problem with Altec Lansing customer service *update*

[NuclearNed]

I bought an Altec Lansing InAir 5000 speaker for the wife last Christmas. It retailed for about $500, but I think I paid $300-$400 for it. It is a wireless speaker that works with her iPhone over our house wifi.

The wife upgraded to iOS7, and the speaker quit working. I did some troubleshooting, and conclusively narrowed it down to being a problem with the new OS/iTunes. I opened a service ticket with them (Altec Lansing) explaining the problem.

Their response, summarized: "Yeah we know there's a problem. We aren't fixing it and you're screwed."

WTH??? The speaker is still in warranty, for the love of Pete. I don't think that downgrading back to iOS6 is even an option. What would you guys do???

update 20131031:
I sent this yesterday:

My speaker is less than a year old, and is still under warranty. I am completely unsatisfied by Altec Lansing's response to this issue. I would never have bought your product if I had known that less than a year later the key feature would no longer work... there were plenty of cheaper options out there from your competitors. So now I'm stuck with an expensive paperweight. Unless someone at Altec Lansing makes an effort to make this right, I can guarantee 2 things: 1) I'll never purchase any of your products again, and 2) I'll spread the story of this bad experience as far and wide as possible.

And then received this today:

Hi,

When and where was it purchased from, if Amazon please provide the seller name? If it was purchased from one of our authorized retailers you would have a 1 yr. warranty with us.

So I sent her the purchasing info (I bought it 11/26/2012). I'm still skeptical that she is going to do anything for me, but it seems like maybe she's budged a little...

 

[jaedaliu]

Get a new speaker.

Though, the one I have is bluetooth, and shouldn't be b0rked by a change in phone OS or apps.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I would tell Altec Lansing that their response just cost them a loyal customer. I would then sell the old one and get a different one.

 

[sdifox]

maybe wait for them to update the app to iOS7 standard?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

I conclusively narrowed it down to being a problem with the new OS/iTunes.

Why would Altec Lansing cover a problem with OS/iTunes? The speaker did not "quit working", the iPhone stopped sending it a signal it could understand. Take it up with Apple.

 

[natto fire]

INB4 Apple hate.

In all seriousness, it seems like you are either at the mercy of someone fixing it on the software side, or replacing it with hardware that works with your software setup. I didn't know Altec Lansing was still in business.

 

[jaedaliu]

google search tells me it's ios7 that's the culprit?

Or maybe I just don't understand what airplay is.

http://www.tuaw.com/2013/10/07/ios-7-video-tip-where-is-apple-hiding-airplay-mirroring/

 

[NuclearNed]

maybe wait for them to update the app to iOS7 standard?

That's the "we're not fixing it" part. They aren't going to upgrade their app, even though the speaker is still in warranty. Boo.

 

[sdifox]

That's the "we're not fixing it" part. They aren't going to upgrade their app, even though the speaker is still in warranty. Boo.

I doubt they are not updating it since they would not be able to sell it as Airplay compatible anymore and it is kind of their only gimmick on it.

 

[NuclearNed]

Why would Altec Lansing cover a problem with OS/iTunes? The speaker did not "quit working", the iPhone stopped sending it a signal it could understand. Take it up with Apple.

My wording in the part you quoted wasn't great... the problem is that something about the iTunes AirPlay standard has changed, and Altec Lansing isn't going to modify their app or firmware so that it will work with the new standard. I suppose you could say the problem is due to either or both companies.

 

[NuclearNed]

I doubt they are not updating it since they would not be able to sell it as Airplay compatible anymore and it is kind of their only gimmick on it.

here is the whole exchange so far:

Thanks for contacting Altec Lansing.


Hi Rdpoling,

Your request (#58078) has been deemed solved.


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Valerie, Oct 29 12:32 pm (EDT):
Hi,

Well, it looks as though you have figured out your issue. It seems as though the speaker is not compatible with the newer software. Since the sale of the company, I am with the previous owners, all of our speaker were discontinued (such as your speaker). So unfortunately we do not have any updates or what have you for this issue. You could contact Apple to reset your devices back to the previous software that was working or if you do not prefer to do that it can still be used through the cable. I apologize!


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Rdpoling, Oct 27 07:05 pm (EDT):
My InAir 5000 speaker no longer works through a WiFi connection. It is definitely connected to my home WiFi network (I can see the connection through my router's admin software, and the speaker's light is solid blue, indicating a connection), but neither iTunes nor my iPhone can connect to it. I get an iTunes error when it times out while attempting to connect. The speaker itself is verifiably working... I can connect my iPhone to it using the USB cable and it plays perfectly. The speaker was working very recently, and basically quit working when I upgraded my iPhone to iOS 7 and also upgraded iTunes to the most recent version. Any suggestions?

 

[sdifox]

here is the whole exchange so far:

So there was a sale of the company, which means you are screwed.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Yea, Apple won't care either. Time to move on.

 

[sdifox]

maybe ask them to release the code if they are not going to support it? Sure some hacker would fix it.

 

[ch33zw1z]

maybe ask them to release the code if they are not going to support it? Sure some hacker would fix it.

You think that would work? Or would you also need Apple's code to see what changes are made?

 

[sdifox]

You think that would work? Or would you also need Apple's code to see what changes are made?

plenty of coder with access to sdk and specs would jump on it.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I'm going to second the suggestion to move on. My suggestion is to go for $20-30 bluetooth technologies from the chinese. Those companies won't care either, but they work great. I'm enjoying my Kinivo bluetooth stereo headphones right now, as a matter of fact. ($25 @ amazon)

I dropped Altec Lansing, Boston Accoustics, Logitech and all those other companies years ago. They don't support their producs once they get your money. (Sony is on that list too!)

Sorry to hear an IOS upgrade screwed it up.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Wow, is there ANY good that iOS 7 did for iDevices?

 

[crashtestdummy]

This, in a nutshell, is why I default to non-proprietary interfaces when possible. Perhaps you can get ever so slightly better sound quality over a digital connection, but a headphone jack isn't likely to become obsolete for a while.

 

[sdifox]

This, in a nutshell, is why I default to non-proprietary interfaces when possible. Perhaps you can get ever so slightly better sound quality over a digital connection, but a headphone jack isn't likely to become obsolete for a while.

he can still use the physical USB connection, it's just airplay not working.

 

[crashtestdummy]

he can still use the physical USB connection, it's just airplay not working.

Oh. Maybe I'm just a luddite, but that's not so bad.

 

[sdifox]

Oh. Maybe I'm just a luddite, but that's not so bad.

It is bad when you paid a huge premium for Airplay :biggrin:

 

[ch33zw1z]

It is bad when you paid a huge premium for Airplay :biggrin:

Is Airplay proprietary?

 

[sdifox]

Is Airplay proprietary?

Apple AirPlay. You bet your ass it is proprietary :biggrin:

 

[ch33zw1z]

This, in a nutshell, is why I default to non-proprietary interfaces when possible. Perhaps you can get ever so slightly better sound quality over a digital connection, but a headphone jack isn't likely to become obsolete for a while.

Like this guy said. I prefer to keep my options open.