Apple's dead pixel policy

Andy Leitch

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Just called Apple due to the dead pixel in the middle of my iPad's screen and they said that one dead pixel is acceptable.

I did a search on this prior to my call and this contradicts what I found, so I queried this with 'Dave', so he spoke to a senior colleague and said that any replacement may have one or more dead pixels and would *not* be replaced. Again this contradicts what I found, as some people have swapped their iPad's upto 3 times.

I'm not going to accept another faulty product, so under the Distance Selling Regulations, I'm sending it back for a full refund.

I thought Apple were supposed to have outstanding customer service.....in my case....apparently not.
 
Why is that not good customer service? They have their policy and follow it?

Now they also have another policy which is that you can return within 14 days no quibbles...So why not just return and then buy another one if one pixel annoys you...
 
I've had a few problems with iPads and have found Apple to be outstanding.

My first UK iPad had a flickering backlight, my second had a faulty home button, my third had a dead pixel and my fourth had a flickering backlight, I'm now on my fifth in the last 2 weeks and fourth of this weekend.

The guys at the Apple store have really been great in trying to get me a positive outcome.
 
Why is that not good customer service?
Because they weren't interested in giving me a replacement, it was only after I insisted on a replacement and after speaking to a senior manager...I was offered a replacement......and even then, the replacement had conditions attached to it. I fail to see how you think that's good customer service for a 3 day old product.

If you can find their dead pixel policy relating to the iPad on their website or in the iPad maunal, let me know, as I can't find it.

The fact remains that if you have upto four dead pixels on your iPad, you're SOL....Apple don't care.
 
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You bring emotion into it, always a bad idea in these situations. Hoewever why not return it, that way you are guaranteed a new replacement something you are not when exchanging it. Their return policy goes beyond that of the law, which is pretty good to me.
 
Can you return it if you bought it in-store? and opened and used it and noticed a dead pixel? Don't know if it bothers me yet, I bought it in London and live in the North West. Have to go to Manchester or Liverpool.
 
Dead pixels are not a fault though they are a flaw in LCD panels generally, so as long as the number are within their acceptable limits they don't have to replace it. Best bet as dejongj said would be to return it for a refund under the 14 day policy and then buy a new one.

I don't look for dead pixels on LCD screens anymore, i've had them on tv's before and on my PSP and just stopped noticing them.
 
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Yes just return in store. Don't go in and say you want a swap for a dead pixel as some are deemed acceptable, just do the no quibble 2 week return and buy another one and inspect it before you go ;-)
 
I still feel this is a strange one.

It's like the makers have created their own rules about quality and what the consumer has to accept.

For example, say I picked banana's and due to the way they are picked and that I don't check them very well, a fair percent of the bunches of banana's I sell have a black banana in the bunch.

I (due to the way I pick them and inspect them) decide off my own back that, that's fine, and acceptable and you as a customer just have to accept that you may have a black banana in a bunch.

You can't bring it back and complain as I have decided it's ok so you are stuck with it.

Strange they have managed to decide that they can sell faulty products.

All a pointless rule anyway, as you can just take it back and say I don't like it.
 
The difference is that that one black banana (but don't forget some people like those however I get the point) can't be eaten so you are left with it of throw it away....A small number of pixels not working is deemed acceptable as the majority of people can't even see it when using at standard operating distance...However if you are someone who is sensitive to these kind of things it is really annoying...So it is good that Apple has got that return policy, not something a lot of retailers do....
 
The difference is that that one black banana (but don't forget some people like those however I get the point) can't be eaten so you are left with it of throw it away....A small number of pixels not working is deemed acceptable as the majority of people can't even see it when using at standard operating distance...However if you are someone who is sensitive to these kind of things it is really annoying...So it is good that Apple has got that return policy, not something a lot of retailers do....

Ok, let's try this one then ;)

We make cars, and due to the fact that we have to assemble the cars after they they are painted, and we don't wish to spend more time/energy protecting the bodywork. Our mechanics (when installing the engine, wheels etc etc) can sometimes scratch the paintwork.

Scratches in your paintwork in no way affect the cars functionality and many people if they don't look too close won't see the scratches.

We have ourselves deemed our cars can have up to 5 scratches on their bodywork before we will consider a repair, otherwise you will just have to live with it like that.

:thumbsup:
 
Tempest I agreed with you, we can keep making analogies but none will stick as it is a different problem....

Scratches all depends on the size of them to me not necessarily the quantity....But I have bought a due to paint rejected car in the past which didn't bother me at all....I couldn't even see it when the sales person demonstrated it, yet it bugged the owner enough to reject it....

We all have different tolerance levels, so good there is a no quibble return...
 
Dead pixels are of course not such a problem given Apple's 14-day 'no quibble' return policy. However even if you bought from a retailer without that policy & when you unpacked the item at home you found dead pixels then you would be entitled to the normal Sale of Goods Act protection that goods must be 'Fit for purpose' & 'Of the quality expected'. The retailer wouldn't have any option except to give you a refund or replacement no matter how they might try & pretend that dead pixels are somehow acceptable.

It's more straightforward & you are much better protected for any high value item if you order online or by phone as then the Distance Selling Regulations apply & you have 7 working days to return the item for any reason whatsoever.
 
Dead pixels are of course not such a problem given Apple's 14-day 'no quibble' return policy. However even if you bought from a retailer without that policy & when you unpacked the item at home you found dead pixels then you would be entitled to the normal Sale of Goods Act protection that goods must be 'Fit for purpose' & 'Of the quality expected'. The retailer wouldn't have any option except to give you a refund or replacement no matter how they might try & pretend that dead pixels are somehow acceptable.

It's more straightforward & you are much better protected for any high value item if you order online or by phone as then the Distance Selling Regulations apply & you have 7 working days to return the item for any reason whatsoever.

I think that is the problem

The rule has been make up and accepted by the industry that a certain amount of dead pixels are acceptable, and that's just that.

If you took them to court over it, they would win if they bought in expert witnesses that explained the impracticalities and expense of no dead pixels allowed.

There are different grades of display and consumer products are not the top grade.
 
If you took them to court over it, they would win if they bought in expert witnesses that explained the impracticalities and expense of no dead pixels allowed.
Not if you specified when you purchased that you didn't want a unit with any dead pixels.

Under the Sale of Goods Act items for sale must be:-

1) 'as described'
2) 'of satisfactory quality'
3)'fit for purpose' – this means both their everyday purpose, and also any specific purpose that you agreed with the seller (for example, if you specifically asked for a printer that would be compatible with your computer)

Just because the retailers expert says that dead pixels are acceptable doesn't make it so. To have any force there would have to be a disclaimer on the packaging 'May contain dead pixels'

The third point is the easiest to understand. You say to the retailer. "I do not want any dead pixels" then if you are given an item with dead pixels it is not fit for your purpose. It's also not of satisfactory quality but at least you don't need to argue the toss in court about it.
 
Not if you specified when you purchased that you didn't want a unit with any dead pixels.

Under the Sale of Goods Act items for sale must be:-

1) 'as described'
2) 'of satisfactory quality'
3)'fit for purpose' – this means both their everyday purpose, and also any specific purpose that you agreed with the seller (for example, if you specifically asked for a printer that would be compatible with your computer)

Just because the retailers expert says that dead pixels are acceptable doesn't make it so. To have any force there would have to be a disclaimer on the packaging 'May contain dead pixels'

The third point is the easiest to understand. You say to the retailer. "I do not want any dead pixels" then if you are given an item with dead pixels it is not fit for your purpose. It's also not of satisfactory quality but at least you don't need to argue the toss in court about it.


You would need this in writing from the salesman at the very least, and also would need to specify stuck/faulty sub pixels.
 
Guys lets not blow this out of proportion. Apple has got one of the best return policies from any retailer so just use that, much easier for anyone opposed to taking people to court...
 
Agreed, though I don't like the way it seems to be down to pot luck or how the Guy in the Apple store is feeling that day as to the result you may get.

TV's are of course worse as they have larger pixels.

Many years ago I was in Comet asking about a 37" TV, and asked about dead pixels (as the display model had one)

I was told, no, they don't take back TV's for the odd one or two duff pixel (though I might be lucky depending on individual circumstances at the time)

However if I was to pay an extra £200 (I think) warranty then they would guarantee a pixel perfect set.

I said thanks, and decided to mail order from someone else instead.

When my 37" set did arrive it had some dead pixels (like half working ones) as it was mail order I was able to sent it back and get a replacement.
 
Agreed, though I don't like the way it seems to be down to pot luck or how the Guy in the Apple store is feeling that day as to the result you may get.

TV's are of course worse as they have larger pixels.

Many years ago I was in Comet asking about a 37" TV, and asked about dead pixels (as the display model had one)

I was told, no, they don't take back TV's for the odd one or two duff pixel (though I might be lucky depending on individual circumstances at the time)

However if I was to pay an extra £200 (I think) warranty then they would guarantee a pixel perfect set.

I said thanks, and decided to mail order from someone else instead.

When my 37" set did arrive it had some dead pixels (like half working ones) as it was mail order I was able to sent it back and get a replacement.

What are you on about? It isn't down you pot luck on who you get...There is no reason required to return it...So why would it depend on who you get...
 
What are you on about? It isn't down you pot luck on who you get...There is no reason required to return it...So why would it depend on who you get...

Apologies I did not explain myself :)

I know the Money back warranty from Apple is a company thing.

The whole question about getting a replacement item (any Apple product) for a fault which may not strictly be company policy, can come down to how nice the Apple guy (genius) is personally, how polite you are to him, what kind of day he's having.

I've heard totally various stories about people who take some product in and get no joy, whereas other people have taken items back which could be their fault it's damaged and they get brand new replacements for things.

In this instance, if you took your iPad back to an Apple store and said you want another one as this one has 1 stuck sub pixel, there is no way of knowing the outcome from that complaint.
 
True, hence I advice people to return it which is different than requesting a replacement...Sure may seem like madness...But stock levels are different due to accounting processes and what an organisation can do....

So easiest return it and buy another one....and check it out prior to parting with money...
 

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