Existing users, 
iPhone touchscreens die just out of warranty
Posted 31 July 2008 @ 11am in Troubleshooting
In August 2007, we first reported on an issue where certain spots on the iPhone’s MultiTouch screen — particularly a strip about 1/2 inch in height somewhere below the top of the screen — will not accept input. Hope held that this issue was restricted to a bad run of touchscreens and slowly disappear. Unfortunately, users are still reporting the issue, even with recently purchased iPhones, in droves.
Now users are reporting manifestation of the dead touchscreen issue days or weeks outside Apple’s 1-year warranty, necessitating costly replacement or out-of-pocket repairs.
One iPhone Atlas reader writes:
“I have this dead spot about 3/4″ up the screen of my first gen iphone. I went to the apple store today and they were not help, since my phone is about 30 days over warranty.”
Another adds:
“I purchased an iPhone 2G back in July, 2007. 20 days past the 1-year anniversary, the bottom of my touchscreen stopped responding with the Virtual Keyboard. The proximity touch feature allows selection of the various buttons that float across the bottom, but with the keyboard in vertical position, you can’t shift, use the number keys, or space bar, etc. The bad news is that Apple wants $219.00 to have the phone repaired. Full price for a phone initially, making this an $800 toy at this point.”
If a hardware defect is to blame and your iPhone is out of warranty, screen replacement service may be your only option. Before seeking repair/replacement, however, try the following workaround:
- Reset your iPhone Sometimes, ostensibly dead spots on the screen are merely the result of frozen applications or an unresponsive interface rather than actual hardware failure. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button (on the top of the unit) and the Home button simultaneously for several seconds until the Apple logo appears and check for persistence of the issue.
- Clean the screen It may sound trite, but a glaze of any foreign substance can cause operational difficulties for the iPhone’s screen. Clean the screen with the cleaning cloth that came in the box with the iPhone.
- Restore your iPhone As a last resort, try restoring. This can remove lingering software issues that might be causing a lack of screen response. To perform a restore, Connect your iPhone to your Mac or PC and, in iTunes, click the Restore button under the Summary tab. Restoring the phone will erase contacts, calendars, photos and other data on the phone, but will restore automatically backed-up information including text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, etc.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
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8 Comments
Posted by frannyc28
31 July 2008 @ 1pm
I am so glad I always buy Apple Care Protection plans for my Apple Products!!!
I guess it is not a waste of money to have your warranty extended to 2 years!
Posted by shurup1
31 July 2008 @ 3pm
I would just give the go =ahead to fix, for free to all early adopters. Why? well Att and Apple really did not have their shix together back then{June2007} then and on so many issues . So to save face and gain good PR this is the time to do it , show people you want their business for years to come.Im thinking of opening a small Apple store here in downtown Madison . Would you like that kind of service ?Hope to see ya soon, Michael Christian
Posted by xilni
31 July 2008 @ 5pm
Sadly this happened to me too. Let’s get this news out and maybe then public outrage will force Apple to do something about it.
http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_touchscreens_die_just_out_of_warranty_2
Posted by astom22
31 July 2008 @ 6pm
I dodged the bullet bigtime, five days before my warranty ran out, my screen died. It was the strip at the bottom that everyone describes. They replaced it with a refurb, but that phone only last five days before I got another one. It didn’t pick up my signal and you couldn’t make calls on it, not good for a cellphone. The third one has been perfect and I will be purchasing the extended warranty the week before the warranty runs out, just in case.
I don’t know if I could pull the $200 trigger to fix it if mine was out of warranty, but what other choice would I have had. Good luck to all with this problem.
Posted by thatchman1
31 July 2008 @ 6pm
Sounds like the exact type of reason I bought Apple care and still have a year left on it. I developed a “bright spot” about 1″ down on my screen, especially noticeable when displaying white. Without a worry, they sent me a brand new iPhone, or one refurbed to the point that it was visually perfect. No scratches, no use, looked brand new.
Consider Apple Care. Especially on something that gets hot cold bump drop action more than any device that sits on your desk, like a computer or an apple tv, etc.
Posted by rameeti
1 August 2008 @ 7am
My 3G phone developed problems after 2 days of use. They first wanted to make me a Genius appt to confirm the problem was hardware and the earliest appt was 2 days away. When I said that I’ll just return the phone then and go back outside and wait in the 45 minute line for a new phone, they quickly realized that perhaps they should check it out right then. The genius quickly recognized his first experience with a 3G phone having a dead zone on the screen and replaced it within minutes.
Yep, I too will be doing AppleCare.
Posted by architect323
1 August 2008 @ 9am
this happened to me… I noticed my screen had a dead spot, brought it in to the Apple Store, I was ONE DAY passed the 1 year warranty. This was 5 days before the new 3Gs were sold. They replaced my iPhone in 20 minutes.
i debated the apple care when i first got the iphone. Later, when they announced the new phone, i opted against it. i figure $80 for apple care, or $250 for the exact same size phone, why not just buy a new phone?
Posted by versiontracker2007
1 August 2008 @ 4pm
I’m soooo scared about buying an iPhone now….