Got a Scratched iPhone 5 Right Out of the Box? Apple Says No Warranty for You

Update: A senior forum member in LowYat.net shares tips on how to claim a replacement if your iPhone 5 is damaged here. Read: Best to check your device right at point of purchase. Also, you can call Apple Care at 1-800 803-638

Update 2: In an email response to a customer asking if Apple had any plans to fix the seemingly easy to scuff aluminium finishing on the iPhone 5, Senior VP of Marketing Phil Schiller said:

Any aluminum product may scratch or chip with use, exposing its natural silver color. That is normal.

(Thanks Normal for highlighting this in the comments)

When the iPhone 5 first made it to the hands of owners, several were shocked to discover that their pride and joy came out of the box with a variety of scuffs, scrapes and dings.

We resigned the issue to poor QC, a compromise to get the first few batches of the iPhone 5 out to eager buyers. Never did we expect “scuffgate” would affect iPhone 5s in Malaysia. Months after the iPhone 5 was released, we’d figure that Apple would have gotten the QC sorted and Malaysians can be assured that their iPhone 5s would come out pristine right out of the box.

As it turns out, this is not the case. No sooner that the iPhone 5 was launched here, several owners reported the same defects with their iPhone right out of the box. Even our very own iPhone 5 wasn’t spared (pictured above).

The sensible thing to do if you received a defective product is to get it replaced right away. In the US, if you got a defective iPhone it will be replaced so long as you returned in within 30 days of purchase Well as it turns out this is not the case with Apple.

Blogger LiewCF checked with Maxis for clarification if Apple would replace scratched iPhone 5. Maxis’ response was a perplexing one. The operator claimed that it checked with Apple and iPhones that come scratched out of the box are “not categorized as a defect” and will not be replaced.

We called up Apple care to get more information and their response was just as disappointing. In Malaysia, if you purchased an iPhone and its defective, you will have to take your claims for a replacement with the retailer that you bought the device with and not with Apple. It is up to the retailer to replace your defective unit.

If you bought your iPhone from Apple’s online store you might have a better chance of getting a replacement for your defective iPhone 5 but for everyone else, it all comes down to luck.

Interesting how Apple prides itself in providing the best customer experience.