Apple India Private Limited — My iPhone 5C ( IMEI No.-[protected]) HARDWARE ISSUE

Address:

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

I had purchased iPhone 5C ( IMEI No.-[protected]) from your dealer, UNIVERCELL at Express Avenue, Chennai, for a consideration of Rs. 53, 500/-(Fifty Three Thousand Five Hundred only) on 18/1/2014. On 28/8/2015 my iPhone receiver speaker was not working and after sometime the network was also not being detected by my iPhone and displayed as "searching" throughout the day. On 29/8/2015, I took my iPhone to Imagine, who is your authorized service centre at Alwarpet, Chennai for repair. My iPhone was taken for repair under the job order no. RAF (Repair Acceptance Form) - IMT751310 . On 31/8/2015 I received a call from the service centre stating that the my iPhone cannot be repaired since it is a hardware issue and the only option is to exchange my phone by paying Rs.20, 000/-. On the same day I received an email from the service centre stating the below. =Qte= iPhone remains in searching network receiver speaker is not working Diagnosis : iPhone in searching mode. Checked the iPhone by restoring iOS in DFU mode and found iPhone stuck with iTunes error occurred and conformed to be a hardware issue, and Checked with known good iTunes and system and found same issue persist. Checked and verified the serial number and IMEI number. Device passed in VMI and Micro Inspection test. Hence issue with the user iPhone and eligible only for exchange price. Customer not willing to go for exchange price, returning the same to customer. =Unqte= I went to the service centre in person as I was very surprised to hear that i have to replace my phone which is just around a year and half old and that too at a cost of Rs.20, 000/-. I was told at the service centre that my phone doesn't fall under the warranty period of one year and hence I must pay Rs.20, 000/- and Apple will replace my phone with a new instrument for the hardware issue. The service centre then gave me a toll free number to speak to the customer care. I spoke to your personne, Mr.Bupesh ( contact - [protected] extn[protected] and my phone conversation with Mr. Bupesh turned out to be of no use as he also merely repeated the same conversation to say there is a hardware issue in my iPhone due to which the phone cannot be used again and since my iPhone has crossed the 1 year warranty period I must pay for the hardware repair and the cost for the same will be Rs.20, 000/- and then Apple will replace my faulty phone with a new instrument. I asked him the reason for the hardware issue and he did not give me any reason for this but simply stated that a hardware issue can happen in any electronics device. I was taken aback by this very unprofessional explanation and made it very clear to him that Apple iPhone is not just another electronic product which will encounter a major hardware issue in just 18 months o[censored]se age and also considering that I have paid a huge amount of Rs.53, 500/- to buy a world class phone product from Apple. From the above email it is evident that the repair is because of the hardware issue and the iPhone/product cannot be repaired, the only option is to get a new iPhone. The service centre's email or the person who attended the repair never mentioned that the hardware problem is because of the wear and tear / mishandling/ failure to follow instructions . Therefore it is apparent that the hardware problem was inherent when I bought the iPhone/product. Moreover all my data stored in the iPhone is lost and could not be retrieved. When there is a problem with your product / phone, your company/service centre cannot even repair the product and the only solution/option you provide is to replace the phone and asking the consumer/customer to bear the costs. So, you are selling an inferior product/phone in the market for a higher price which the product/phone don't deserve. I am appalled at the quality and I wonder how you could allow such a product to hit shelves at all. It is a clear unfair trade practices. I am hoping to get justice for the money I have paid and would really appreciate APPLE replace my phone with out charging any exchange price if so the industry proves worth it. You are hereby called upon to remove the said defect (ie.. the hardware issue) in the product/phone or replace me with a new iPhone or return the consideration of Rs.53, 500/-(Fifty Three Thousand Five Hundred only) with interest @ 18% P.A. within three(3) days of receipt of this email . This letter is provided to give you earliest possible notice of potential claim.