Genius Bar Procedure

Tesla · 26 Jul 2010 at 09:57

Hi all,

What's the Genius bar's general procedure.

My home button is playing up and definitely not a software fault. I have a white 16GB 3GS. Also, it has been properly unlocked by o2.

Do I get an exact swap? Will it be locked to o2?

Are the units they hand out pristine? I have really looked after my handset and it's immaculate.

NightShadow · 26 Jul 2010 at 10:50

They will give you a "brand new" unit, which i suspect is actually refurbished. It will be as new condition and will have the same network locks as your existing handset so should retain it's unlock.

orderoftheflame · 26 Jul 2010 at 10:52

When I had my silent switch fail, I went to the one in Birmingham, found out I had to book an appointment.

Came back the next day and they swapped it there and then.

My replacement was pristine.

Tunney · 26 Jul 2010 at 11:11

orderoftheflame said:
When I had my silent switch fail, I went to the one in Birmingham, found out I had to book an appointment.

My silent switch failed the other day as well. Thankfully, it was two days before the warranty ran out.

Make sure you book an appointment online and the whole procedure will be very smooth.

You'll get an exact swap in perfect condition, locked to the same network.

Tesla · 26 Jul 2010 at 11:11

Thanks guys. I booked an appointment for one of the Bristol stores for this afternoon.

Tute · 26 Jul 2010 at 13:52

When my first 3GS was playing up, I booked it into the Apple store.

They tried restoring it, it bricked it totally (quite amusing).

Swapped it there and then for a brand new one.

FreeStream · 26 Jul 2010 at 14:14

Tesla said:
Thanks guys. I booked an appointment for one of the Bristol stores for this afternoon.

Cribbs Causeway or Cabot Circus?

If you get it swapped I may do the same!

Tesla · 26 Jul 2010 at 19:09

Cribbs. He was going to open it up to check out the ribbon cable. But I mentioned some small cracks near the screws on the bottom and he said he will swap it out.

They didn't have an identical one in stock so I have to go back later in the week.

drone · 27 Jul 2010 at 14:16

Am booked in for saturday as mine has started to get cracks also by the screws.

Gaijin · 27 Jul 2010 at 15:09

Make sure you "check in" when you get there, even if you have to rugby tackle someone away from another customer to tell them.

On my first ever visit, I didn't know you had to do this, and eventually managed to grab someone after waiting 15 mins after my appointment time, at which point they said I had missed my appointment.

Cue me saying I had been there on time, him basically calling me a liar, asking his colleagues if they had seen me, and resulting it pretty much ending in a shouting match.

rpn · 27 Jul 2010 at 16:32

Tesla said:
Also, it has been properly unlocked by o2.

Will it be locked to o2?

You have to ask O2 to unlock the replacement phone again.

My replacement phone is like brand new, ok it came out of a 'brown' box without all the fancy trimmings and packagings but a lot better condition than the one I handed back to them.

Vegeta · 27 Jul 2010 at 17:49

They probably won't replace it just change the screen.

Tesla · 27 Jul 2010 at 21:38

Vegeta said:
They probably won't replace it just change the screen.

That would be odd as the screen is fine.

Vegeta · 28 Jul 2010 at 12:26

Tesla said:
That would be odd as the screen is fine.

The button is attached to it. My speaker was playing up (the one for listening to phone calls) and they replaced the screen rather than the whole unit.

Tesla · 28 Jul 2010 at 16:21

Oh right, my bad.

Picked up my new/refurb phone today. Looks immaculate. Just setting it all back up again.

drone · 31 Jul 2010 at 22:38

Got a replacement today though didn't like how he said the cracks on the phone are cosmetic and if it happened again you would not get a replacement surely this is a design fault considering the money you pay for the phone.