Comment by threetonesun
3 days ago
Right, although repair with Apple devices is a tricky/impossible cost calculation to make. I also remember the "good old days" when you could bring an iPhone with issues into the store and likely get a replacement just by asking nicely.
They still do that. I just replaced my 15 Pro which had a speaker problem. They gave me a brand new one and migrated everything there in the store for me. 100% battery health again. No money paid. Nearly 2 years old.
I turned screws in an Apple Store in that era, circa iPhone 3G/4.
Internally that policy was called “getting to yes” and it was a huge pain in the ass.
The idea: customer comes in with a broken screen. You surprise and delight them by getting a manager’s override on the cost. You say you can make an exception because it’s the first time, but the next screen will cost x.
The reality: customer comes in expecting free repairs. Any charge is an argument. Their cousin dropped like 5 phones in the toilet and they were all replaced for free, etc. It sucked.
> Internally that policy was called “getting to yes” and it was a huge pain in the ass.
I don't remember a "getting to yes" era, especially when I brought in my old MagSafe 2 charger whose cable insulation had worn out because of the type of plastic Apple used, spilling blue stuff all over my space.
All the Genius Bars I went to (in multiple countries) gaslit and blamed it on me storing my MagSafe charger wrongly, even though this was obviously Apple's fault. I wish I could have been surprised and delighted instead.
I still have it in a plastic bag somewhere, rotting away.
The era before they became waterproof and the screens got some decent durability were, I'm sure, a nightmare. The 3G in particular was a huge ergonomic and quality downgrade from the original iPhone, I had one of those break while just sitting in my pants pocket.