Comments on: Some iPhone customers finding dead spots on iPhone screens

Apple appears to be replacing an unknown number of iPhones that have unresponsive spots on the touch screen, according to reports.

[Hardrada]

here is the correct link

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5040769

[Vegaman_Dan]

It's new. It's bound to have a few bugs

This isn't really that surprising with new tech. Any new device will have unexpected issues that show up when the average consumer starts using it in everyday life. Prototype testing simply can't cover everything or how an end user might abuse it inadvertantly.

I'm more surprised by Apple's move to pull the threads from their forum. AppleInsider also had their story threads yanked, no reason given. Could have been voluntary, could have been forced.

[umbrae]

New?

Touch screens have been around forever. I have been using them at ATMs since I was a kid, and I am considered a grandpa by kids today. Not to mention touch screens have been used in PDA's for years and even very successfully in Nintendo DS consoles.

Why does everyone believes that Apple is the first to do these things? Just because they are good markets they some kind of innovation engine.

Fact is, the screen are failing due to faulty manufacture or design, which is a constant with Apple products. Its not enough for them to make products you think you need to buy, they need to make them very cheap. iPhones will probably be the next "made in china" recall product.

I sure Apple fans will have a fun time with my post...

[tgrenier]

recalibration utility???

All the Windows phones I have used that use a stylus have a screen calibration utility. I wonder if a similar utility would fix the problem.

I also wonder how people would be apologizing for non-apple products that had this much hype and these kind of problems instead of ripping them.

[DaveMoney]

Dead spots? Hope you didn't select pre-pay

Here's the bestest part...if you have this (or any other problem requiring replacement) w/your iPhone and you selected the pre-paid option when activating you are royally screwed.

Turns out that if you are on AT&T's pre-paid plan then your SIM card will ONLY work w/the exact model iPhone that you activated it with. This means that you cannot get a replacement unless you get a new SIM card, which, of course, means a new phone number.

Ah...the glory of being an Apple/AT&T guinea pig.

[copytech-iPhone-user]

If you have prepaid service you CAN change your sim card or your phone

I have prepaid service with AT&T and I lost my sim card one
month ago, I went to an AT&T store and the gave me a new sim
card with the same number, I tried to reactivate my iPhone 2
times with the itunes but I couldn't do it, because the iTunes
was telling me that my AT&T account didn't qualify for an iPhone
account, I went to an apple store and the manager from the
store helped me to reactivate the phone, and now it's working
and the most important thing I still have the same number( I had
the same number for 5 years, it was very important to me to
keep my number), if you call AT&T they are going to tell you that
you need to get a new number, but that doesn't make any sense
, because what is going to happen in the future when people
wants to get a new iphone, I don't think people is going to be
happy havong to change they phone number every time they
have a problem with the phone or when they want to get a new
phone.

[ktweston]

From box to trash in 16 months?


I am disappointed that such an ingeniously adaptable and well designed device has completely failed. The top half of the touch screen on my Iphone is unresponsive after 16months of use with no particular catalyst for the failure; no drops, no trips through he washer, no jail break. So here we have a device that can be updated through software and infinitely reinvented with applications, but has failed through no fault of my own.

The Call:
I called apple (on a different phone as numbers 1-6 don?t work) to discuss the issue and the service technician had not heard of this problem despite there being numerous accounts of the same problem with a simple web search. The technician suggested I go to the genius bar at the nearest Apple retail store.

The Store:
After driving over 50 miles to the nearest Apple store I had a 3 minute conversation with the technician at the genius bar; who didn?t say so but obviously had had seen this issue before. She told me there was no fix. I could order the same phone for $199 or I could upgrade to the G3 for $199. I paid $600 for this phone and after 16 months there is no fix. This is a design flaw; not only that the phone failed, but also that there is no next step except replacement.

The Trash:
Is it trash? How can all of this metal, memory chips and circuitry have no value in our society. Throw it out and upgrade - this is a design failure; that there is nothing to do with a $600 machine after 16 month, is a complete failure of design and well beneath the genius that has so inspired apple products. What can be done? Carpet companies are buying back used product to make new carpet, Gypsum board (dry wall, sheet rock, the walls in your house) can now be purchased with up to 60% recycled content. As an architect I can specify walls, floors, ceilings, doors and insulation made from recycled materials. Manufacturers pay for these used materials to use as ingredients in their new products, but I can do nothing with my iphone. The 8 GB of memory, the camera, the wifi whatever it is that makes wifi, all worthless? Why? Why is it easier to dump it in the trash than to buy it back from me and use the other parts? How can we, the people of 2008 continue to have the mindset that something, anything, can go from the box to the trash in 16 months?

What is so frustrating to me is that this product has the potential for such a long and usefulness life and that Apple has failed to design the next step. No fix. Trash. Is this really the only answer Apple has for this problem?

[glasstoilet]

Yeah, I've had my 2G iPhone since Sept 2007. A few days ago, the bottom half of my screen became totally unresponsive, which means I can't unlock the phone from sleep mode, answer phone calls, use the keyboard, amongst other problems. I'm wondering if it's a coincidence that it's the bottom half of my screen that's shot or if it's because I've been using the Chinese writing input area a lot.

I know there were a lot of problem in 2007 with dead spots, but I'm wondering how many people are experiencing dead spots a year or so after they've had the iPhone.

I'm also very disappointed that my iPhone has only been able to last about 16 months. I really think it's a beautiful piece of technology that is on par, if not better than most laptops, and thus it's lifetime should also be able to match a laptop's.

[anilkrc]

I have the same problem. Couple of days back the bottom bar of my IPhone 2G went dead. Since I cannot unlock the phone, the iPhone is now a piece of junk.

I had been to the Apple store and was told I can upgrade to the new 3GS for $200, but I don't want a new phone. Sadly Apple offers no option to fix my phone, especially when this problem is a design flaw. But I guess Apple is designing iphones like all other phone vendors to last for 1-2 years and force folks to upgrade.

The phone is amazing, but it is so sad that it does not last long enough to back the investment. Apple does not even recognize this problem and is really frustrating.

[anilkrc]

I have the same problem. Couple of days back the bottom bar of my IPhone 2G went dead. Since I cannot unlock the phone, the iPhone is now a piece of junk.

I had been to the Apple store and was told I can upgrade to the new 3GS for $200, but I don't want a new phone. Sadly Apple offers no option to fix my phone, especially when this problem is a design flaw. But I guess Apple is designing iphones like all other phone vendors to last for 1-2 years and force folks to upgrade.

The phone is amazing, but it is so sad that it does not last long enough to back the investment. Apple does not even recognize this problem and is really frustrating.