Few big dust specks appeared under my iPhone's screen

[2Xtreme21]

Since about mid-last week I noticed some dust specks appearing under the screen on my iPhone. Nothing too annoying until recently when a big one appeared right in the middle! I stopped in the Apple store and asked them about it and said I could just use a can of compressed air to blow it out, but no matter how much I use, I can't get it to move.

I'm at my wits end with it. Anybody have a similar issue? I hate taking it back to the Apple store and raising hell over a speck of dust, but it might come to it. Any chance on getting a replacement?

Update: See 6th post.

 

[gorcorps]

A replacement? For dust? You've gotta be fucking kidding me. You're lucky to get a replacement when it's actually broken, let alone for something cosmetic that isn't affecting usability. If you want you can open the iphone and get some canned air behind the screen easier, and put some double sided tape folded over around the perimeter of the screen (inside the phone) to prevent more dust getting in.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: gorcorps
A replacement? For dust? You've gotta be fucking kidding me. You're lucky to get a replacement when it's actually broken, let alone for something cosmetic that isn't affecting usability. If you want you can open the iphone and get some canned air behind the screen easier, and put some double sided tape folded over around the perimeter of the screen (inside the phone) to prevent more dust getting in.

See, I thought the same thing, but then I realized that it's not a user-caused issue, but rather a fault of shoddy hardware manufacturing (my 1st gen iphone didn't have any dust issues). I figure if I paid the money I paid for my iphone, it should be flawless.

 

[pm]

Knowing how the screens on the first gen iPhones are put together - I've taken apart two - I can't picture dust getting behind the screen on those original iPhones... there's this sticky sealer stuff between the LCD and the glass all the way around the perimeter. I wonder how the new ones are put together that would allow dust to get in there.

In any case, yes, I would take it back to Apple if it were me. The device is not user serviceable, and dust behind the screen is a manufacturing defect in my humble opinion on a screen that can't be cleaned. If they won't let you take it apart - and Apple makes it very hard to do so - then dust shouldn't be getting in there. On a Nokia, you can take the screen cover off - it's expected that you'll clean it yourself - if Apple won't let you clean it, then they should clean it for you.

If gocorps thinks that I'm crazy, I can deal with that. But for a device that costs $200 + $70/mo * 24 months = $1880 over the mandatory contract period, I expect it to look and perform fine unless I drop it or do something outside the specification. If I use it normally and the screen gets messed up... pixels die, pixels blur, pixels are covered with dust, I'd hope they'd fix it for me. And if they don't then I'll shrug and will think a bit harder the next time that I'm looking to buy one.

Take it to an Apple store and see what they say - and post back here because I'm curious.

 

[Muadib]

I'm with pm. Return that sucker!!!

 

[gorcorps]

I'm not saying you don't deserve to have a flawless device, just that they probably wouldn't replace it for such a thing. But if you have an apple store nearby, why not try it out and see? My experience with apple wasn't good, but who knows you might get somebody who knows how to open it up and clean it for you right there at least.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Update: Well, they gave me a replacement. I made an appointment for today, walked in and told the guy up front that I felt stupid for coming for such a small issue and asked him if he could clean the dust off the screen. He pulled out a can of compressed air and blew through the headphone jack, which didn't do squat. He handed me back my phone and asked if they were gone, I said no, he took it to his manager who just said replace it.

*shrugs*. Here's to hoping my new (refurb) 3g doesn't have the same faulty assembly.

 

[dougp]

The first few months, many people were having issues with light bleeding around the edges of the iPhone, between the chrome bezel and the screen. Apple finally came out and admitted this was a defect - as it causes light bleed (of course) and allows dust to get under the screen. You can take it back because of that.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Update: Well, they gave me a replacement. I made an appointment for today, walked in and told the guy up front that I felt stupid for coming for such a small issue and asked him if he could clean the dust off the screen. He pulled out a can of compressed air and blew through the headphone jack, which didn't do squat. He handed me back my phone and asked if they were gone, I said no, he took it to his manager who just said replace it.

*shrugs*. Here's to hoping my new (refurb) 3g doesn't have the same faulty assembly.

congrats, that story means one step in the right direction for apple in my mind (or at least that manager )

 

[Kalvin00]

2 big pieces of fiber or hair or something just appeared to me on my 3g today. I can see it even when the phone is on. Guess I'll either deal and watch it get worse or take a refurb :/