Ain’t Broke? I Can Fix It!

10Jun09

Love Apple. Love Macs. Love the iPhone. That being said, AT&T can perish in the ungodly flames of the ninth circle of hell.

The iPhone 3G S, the must have item in the eyes of every geek and wannabe geek this and that side of the Mississippi. (When did people WANT to be geeks? Damn you Battlestar Galactica!). I don’t really care about the 3G S, I mean, I want one but I’m not about to start looking for change in the couch cushions to find enough for it. There are some cool features but a lot of those lie within the 3.0 software update, which I already have so…why would I want to shell out money I don’t have for something I don’t need? Because, I wants it. And when you wants something it’s an adult responsibility.

Let me go back; I was moving from Starkville about a month and a half ago when I tripped and fell with my iPhone 3G in my pocket. Yes, I’m fat. Get your laughing out now. Done? Okay, okay, I’ll wait.

I hate you.

Moving on, there was a huge crack left down the middle of my screen, essentially splitting the thing itself into two. The phone works great, no problems whatsoever than me hanging my head in shame and demanding a strict diet of water and saltine crackers so I don’t do something like that again. I contacted AT&T to see what could be done about getting myself a new iPhone at the time: no dice. I wasn’t “elligible” for an “update” until “August” so I’d be paying an “arm” and a “leg” and stop doing “this” Derek. That’s fine, I’d go to plan B: the “friendly” people at the Apple Genius Bar. “Yes sir! We can fix that screen for you at the low, low cost of $199.99 + tax.”

::glares::

“Isn’t that what I paid for my iPhone 3G back last year?” “Yes sir! But it’s also what it costs for a screen replacement, unless of course you want a new iPhone, in which case you’d need to be ‘elligible’…”

“Yeah I got that Copernicus, thanks. So you’re just going to walk back there and open up a new iPhone box and give me a new phone if I want a replacement screen, and charge me $199.99 or I can ask for a new iPhone and that will be $375!?”

“Oh no, sir! We do replace the screen at the low, low cost of $199.99″

“And I still have to keep my old phone at that price?”

“Why yes sir, we only replace the screen at the low, low price of–”

“$199.99 – I got it Einstein – what in the hell kind of gambit are you running here?”

“You want to know a secret sir?”

“Yes, please – entertain me ‘Genius.”

“AT&T sucks. There’s a new iPhone coming out in about 2 months.”

“I realize this but that doesn’t aid me in the here and now.”

“Just wait, the 3G is going to go down on a huge price break and you won’t have to pay for an upgrade, you can just swap out your phone for a really low cost.”

“THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH, CHIP.”

Fast foward to Monday, June 8th. The iPhone 3G S is announced starting at $199.99 and the 3G will now only be $99.99. HUZZAH! So I figure my poor little cracked iPhone was worth getting a fresh new version for less than 100 bucks. So what do I do? Go to AT&T today for my iPhone replacement at a cool $99.99. Guess what? “Sir, you’re not “elligible” for an “upgrade” as of “today”.”

::glares::

I don’t want to upgrade you college reject, and stop looking at me like I’m the antichrist for already having 3.0 on my phone, it didn’t hurt anything. Give me my new 3G phone. “Oh yes sir that will be $199.99″. THAT’S THE COST OF A NEW IPHONE 3G S!!!.

“Well yes sir, but not for you, because you are not elligible for an upgrade your cost for a 3G S would be $499.99.”

After explaining to the gentlemen I did not want a 3G S next week, that I only wanted a new 3G at today’s price of $99.99, he seemed to understand.

“Oh, no problem then sir. That will be $199.99″

You see where this is going?

I read on Apple’s website that there would be NO upgrade charge from a 3G to a 3G but apparently AT&T felt differently about that. So even though the cost for the 3G has gone down, I’m still paying outrageous prices because I’m not “elligible” for an “upgrade” and “holy crap” there I go again.

So then the guy tells me (you’ll love this) there’s an authorized Apple repair place in Tupelo. Right here. And they replace iPhone screens. Under warranty. For $40.

::glares::

I never really understood the term “going postal” until today but after 90 minutes of standing in that place arguing with his acne faced/plauged self and two other girls that didn’t know the iPhone from a pay phone, I finally figure out where this retailier is and go see him. Oh it’s a world of difference there. There’s music playing and pretty girls greeting you and free beverages and no lines or waiting. Heaven.

“Yes sir I’m out of screens today but I can fix yours at 9am in the morning in less than 10 minutes and it won’t void you out with Apple or AT&T at all.”

Genius.

Hey AT&T – how about throwing a bone to some customers you already have instead of enticing just new people? $500 for the new iPhone for people who have been using you for years looks like a big “GFY” to some loyal customers.

If you’re an AT&T customer who wants what they deserve, check out these petitions and add your name. I doubt it will do a thing, but anything can happen and this is a huge mistake on AT&T’s part. A price break at the very least would be appreciated.

http://www.petitiononline.com/IPHONE3G/petition-sign.html

http://twitition.com/f96aq

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=knowledge_center&articleId=9134218&taxonomyId=1&intsrc=kc_top

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