to worry about any warranty issues as the phone is three and a half years old and the warranty has long since expired, all I want is the battery replaced.	Beemer (6956)
1476837	2021-05-14 03:36:00	Well, colour me happy! I got a call from the repair agent this morning to say that Apple had sent a replacement iPhone for me! Brand spanking new iPhone X, same spec as before. Here's hoping that will last more than three and a half years! Interestingly, the letter that came with it said that their technicians had installed the latest operating system, but when I plugged it in to iTunes to restore from the last backup I did, I got a message to say this was not possible because the operating system in the phone was too old! It's doing an update now, then hopefully I can restore it from Wednesday's backup! I took in a box of chocolates for the girl at the repairers who had fought Apple on my behalf. There was absolutely no charge either - I had read online that if Apple decided to replace your phone rather than repair it, all you paid was the cost of the repair you had requested. Therefore I had been expecting to pay $129, but I was told it had been done until warranty. A warranty that expired about two and a half years ago!	Beemer (6956)
1476838	2021-05-14 03:48:00	Seems surprising, maybe they saw your thread on the forum...	Agent_24 (57)
1476839	2021-05-14 04:38:00	Seems surprising, maybe they saw your thread on the forum... Who knows, but I'm delighted with the outcome. All I ever wanted was a replacement battery, and I was happy to pay for that. If Apple had accepted the repair in the first place, they wouldn't have ended up giving me a new phone, but I'll take it and hope it lasts long enough for me to be able to afford to replace it when the time comes!	Beemer (6956)
1476840	2021-05-14 04:52:00	Actually I wonder if they had to open it destructively, found out it was unmodified, and then had to give you a new one.	Agent_24 (57)
1476841	2021-05-15 02:10:00	Actually I wonder if they had to open it destructively, found out it was unmodified, and then had to give you a new one. I was thinking along those lines too. They claimed it had unauthorised modifications made to it, but when it was returned to the repair agent it still had the stripped screws on the bottom, which means they hadn't even opened it. They refused to disclose what those 'unauthorised modifications' were to me or the repairer, and refused to replace the battery. I am 100% positive that if they had removed the screws they would have found the phone in the same condition it was when it left the factory, but that would have meant admitting they were in the wrong. The repairer said it can depend on who you speak to at Apple when you call, some are really good and some aren't. It would have been great to have been given the option to get a replacement iPhone X or pay a few hundred and upgrade to the 12, but this X seems more advanced than my old X anyway. I had to do a software update so the changes may be due to that, but there are a lot of things in settings that weren't there on my old phone, so I'm very happy. It took several hours for the restore, and now it's taking time to sync too, but the phone itself is up and running (haven't put the SIM card back in yet as I am using the old 5 until the sync is complete) and all the apps are there, it's just taking time to sync the music, as usual.	Beemer (6956)
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