Google does not honor Pixel warranty - Google Pixel 2 XL Questions & Answers

I purchased a Google Pixel 2xl on eBay, and then the camera stopped working (the main reason I bought the phone). I contacted Google who confirmed that my phone was originally bought from Google Fi and was still under warranty, and therefore eligible for replacement. Google transferred ownership of the phone from the original owner to me in their computer system, which is required to process a replacement. They requested my proof of purchase, which I provided. However, since filing my warranty claim 38 days ago, Google has refused to send me a replacement phone.
I have been transferred continuously from their tier 1 support to tier 2 and tier 3 support, all who will not give me a valid reason why they will not send me a replacement. Most recently, I have been told by two different tier 2 support representatives that Google will not issue a replacement because my phone was bought on eBay. However, I have confirmed with 7 Google phone representatives and 6 Google chat representatives that a Pixel phone that was originally bought from Google Fi and then resold on eBay retains its warranty. According to Google policy, reselling a Pixel phone on eBay that was originally purchased from Google does not void its warranty. Still, Google is denying my warranty claim for this reason, which is a violation of my warranty, Google policy, and my rights as a consumer.
Recently my IMEI was mysteriously blacklisted, and I could not use my phone for one week, whereas it had no such problem in the 6+ months I had owned it. Since Google is the original seller and service provider of my phone, they are the only company that could blacklist my IMEI. After contacting Google, my IMEI was suddenly and mysteriously removed from the blacklist. Google has confirmed that my phone is not blacklisted, and that my phone has not been reported lost or stolen. But Google has not said they were responsible for the blacklist, even though they are the only company capable of this.
I have spent upwards of 25 hours working on this matter, on the phone with Google support and corresponding with them by email. On two occasions I called Google Home and the representative was attempting to transfer my call to Google Fi, but Google Fi declined my transferred call. They refused to speak to me two times, with two different representatives. Recently I have experienced my support calls and chats suddenly disconnecting without explanation, something that has never happened before. Something strange is going on at Google support, and it seems the support representatives are acting manipulatively and dishonestly.
I am simply trying to get my phone replaced due to a hardware malfunction, which is covered under warranty. I am the owner of the phone in Google's computer system, I have provided Google my proof of purchase, and my phone has not been reported lost or stolen. There is no reason for Google to deny my warranty claim. However, I have been manipulated and misinformed by Google support staff, given conflicting information, ensnared in endless bureaucratic delays and excuses, and had my IMEI temporarily blacklisted. This is the worst experience I've had with any consumer product in my life.
I seem to have exhausted all my options to pursue this matter with Google support. What should I do next?

bodhica said:
I seem to have exhausted all my options to pursue this matter with Google support. What should I do next?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Post in /r/GooglePixel on Reddit and then place a Reddit request for help from dmziggy.
https://www.reddit.com/r/GooglePixel/comments/907qdg/introducing_reddit_request_for_rgooglepixel/

bodhica said:
According to Google policy, reselling a Pixel phone on eBay that was originally purchased from Google does not void its warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google is usually very lenient regarding its policies with both the Nexus and Pixel devices. However, in this case you really don't have a leg to stand on. You aren't the original owner of this device, and only the original owner is entitled to warranty protection. Even if that were not the case, Google plainly points out the warranty only applies if purchased from them or an authorized retailer. That means Google, Verizon, or Best Buy. ebay isn't authorized, and neither is the original owner.
So you in effect have no warranty. You're not the original buyer and neither the original buyer nor ebay are authorized retailers. Now, I don't know if posting on the reddit thread will help, but it certainly can't hurt. Just be aware that if Google does finally replace your device it won't be because of the warranty.

I checked the warranty language and no where does it say that 2nd hand owners are eligible to a warranty. It also didn't say that you weren't sooo.
Thats the chance of buying used.

Regarding Google's warranty: legalese is rarely as black and white as it seems. A legal document is subject to interpretation, and this interpretation can be affected by real-world circumstances and practices, the law, and case precedents. Therefore, those who have asserted a firm opinion about Google's obligations or lack thereof solely by reading and interpreting the text of its warranty do not have a conclusive basis for their certainty.
Google's policy and practice is to honor its warranty on any phone that is originally purchased from Google, including instances when those phones are resold, and excluding instances where those phones are obtained through illicit means. The provision of Google's warranty that stipulates that Google's warranty will only be valid if the phone is bought from Google or an authorized retailer only applies to where the phone is originally purchased, and is unaffected by the phone being resold on eBay. This is the way the language of Google's warranty has been interpreted in practice by Google. I have confirmed this policy and practice through unanimous consensus among many Google 1st tier support representatives, and have not found any exception to this when researching online accounts of warranty redemptions from people who purchased their Pixel on eBay. In other words, reselling a Pixel phone on eBay does not void its warranty. Absent any possibility that a phone has been acquired through illicit means, there is no reason that Google would void or not honor its warranty on an undamaged phone originally purchased directly from Google. It is against their policy in practice, and therefore would violate their warranty. Given this pervasive practice by Google, from a legal standpoint Google is violating its warranty by denying my warranty claim.

When I was going to send my 2xl for warranty repair that was purchased from craigslist, they were going to refuse it as I was not the original buyer and could not provide the order number for the purchase. Luckily the guy I bought it from provided the Google Store order # and they transferred ownership to me and I was able to get it repaired free.

bodhica said:
Wall of text snipped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your opinion is noted, but I think you're letting your anger cloud your reason. The written terms of a contract are of greater legal strength than a verbal agreement. Period. It doesn't matter how many tech support drones agree with you, you need to get it in writing that they will replace your device. Absent that, you're out of luck. Google's flexibility in applying their warranty does not equate to a contract.

Related

Rooting the desire and warranty statement *Rooting doesn't void warranty!*

I've just had a read through the entire warranty statement and I haven't found any clauses to state that "Software modifications unauthorized by HTC will render the warranty void". In fact I see nothing even remotely like that in the entire warranty statement. Does this mean that HTC will still honour the warranty no matter what the software condition on the phone? Warranty statement or not, aren't manufacturing defects covered under EU law (For the Europeans among us ) anyway so no matter what HTC say they have to honour the warranty if the fault is a manufacturing defect?
abc27 said:
I've just had a read through the entire warranty statement and I haven't found any clauses to state that "Software modifications unauthorized by HTC will render the warranty void". In fact I see nothing even remotely like that in the entire warranty statement. Does this mean that HTC will still honour the warranty no matter what the software condition on the phone? Warranty statement or not, aren't manufacturing defects covered under EU law (For the Europeans among us ) anyway so no matter what HTC say they have to honour the warranty if the fault is a manufacturing defect?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Should be no different to the nexus
What kind of things can void the warranty coverage?
Here are a few examples of actions that void the warranty coverage:
rough handling of the device
exposure of the device to extreme conditions
tampering with the device, including removal or defacing of the serial number, IMEI number, or water indicator
unauthorized opening or repair of the device
tampering with or short-circuiting the battery
unlocking the bootloader using the fastboot program
Taken from http://www.google.com/support/android/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=166519
Also check with your carrier, in the UK etc our contract is with the person who provided the phone not the Manufacturer, so T-Mobile etc would be the person honouring the warranty.
ronnyuk said:
Should be no different to the nexus
What kind of things can void the warranty coverage?
Here are a few examples of actions that void the warranty coverage:
rough handling of the device
exposure of the device to extreme conditions
tampering with the device, including removal or defacing of the serial number, IMEI number, or water indicator
unauthorized opening or repair of the device
tampering with or short-circuiting the battery
unlocking the bootloader using the fastboot program
Taken from http://www.google.com/support/android/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=166519
Also check with your carrier, in the UK etc our contract is with the person who provided the phone not the Manufacturer, so T-Mobile etc would be the person honouring the warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the nexus one though. For warranty purposes these are two totally different devices. It's what in the warranty statement they sold us the device with that counts. Reading through it now I see everything you mentioned there besides unlocking the bootloader.
In any case, surely our statoury rights have more weight than a warranty statement. If there is a manufacturing defect they must replace, refund or repair. That's my understanding of the law regarding electronic goods anyway.
I've just read through a scan of the Nexus One warranty statement
7. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL NOT APPLY IF:
a) the Product serial number, the accessory date code, the IMEI number, the water indicator, or the warranty seal has been removed, erased, defaced, altered or is illegible; or
b) the defect was caused by deterioration of the Product due to normal wear and tear; or
c) the defect was caused by use other than in accordance with the user manual, rough handling, exposure to moisture, dampness or extreme thermal or environmental conditions or a rapid change in
such conditions, corrosion, oxidation, unauthorized modifications or connections, unauthorized opening or repair, repair by use of unauthorized spare parts, accidents, forces of nature, or other actions beyond the reasonable control of HTC (including but not limited to deficiencies in consumable parts) unless the defect was caused directly by defects in materials or workmanship; or
d) the defect was caused by the fact that the battery has been short-circuited or by the fact that the seals of the battery enclosure or the cells are broken or show evidence of tampering or by the fact that the battery has been used in equipment other than those for which it has been specified; or
e) the defect was caused by a defective function of the cellular network or other system; or
f) the Product software needs to be upgraded due to changes in cellular network parameters; or
g) the defect was caused by the fact that the Product was used with or connected to an accessory not approved or provided by HTC or used in other than its intended use and where it can be shown by HTC that such defect is not the fault of the Product itself; or
h) the bootloader is unlocked by the Customer (allowing third party OS installation) using the fastboot program.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check your warranty statement. Article 7 in the HTC Desire warranty statement is precisely the same except it does not feature section h.
In fact the entire warranty statement is identical barr that one section.
Can anyone else confirm this? Afaik my phone is a UK model. Anyone on the continent want to confirm their phone also has the same warranty statement? Maybe some of the branded phones' statements aswell?
abc27 said:
Can anyone else confirm this? Afaik my phone is a UK model. Anyone on the continent want to confirm their phone also has the same warranty statement? Maybe some of the branded phones' statements aswell?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a desire from the UK on T-mobile. Just scanned through my warranty and dont have 'h'.
Took a look at my warranty too, Clause 4 actually states that
This Limited Warranty applies only to the hardware components of the Product as originally supplied and does not apply to any software or other equipment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would take this to mean that 'software' refers to the OS/Android, i.e. rooting should not be an issue? I suppose it just means that they won't repair (under warranty) if you bricked your phone with a bad flash or something.
indeed, the warranty only covers the device as supplied (or updated using the correct update) by HTC. If you rooted the device, it is not 'as supplied' and they would refuse the warranty (if they noticed)
As for your statutory rights, they have nothing to do with HTC.
All your statutory rights are with the retailer you bought the device from. In my case, that is t-mobile. Warranty and statutory rights are completely separate and have no bearing on each other whatsoever.
rhedgehog said:
As for your statutory rights, they have nothing to do with HTC.
All your statutory rights are with the retailer you bought the device from. In my case, that is t-mobile. Warranty and statutory rights are completely separate and have no bearing on each other whatsoever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, statutory rights are more relevant to the manufacturer than they are to the retailer, especially when it comes to claiming on the warranty for faults.
Just as a data point, I have in the past had an HTC product with a blatantly-custom ROM (MrClean on an HTC Artemis) repaired by HTC UK under warranty. YMMV, obviously. It came back with stock ROM and a curt note on the engineer sheet but they did repair it. The guys I spoke to at HTC prior to sending it in said it probably wouldn't be a problem, but if it were one of the O2-branded variants (which had a slightly different casing) then warranties go back to O2, and they might not be so forgiving.
This isn't *directly* relevant to this discussion, but it's my experience of HTC UK.
Once the T-Mobile ROM is extracted we'll have a rollback, I guess.
If it comes down to it, and I have an un-related hardware, I'd go back to T-Mobile and tell them that the onus is on them to prove that the problem I had was caused by software if they got funny about it.
FloatingFatMan said:
Actually, statutory rights are more relevant to the manufacturer than they are to the retailer, especially when it comes to claiming on the warranty for faults.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to disagree with you on that one.
The sale of goods act sets out the rights you have with your retailer under your contract of sale. these are your statutory rights, and they are all with the retailer, not with HTC.
All the government advice even states that the retailer should NOT refer you to the manufacturer, as under the sale of good act the Retailer is responsible, not the manufacturer.
HTC have no requirements under the sale of goods act that i can see.
rhedgehog said:
I have to disagree with you on that one.
The sale of goods act sets out the rights you have with your retailer under your contract of sale. these are your statutory rights, and they are all with the retailer, not with HTC.
All the government advice even states that the retailer should NOT refer you to the manufacturer, as under the sale of good act the Retailer is responsible, not the manufacturer.
HTC have no requirements under the sale of goods act that i can see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to work in retail. The retailers responsibilities end after 90 days, then you go to the manufacturer.
FloatingFatMan said:
I used to work in retail. The retailers responsibilities end after 90 days, then you go to the manufacturer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it doesn't. The retailer is fully responsible as you have made a contract with them and not HTC. That said all the retailer do is send it off to HTC on your behalf anyway so it's not as if you need to go to the retailer.
So I am fairly certain now that our warrantys will be safe when a root comes out. No there are no major downsides to rooting
Why not ask T-Mobile?
I couldn't see in the thread whether anyone has actually contacted T-Mobile to ask them. Surely this would be the best option. I'll fire them an email (if I can get one to them) and ask them and post whatever reply I get.
souljah777 said:
I couldn't see in the thread whether anyone has actually contacted T-Mobile to ask them. Surely this would be the best option. I'll fire them an email (if I can get one to them) and ask them and post whatever reply I get.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically the warranty statement has more legal backing than what anyone at T-Mobile will tell you.
FloatingFatMan said:
I used to work in retail. The retailers responsibilities end after 90 days, then you go to the manufacturer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also used to work in Retail, I was a manager of a store and we held the warranty in store for the year. I worked for a quite big chain so it was the same in all our retail stores over the UK.
Rooting and romming WILL affect your warranty as it will affect whether or not you can claim your statuory rights under the sales of goods act. Basically you will allow the manufacturer the right to choose whether to honour the agreement or not. They may or may not it will simply be a chance you take.
Btw your contract of sale is held with the shop and not the manufacturer and a shop can be held liable for up to 7 years under the European Electrical directive concerning durability to sale of goods
if anyone is interested I can write it up in full on how it affects you, I used to own mobile phone shops so i am very versed with the laws governing this sort of thing,
haggisuk99 said:
Rooting and romming WILL affect your warranty as it will affect whether or not you can claim your statuory rights under the sales of goods act. Basically you will allow the manufacturer the right to choose whether to honour the agreement or not. They may or may not it will simply be a chance you take.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the point of this thread. The Nexus One's warranty statement specifically states that unlocking the bootloader voids the warranty. The HTC Desire's warranty statement makes no mention of this whatsoever so therefore HTC have no legal ground to void the warranty as it is not a clause in their end user licence agreement/warranty statement.
as we've already stated in this and other threads, the warranty states that HTC warranty the device as provided. Any modification and technically you void this clause and therefore the warranty.
Now obviously, they are not counting the installation of third party apps as modification, and no reasonable manufacturer would. but modifying the underlying OS will kill your warranty.
Also, as already stated haggis, the sale of goods act is with the RETAILER not HTC.
As for the 90 days thing, that may have been your store's policy, but it is certainly not the law. That's why many retailers get a bad name, because one they have your cash, they don't give a sh**, and most consumers don;t have a clue what they are entitled to under the law. The law states a 'reasonable amount of time'. I would expect my phone to last longer than 90 days, and so does the law, and therefore even me coming back 9 months later is still a reasonable time.
Lots of us have worked for retailers, we just didn't all work for shonky ones with dodgy policies.
A manufacturer can put what they want into a warranty document, it doesn't make it law. SOGA protects customer with the retailer who sold them the phone, not the manufacturer. The fact some retailers prefer to palm you off to the manufacturer doesn't mean it's a legal necessity.

Things to know about Samsung warranty service via AT&T

I recently had warranty service on my Note 4 through AT&T. The process turned out to be considerably more difficult - and potentially financially risky - than I expected. There are a lot of things that I know now, that I wish I had known at the beginning of the process. Therefore, I'm writing this summary to help prepare other AT&T customers who need service for their Samsung (and probably other) products.
If you don't care about the back story, just scan for the bolded TAKEAWAY lines below, or skip to the SUMMARY section at the end.
THE ISSUE
I bought a new (not refurbished) Note 4 a few months ago. From the moment I got it home, away from the blazing fluorescent lights and full screen brightness in the AT&T store, I noticed the dreaded pink tinted screen issue. The effect was minor at first, but grew in intensity over the subsequent weeks. It was bad enough within just a couple of days that I couldn't see the right-most digit of my alarm clock app at all when I had the brightness turned way down for nighttime (this would be at the top of the screen, they way it sits horizontally on my stand).
Having had a similar, but more severe, screen issue that rendered my Galaxy S4 unusable, I was particularly sensitive to screen quality and resolved to get this fixed.
MY OPTIONS
I had two primary options for fixing the problem (probably in addition to purchase protection on my business credit card):
1. Samsung warranty: Covers manufacturer defects for one year
2. AT&T insurance policy (well, 3rd party policy that AT&T sells): Covers virtually any kind of defect, damage, or loss, after paying the deductible
I decided to pursue Option 1, for two reasons. Firstly, the problem was clearly (to me, at least) a manufacturing defect. Secondly, the insurance policy had a $200 deductible. So, I stopped by the AT&T store in my local mall to get the phone fixed under warranty. No problem, right? I mean, my parents have had like a half-dozen iPhones fixed or replaced at the Apple store in their mall just by walking in off the street...
AT&T'S PROCESS
I learned my first lesson in the threshold of the door to the AT&T store:
TAKEAWAY 1: AT&T RETAIL STORES DON'T PROVIDE WARRANTY SERVICE FOR THE DEVICES THEY SELL
Huh? Given the aforementioned problem with my S4, I was shrewd enough to ask about the warranty before buying the Note 4. The AT&T person told me that it had a 1-year, manufacturer warranty. This was entirely correct. My mistake was interpreting this to mean that I could go back to the store where I had just bought the phone a few weeks prior and have it fixed under warranty. That's not the case. Instead, the person at the store handed me a business card with the toll-free number for AT&T Wireless support.
I went back home and called the number on the card. The person who helped me was prompt and professional. She logged the details of my issue, and explained the next steps to me as follows:
AT&T sends a new phone body
I swap my battery, SIM card, S Pen, and back cover to the new phone
I repackage my old phone body in the same box and mail it back to AT&T, postage pre-paid
So far, so good. But...
An AT&T person receives and evaluates the old phone
If the problem is deemed to be a manufacturer defect, the process ends for me here, and AT&T ships the broken unit back to Samsung
If the problem is deemed to be caused by physical damage, AT&T ships the old phone back to me, charges me the full retail price of the replacement phone, and I keep both phones!
Say what?! I asked what would happen in the unlikely case that the phone left my hands undamaged, but was damaged during shipping. She confirmed that AT&T would send the broken phone back to me and that I'd be stuck with both the old and new phones - and would have to pay for the new phone.
Dumbfounded, I asked for a way to mitigate the risk of my getting stuck with two phones. She recommended that I go back to my local store and have an AT&T employee inspect the phone, and add notes to my account stating that the phone is not physically damaged. Then, if it arrived damaged at the warranty center, they'd know that it had to have been damaged in shipping. She said that she'd leave my case open in her computer system, and that the next person I spoke with could complete the process after I returned from the store.
That sounded reasonable (enough). So, I went back to the retail store, an AT&T person looked at the phone, concluded that it was not physically damaged, and annotated my account accordingly.
I returned home, called the toll-free number again, and picked up where I left off. The person I spoke with this time reiterated the process to me, and confirmed that if the old phone arrived damaged, AT&T would send it back to me and I'd be stuck with it, stuck with the new phone, and charged for the new phone. "Except in this case", I added, "because the notes in my account said that the phone isn't damaged, right?"
Wrong.
If the old phone arrives damaged, I own both phones. "Why did I just go to the [email protected]#$ing store then?" He said that I shouldn't have, and that the previous customer service rep shouldn't have told me to do so. He said that I might damage the phone after leaving the store, before I ship it back to them, and therefore that the notes in my account meant nothing. He's right, of course.
After a spirited discussion, he made another good point - the warranty is from Samsung, not AT&T. AT&T provides warranty service as a "courtesy" to its customers. For phones with defects, AT&T can send them back to Samsung and get reimbursed. For physical damage, though, Samsung won't accept the phone under warranty. Therefore, AT&T needs some way to guard against getting stuck with a broken phone. Before proceeding, let's pause for another takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 2: AT&T DOES NOT WARRANTY SAMSUNG PHONES, SAMSUNG WARRANTIES SAMSUNG PHONES
This makes perfect sense, and I definitely see the problem from AT&T's point of view. Still, the original unresolved issue persists. So, I asked the guy what I could do to protect myself against the possibility of the old phone getting damaged in shipping. He offered that perhaps the manager at my local AT&T retail store could pack and ship the old phone for me. I agreed to that, and asked what would happen if it arrived broken due to shipping damage. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before.
Flabbergasted, I stated that I was willing to assume the risk of damage during shipping, and changed topics.
Next I asked what would happen if the phone arrived at the AT&T service center intact, but that the person assessing the problem concluded that the pink screen problem was due to damage, rather than a manufacturing defect. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before.
I asked how to determine, definitively, whether the issue was manufacturing-related or damage-related, prior to sending the phone back to the AT&T service center and starting the inexorable process that may lead to me getting stuck with two phones. After all, the person in the retail store who annotated my account said that it was a manufacturing defect? He said that AT&T retail employees are not qualified to distinguish between manufacturer defects and physical damage. Another takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 3: AT&T RETAIL STORE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT QUALIFIED/TRAINED/AUTHORIZED TO ASSESS WARRANTY-RELATED ISSUES
(Makes all you AT&T store employees out there feel valued by your employer, eh?)
Fortunately, the guy on the phone was trained to make these types of assessments. Based on our call so far - and never having seen my phone in person - he says that the pink screen was most likely due to physical damage. With steam coming out of my ears, I told him that I wasn't even going to debate whether the issue with the handset was a defect or damage, but rather would stick to trying to understand the Kafkaesque service process.
Specifically, I said that the previous phone rep who I spoke to said that she thought the issue was due to a defect. So, regardless of who is right and who is wrong, the dilemma is that two different AT&T people made two different assessments about the root cause of my phone's problem. In one case, I could get it fixed for free. In another case, I end up spending over $1,500 for two phones, one of which is broken.
Naturally, I asked what my recourse was if the AT&T warranty center person determined that the issue was due to physical damage, but that I still thought it was a defect. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before. I asked if there was an appeals process. No, there isn't. Next takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 4: IF AT&T SENDS YOU A NEW PHONE UNDER WARRANTY AND YOU SEND THE OLD ONE BACK TO THEM, THE PROCESS WILL RESULT IN ONE OF TWO OUTCOMES, AT AT&T'S SOLE DISCRETION:
A) AT&T DETERMINES THE ISSUE TO BE A DEFECT, AND YOU KEEP THE REPLACEMENT PHONE FOR FREE
B) AT&T DETERMINES THE ISSUE IS DUE TO DAMAGE, THEY SEND YOU YOUR OLD PHONE BACK, CHARGE YOU FOR THE NEW PHONE, AND YOU KEEP BOTH.
Period. End of story. No appeal. No recourse. Just roll the dice and pray that the AT&T warranty person who you've never met and never get to talk to ends up looking at the phone and coming to the same conclusion as you.
Unconvinced that a company as big and mature as AT&T didn't have some reasonable solution, I inquired, yet again, about options. There were two remaining:
1. Send the phone to Samsung for warranty service by mail
2. Take the phone to an AT&T Device Support Center for in-person service
The first option would leave me without a phone for a week or two. But, Samsung wouldn't stick me with an extra phone the way AT&T would.
TAKEAWAY 5: YOU CAN SEND YOUR PHONE DIRECTLY TO SAMSUNG FOR WARRANTY SERVICE, WITHOUT INVOLVING AT&T IN THE PROCESS
I don't know how easy or hard it is do work with Samsung, or what their process is if you think there's a defect and they think there's damage, etc... I'll leave that for someone else to explain.
But, this second option sounds good - an AT&T Device Service Center. As it turns out, this is what I was looking for all along! It's a real building, with real AT&T employees, who are qualified to assess warranty issues, and able to repair/replace defective phones. Perfect! The closest one to me is 225 miles away (which took the phone rep 10 minutes to find, because their system is only set up to offer this option if the Center is within 50 miles), but I GLADLY drove down there to get my phone fixed. The person there looked at my phone, immediately judged the issue to be a defect that was covered by warranty, and in 2 minutes had me set up on another Note 4 with a spectacular screen. So:
TAKEAWAY 6: YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PHONE TO AN AT&T DEVICE SERVICE CENTER FOR IN-PERSON WARRANTY SERVICE
TAKEAWAY 7: THERE ARE VERY FEW AT&T DEVICE SERVICE CENTERS, SO YOU MAY NEED TO TRAVEL A LONG DISTANCE TO GET TO ONE
SUMMARY
To summarize the preceding dissertation, AT&T customers with Samsung (and possibly other) phones who need warranty service should know:
The phone's warranty is from Samsung, not AT&T
AT&T provides in-person warranty service, on behalf of Samsung, through Device Service Centers only, not through retail stores
AT&T Device Service Centers are few and far between, so be prepared to travel
Warranty service by mail through AT&T is not a viable option, because you can get stuck paying for two phones, at AT&T's sole discretion, and have no recourse
Oh, and two more:
The pink screen issue is for real - and really obvious when it happens; folks who are adamant that it's imaginary, that we're looking at our screens crookedly, or that we're otherwise obsessing over something minor are just lucky enough to have units with good screens
A good Note 4 screen is AMAZINGLY good - if you have the pink screen issue, go through the hassle to get it replaced; you won't regret it
Some AT&T stores do provide warranty right on sight, for instance I work at one that doesn't have warranty on site but two hours away there is another AT&T that handles all warranty in store. And a one year manufactures warranty is just that, the manufacturer is responsible for the warranty, so you can go through samsung or you can go through att except for Apple products, anything past the 4s is handled by Apple exclusively. With that being said as long as you don't send a device with signs of phisical or water damage you won't be charged for warranty by either company. The nice thing if you're close to a service center is you can get a new phone same day, regardless of which way you go, att or sammy, if you mail it out expect to wait for a phone. Just remember, manufacturer does not mean att, verizon, sprint and t mobile are responsible for the issue, they will do an exchange by mail as a courtesy, not because they promise the device will work with no hardware faults. The only phones att takes responsibility for are the unbranded att phones we sell l, but again that's not in store, unless it's a service center, otherwise there is too much overhead to hold that much inventory reserved for warranty issues.
Here is a link where you can find device service centers for AT&T, its near lower down on the page and will list places by state http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB91429
It will download a pdf with the locations
thanitos said:
Some AT&T stores do provide warranty right on sight, for instance I work at one that doesn't have warranty on site but two hours away there is another AT&T that handles all warranty in store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
QUESTION: Is this second store considered a "Device Service Center", or is it just a regular, retail AT&T storefront?
According to 1) the guy at my retail store 2) the first customer service phone rep and 3) the second customer service phone rep, only the Device Service Centers are able to do warranty service. Perhaps some are co-located with retail stores, but they were pretty clear to me that retail stores, per se, couldn't service warranty issues.
thanitos said:
Just remember, manufacturer does not mean att, verizon, sprint and t mobile are responsible for the issue, they will do an exchange by mail as a courtesy, not because they promise the device will work with no hardware faults.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Understood. But, when I buy a drill from Home Depot, they don't send me to Hitachi for service when it breaks. They don't make me drive three states away to an authorized Home Depot service center to have it fixed. I go to the store where I bought it, with my receipt, and they fix or replace it. Same with my tablet from Best Buy, auto recall at the car dealer, rotten fruit from the grocery store, everything I buy from Amazon, even stuff from eBay where I haven't reached an amicable settlement with the seller. They all honor the manufacturers' warranties in-house, or provide equivalent service for the products they sell in the infrequent cases that they prove to be defective.
My concern with AT&T is that they don't have my back - especially as a small business owner. I buy a new phone - the most expensive phone that they had in the store, mind you - and as soon as they swipe my card, that store is out of the picture. Subsequently, I have to follow this Rube Goldberg process to fix the problem if something goes wrong 5 minutes later.
I re-read the insurance policy during this whole process, as well, and I have the same concerns there. I haven't been through the insurance claim process, so I can't say first-hand whether it's easy or hard. But, the language definitely doesn't give me the impression that I can just walk into the store where I bought the phone, pay my deductible, and walk out with a new one. Maybe I'm wrong; if you know how the insurance claim process works, I'd be interested in hearing about your first-hand experiences as an AT&T employee.
To conclude, don't take my preceding comments the wrong way. I'm not some hater; on the contrary, I've been an outspoken advocate of AT&T because they've treated me so well. I've had generally excellent experiences with AT&T over the years and, consequently, I've recommended AT&T to many, many friends, family, and colleagues. Based on this experience, though, I'm looking at switching carriers - certainly when my current AT&T NEXT term is up, and possibly before (U.S. Cellular has a deal right now where they'll pay off my existing contract. I had them previously and loved them as a carrier). Having a cool new phone and lots of LTE coverage is great, but what's most important to me is the security of knowing that when something goes wrong, it'll get fixed promptly. That wasn't the case this time, and I don't have confidence that AT&T will be there for me the next time.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to provide some feedback. Have a good day.
If you need to file a claim for insurance, it is done online or over the phone. You do not do in person at an att store.
I've done lots of warranty exchanges by mail with att over the last 13 years and I've never had an issue.
Honestly, I have AT&T and have had my a Note 4 replaced 2 times already. One due to charging just stopping at 35% and the other was a combo of the pink tinted screen and dead pixel in the top left. I went directly through Samsung. Their support is amazing. I went out and picked up a cheap ass Go Phone and activated that while Samsung had my devices. They even offer over night shipping if you want to pay for it. AT&T is just a horrible provider and I've only stuck with them since they were Cingular because they ALWAYS got the top brand phones. Now it seems T-Mobile and Sprint are getting the top brand phones more and more now so after this contract its time to say goodbye.
TL;DL
Always use Samsung warranty over AT&T warranty. More professional and less phonecalls/headaches.
DamageSource said:
I went directly through Samsung. Their support is amazing...Always use Samsung warranty over AT&T warranty. More professional and less phonecalls/headaches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad to hear that Samsung is this good about supporting their hardware. They're definitely not interested in hearing what customers have to say about their software (I have a thread on that topic somewhere around here). If this new Note 4 needs warranty service, I'll definitely call Samsung, in addition to AT&T, to see who has the better support option at that point in time. Honestly, I didn't even really consider calling Samsung for support this time around, because the phone was so new and I just assumed that AT&T would support the products that they sold in their stores.
From looking at the Samsung support site, they only have seven service centers in the whole U.S. I thought AT&T Device Support Centers were sparse, but I'd have to get on a plane to get to a Samsung one. All else being equal, I'd prefer to have in-person service for my devices. Especially for something like the pink screen issue - which drove me crazy, but that my wife could care less about - I think it's important to be able to demonstrate the problem to the service person face-to-face and explain how/why it impacts me. To that end:
QUESTION: Has anyone bought a phone from somewhere like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Costco, etc. and been able to get in-store warranty service/replacement?
I'm asking about service per the manufacturer warranty, not the type of paid extended warranty that Best Buy typically offers on their electronics (though the latter might be an alternative to the AT&T insurance). I'd actually stopped by the local BB to shop for the Note 4, but they said that they couldn't add it to my AT&T business account (despite my having called BB customer service first and confirming that my local store did service AT&T business accounts. Sigh...). Back to the point, I'd be interested in buying from a real store, with real product in-stock, who is willing to provide warranty service right from the retail location.
Anyway, I'm going to be upgrading another phone on this account soon, and I'm open to recommendations about where to buy the hardware (even if it means switching carriers). It probably won't be another Samsung, given the quality control issues I've had with both of my Galaxy products. But it might be. I'm open to alternatives. Thanks for your feedback.
mcmannion said:
QUESTION: Has anyone bought a phone from somewhere like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Costco, etc. and been able to get in-store warranty service/replacement?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My brother only buys from Best Buy and he says that they replace the unit in store right there if it's in stock and if not you can go to an alternative location and pick it up if it's close by for you.
it is done online or over the phone. You do not do in person at an att store.
I can tell you from experience that Costco does replace phones. It is a 3rd party company that runs the phone kiosks in Costco warehouses and Costco themselves paid for a phone exchange for me because when I exchanged my S3 it was not on sale at the price it was on a Black Friday when I purchased it.
I have had AT&T phones for over 10 years & have exchanged defective units by phone/mail through AT&T too & never had a problem. AT&T normally sends a refurb rather than a new unit but as long as it works I'm satisfied.

Warranty options (IN EU) after unlocking the Bootloader?

Here in the EU we have different laws about tampering with mobile operating systems/software etc. AFAIK the manufacturer still has to honor the warranty even if the device is rooted (though they are allowed to lock the device/do pretty much whatever when they get their hands on it to fix it, so it can't be modified again).
LG has openly allowed users the ability to unlock their bootloader. But I would like to know how this affects my girlfriend's warranty if I go ahead to root this phone. She bought the phone from the EU and lives there.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1998801
^^^^^According to the above thread, there's literally ZERO loss of warranty. It's a brand-new phone and she's a little paranoid so could anyone else please confirm?
LG specifically states on their bootloader page:
1. Once your phone is unlocked, it will no longer be covered by LG warranty.
As we cannot guarantee the proper operation of our hardware with custom software, we are not able to maintain the full scope of warranty for your device after you have unlocked the bootloader.
Because of that we have a responsibility to let you know that defects which may result from, or were caused by custom device-software may not be covered by LG warranty.
LG can no longer guarantee the full functionality of your device after you unlock the bootloader. Unlocking your device may cause unexpected side effects that may include but are not limited to the following:
- Your device may stop working.
- Certain features and functionalities may be disabled.
- Your device may become unsafe to the point of causing you harm.
- Your device becomes physically damaged due to overheating.
- The behavior of your device may be altered.
- Some content on your device may no longer be accessible or playable due to invalid DRM keys.
- All your user data, settings, and accounts may disappear. (Therefore, we recommend that you backup all your data).
- Software updates delivered via LG FOTA (Firmware Over the Air) or Web Download services may not work on your device anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They don't mention European customers. But I am pretty sure they still have to honor the warranty by law, right?
Thanks.
Go ahead to LG support tell them that you unlocked the bootloader with the method provided by them (lie) and then show them this law. Now see what they tell you
Somewhere else I've found this regarding EU warranty directive
Directive 1999/44/CE dictates that any object meeting certain criteria (incl. telephones, computers, routers etc.) that is sold to a consumer inside the European Union, has to carry a warranty from the seller that the device will meet the quality that you would expect for such a device for a period of 2 years.
A telephone is an example of such a device and is an object that comprises many parts, from the case to the screen to the radio, to a mini-computer, to the battery, to the software that runs it. If any of these parts stop working in those 2 years, the seller has to fix or replace them. What is more these repairs should not cost the consumer a single cent – the seller has to cover the expenses (Directive 1999/44/CE, §3). If the seller has any expenses for returning it to the manufacturer, this is not your problem as a consumer.
If your device becomes defective in the first 6 months, it is presumed that the defect was there all along, so you should not need to prove anything.
If your device becomes defective after the first 6 months, but before 2 years run out, you are still covered. The difference is only that if the defect arises now, the seller can claim that the defect was caused by some action that was triggered by non-normal use of the device. 4 But in order to avoid needing to repair or replace your device, the seller has to prove that your action caused the defect. It is generally recognized by courts that unless there is a sign of abuse of the device, the defect is there because the device was faulty from the beginning. That is just common sense, after all.
For me this means, that the seller (producer) must prove that the defect was caused by the consumer (by unlocking the bootloader).
I guess it would mean a lengthy legal procedure...
Correct me if I'm wrong.
I think that you should contact your retailer. If they are in agreement with you on this, let them fight that battle should the need arise. Should they refuse to get involved, then, and only then, go to LG directly.
You can make the case that only unlocking the bootloader does not mean that the device was damaged. Much like raising the hood on a new car does not mean that you damaged the engine. But that's my non-lawyer argument.
leijonasisu said:
Here in the EU we have different laws about tampering with mobile operating systems/software etc. AFAIK the manufacturer still has to honor the warranty even if the device is rooted (though they are allowed to lock the device/do pretty much whatever when they get their hands on it to fix it, so it can't be modified again).
LG has openly allowed users the ability to unlock their bootloader. But I would like to know how this affects my girlfriend's warranty if I go ahead to root this phone. She bought the phone from the EU and lives there.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1998801
^^^^^According to the above thread, there's literally ZERO loss of warranty. It's a brand-new phone and she's a little paranoid so could anyone else please confirm?
LG specifically states on their bootloader page:
They don't mention European customers. But I am pretty sure they still have to honor the warranty by law, right?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zoleegee said:
If any of these parts stop working in those 2 years, the seller has to fix or replace them. What is more these repairs should not cost the consumer a single cent – the seller has to cover the expenses (Directive 1999/44/CE, §3). I
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why when this is a EU directive, do they talk about "should not cost the consumer a single cent" we don't have cents here!
That's because the Euro is based on cents, or rather the euro cent.
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
zoleegee said:
Somewhere else I've found this regarding EU warranty directive
Directive 1999/44/CE dictates that any object meeting certain criteria (incl. telephones, computers, routers etc.) that is sold to a consumer inside the European Union, has to carry a warranty from the seller that the device will meet the quality that you would expect for such a device for a period of 2 years.
A telephone is an example of such a device and is an object that comprises many parts, from the case to the screen to the radio, to a mini-computer, to the battery, to the software that runs it. If any of these parts stop working in those 2 years, the seller has to fix or replace them. What is more these repairs should not cost the consumer a single cent – the seller has to cover the expenses (Directive 1999/44/CE, §3). If the seller has any expenses for returning it to the manufacturer, this is not your problem as a consumer.
If your device becomes defective in the first 6 months, it is presumed that the defect was there all along, so you should not need to prove anything.
If your device becomes defective after the first 6 months, but before 2 years run out, you are still covered. The difference is only that if the defect arises now, the seller can claim that the defect was caused by some action that was triggered by non-normal use of the device. 4 But in order to avoid needing to repair or replace your device, the seller has to prove that your action caused the defect. It is generally recognized by courts that unless there is a sign of abuse of the device, the defect is there because the device was faulty from the beginning. That is just common sense, after all.
For me this means, that the seller (producer) must prove that the defect was caused by the consumer (by unlocking the bootloader).
I guess it would mean a lengthy legal procedure...
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the situation is like this that in the first six months the seller has to proove that you caused the defect by some inaproriate handling/action (broken mainboard/display due to dropping the device for example), after that time the owner has to proove that the defect was not caused by him. This means also "some" protection for the seller.
Also if the device is defect, you can not demand an exchange, the seller must be allowed to repair the device two times, only at the third attempt you can demand a replacement.
tapatalked from lollipopped i9300
leijonasisu said:
Here in the EU we have different laws about tampering with mobile operating systems/software etc. AFAIK the manufacturer still has to honor the warranty even if the device is rooted (though they are allowed to lock the device/do pretty much whatever when they get their hands on it to fix it, so it can't be modified again).
LG has openly allowed users the ability to unlock their bootloader. But I would like to know how this affects my girlfriend's warranty if I go ahead to root this phone. She bought the phone from the EU and lives there.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1998801
^^^^^According to the above thread, there's literally ZERO loss of warranty. It's a brand-new phone and she's a little paranoid so could anyone else please confirm?
LG specifically states on their bootloader page:
They don't mention European customers. But I am pretty sure they still have to honor the warranty by law, right?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello,
you will loose your warranty.
I don't exactly know how to translate this but there is a difference between Garantie (warranty) and Gewährleistung (more like a warranty against defective workmanship).
The warranty (Garantie) by LG is something voluntary by LG.
Gewährleistung (warranty against defective workmanship) by law is as layed out by FadeFx in post #7.
In other words your real warranty reduces to 6 months - while there is a pretty good chance you might have a quarrel with the seller, when he detects you unlocked the device...
If I were you I wouldn't do it and use the low effort root for now...and wait for another way to unlock the bootloader.
Greetings
Medzinmann
If you have an issue like hardware, eg camera or faulty buttons, that isn't caused by unlocking the bootlader, then they will likely still honour it. It's only if you end up with a bricked device that they are unlikely to honour the warranty.
Or you simply buy at Amazon where you can file a report for defects after 1.99 years and still get your money back because they simply don't take the time to analyze the issue.
Im not really inclined to believe many of the replies here. In the EU we have a statutory warranty that every electronic device must have. It is for a minimum of 2 years regardless of whether we changed the operating system. What i posted above explained that.
Also i don't understand why people from outside the EU are replying. The case of warranties here are entirely different.
leijonasisu said:
Also i don't understand why people from outside the EU are replying. The case of warranties here are entirely different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just because we don't live there, doesn't mean we don't know how EU laws and regulations work.

Manufacturer Warranty

So I purchased a Verizon Pixel XL... should I bother getting a Squaretrade warranty on it? I'm not sure how Google's warranty would work. So let's play a scenario out: if my phone breaks for some weird reason during year 1, what do I do? Who handles it? Does Verizon ship it to Google? I'm just phoneless for a while? Would there be a deductible? Google doesn't really give any details that I could find about the manufacturer warranty (I assume it's 1 year?).
One year warranty is the same for any company just about. It's covers manufacturers defects. So to put it simply. If there an issue caused by dropping the phone or there is damage/liquid damage it's not covered. If you have an issue that is not your fault.. like 8 months from now the speaker stops working and there's no damage then it's covered
aholeinthewor1d said:
One year warranty is the same for any company just about. It's covers manufacturers defects. So to put it simply. If there an issue caused by dropping the phone or there is damage/liquid damage it's not covered. If you have an issue that is not your fault.. like 8 months from now the speaker stops working and there's no damage then it's covered
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assumed that, but who handles it? Verizon or Google?
PsiPhiDan said:
I assumed that, but who handles it? Verizon or Google?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Google" is effectively manufacturer, but you go thru your carrier to access it (unless you bought from Google Store).
Because carrier wants a chance to fix it, and because agreements are very particular, Verizon and YOUR deal may give you drop damage warranty (etc) if you pay insurance, but one year Google warranty (thru carrier) still applies.
Like every product for years.....
Sent from my sailfish using XDA Labs
Does Google normal 1yr warranty apply to devices purchased not from Google Store or Best Buy/VZW? Looking at buying one on Swappa.
I would think that a "New-resale" listing the Google warranty would start at the day I purchase it since i have receipt proving that device was purchased as New.
I would think that "used" devices warranty would be from build or original purchase date. So...the phone came out less than a year ago...so technically, all the used ones being sold right now should still be under 1 yr warranty right?
Edit: found this on google site: soo...is Swappa considered a "authorized seller"?
"Limited warranty
Google warrants that a new Phone (including any ancillary parts that may be packaged with it) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use in accordance with Google’s published user documentation for one year from the date of original retail purchase in its original packaging by you. If a Phone has been refurbished, Google warrants that the Phone (including any ancillary parts that may be packaged with it) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use in accordance with Google’s published user documentation for ninety days from the date of retail purchase by you (these warranties are collectively referred to as our “Limited Warranty”).
This Limited Warranty is only valid and enforceable in locations the Phone is sold and will apply only if you purchased your Phone from Google or its authorized resellers. This Limited Warranty only applies to hardware components (and not any software elements) of the Phone, and this Limited Warranty does not apply to damage caused by normal wear and tear, accidents, misuse (including failure to follow product documentation), neglect, disassembly, alterations, servicing other than by Google authorized technicians, and external causes such as, but not limited to, water damage, anomalies in the electrical current supplied to the device, and extreme thermal or environmental conditions. This Limited Warranty does not guarantee that use of the Phone will be uninterrupted or error free."
https://support.google.com/store/troubleshooter/3070579#ts=7168940,7169349
Edit 2: Guess i found my own answer...nope...no warranty even if bought new on Swappa.
https://productforums.google.com/fo...xt-place=topicsearchin/phone-by-google/swappa
https://support.google.com/store/answer/6160400?hl=en-AU&ref_topic=3244667
I'm thinking about selling my Pixel XL that I purchased new from the Google Store two months ago so I asked Pixel Support about the warranty. They told me that both the manufacturers warranty and the extended warranty were transferable to the new owner. They said the new owner wouldn't even need a receipt from me because the phone could be traced back to the original purchase at the Google Store via the device IMEI number. I'm not sure if the situation is different if the phone wasn't originally purchased from the Google Store. I contacted Pixel Support twice to verify the information and both times they told me the warranties are transferable to the new owner. You might want to contact the seller on Swappa and find out where the phone was originally purchased when new.
The azurian extended warranty plan does have a transfer website you can go to that requires the the serial number and the original owners email address and then sends an email to both parties and they both have to click links in order to confirm the transfer. But I have read quite a few forms where people have tried to make use of the warranty repair and not being the original owner the repair was denied.
---------- Post added at 03:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 AM ----------
But yes...I'm looking at getting a pixel XL 128gb...but new with the special 2yr warranty...for $1,048 plus shipping...makes my stomach turn .most I have ever paid for a phone is around $200...lol. so I'm looking at resale or used ones...but with the camera Halo and mic issue I have read about...kinda hesitant if no warranty. Also...I read the pixel has a form of Google lock like iCloud lock that if it was not removed from owners account...u can't activate it. Don't know if that's true or not..
Anyway..my LG V10 crapped out on me...I'm ok with the Moto X pure I have as spare phone..but really want that camera the pixel has....and a 6in pixel 2 is too big for me...once that comes out end of the year. So the current XL seems to be my only option . I doubt I can get one used still with extended Google protection for $500 -$600 though...but $1k is a hell of a lot to pay for a phone with no micro SD, no AptX and not fully water resistant as much cheaper phones.
The phone is ludicrously overpriced but with 128g model the lack of a USB card wouldn't be an issue for most people and other high priced flagship phones are doing the same thing. The camera flare and mic issues are old ones that were fixed with software updates. Pixel support definitely told me on two occasions speaking to two different people that the manufacturers warranty on my phone was definitely transferable to the new owner but the policy might be different if the phone wasn't originally purchased directly from the Google Store. You could ask to see the seller 's purchase receipt before buying to see where the phone originally came from. You can also contact Pixel support yourself on the Internet even though you don't have a Pixel yet and explain to them that you are receiving contradictory information regarding whether the warranty would transfer and see what they tell you.
speedingcheetah said:
The azurian extended warranty plan does have a transfer website you can go to that requires the the serial number and the original owners email address and then sends an email to both parties and they both have to click links in order to confirm the transfer. But I have read quite a few forms where people have tried to make use of the warranty repair and not being the original owner the repair was denied.
---------- Post added at 03:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 AM ----------
But yes...I'm looking at getting a pixel XL 128gb...but new with the special 2yr warranty...for $1,048 plus shipping...makes my stomach turn .most I have ever paid for a phone is around $200...lol. so I'm looking at resale or used ones...but with the camera Halo and mic issue I have read about...kinda hesitant if no warranty. Also...I read the pixel has a form of Google lock like iCloud lock that if it was not removed from owners account...u can't activate it. Don't know if that's true or not..
Anyway..my LG V10 crapped out on me...I'm ok with the Moto X pure I have as spare phone..but really want that camera the pixel has....and a 6in pixel 2 is too big for me...once that comes out end of the year. So the current XL seems to be my only option . I doubt I can get one used still with extended Google protection for $500 -$600 though...but $1k is a hell of a lot to pay for a phone with no micro SD, no AptX and not fully water resistant as much cheaper phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not entirely sure if AptX is shipped with O DP3, but it's an option on DP3 under developer options and selecting your codec. AptX HD is there as well.
fatapia said:
not entirely sure if AptX is shipped with O DP3, but it's an option on DP3 under developer options and selecting your codec. AptX HD is there as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i read that...but Android O is not gonna be out for a while. And I wonder how Google is gonna price the Pixel 2 phones( assume they will come with O)...i'm sure the 1st gen will be discontinued from play store asap...that is what i was told happened with the Nexus phones.
speedingcheetah said:
yes i read that...but Android O is not gonna be out for a while. And I wonder how Google is gonna price the Pixel 2 phones( assume they will come with O)...i'm sure the 1st gen will be discontinued from play store asap...that is what i was told happened with the Nexus phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
true, they did hold out on O until the Pixel was released so there's nothing to say they wouldn't do they same with the pixel 2... yeah no doubt they'll ax it quickly like they did the 5x/6p
fatapia said:
true, they did hold out on O until the Pixel was released so there's nothing to say they wouldn't do they same with the pixel 2... yeah no doubt they'll ax it quickly like they did the 5x/6p
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully Google will treat first gen Pixel owners better than they treated 5X/6P owners when the Pixel2 comes out. I have a 6P as well and I felt like to Google we become second class citizens overnight.
Google will not honor warranty
I purchased "new" 128gig Pixel XL from Fry's Electronics (a Google authorised reseller) on January 20th 2018, it died on July 16th 2018. I called Google to get an RMA under warranty and was informed that the warranty on my phone had expired on June 25th 2018 ( total of 5 months after purchase) and I should take it up with Fry's. I went face to face with the store manager at the Fry's store where I had purchased the phone. He basically blew me off saying I should take it up with Google. My phone is currently at an authorised Google repair center while I try to get American Express to repair or replace under their extended warranty. However I expect that they will refuse on the basis that I must have not purchased a new phone. I have been screwed by Google and their distribution network partners.
BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU BUY A GOOGLE PHONE. Get the IMEI number and check with Google how much of the warranty still exists.

RMA Hell with Google Support (Non Google Play device)

Hopefully, I will find help here.
ADDED INFO:
- Phone was bought from a local shop which is an authorized Bell dealer. The phone was bought off contract at full price. The phone was not bought from Google Play Store
So since I've opened the case with Google Support (from the settings menu on the phone). It's been almost two week. Here's the rundown.
I’ve contacted them three times, I have to repeat the same issues over and over. Google Support confirmed me that they were a call center located in the Philippines.
-Call #1: Talked to Nate (amazing dude) said that he was going to print me the RMA to send the labels to my email. I have to send the phone first and then I'll get the replacement soon. There was a problem to produce my RMA labels. He said he will call me back with a solution. He called me back saying there was an issue will escalated the issue.
Waited 3 days
-Call #2: I contacted them another time since I didn’t get any updates since. They ask to verify my account by providing them the 4 last digits of my credit card? Again, repeat the same thing. They can't generate the RMA tag. The issue has been escalated since the day of the call.
-Call #3: They asked me the IMEI of my Nexus 5 (lol what ?)... Again guy can't generate the tag. The issue has been escalated since a while now. I’m super sad.
- Chat session #1 and #2: Talked with a supervisor says he will get back to me with a solution. Sent me two emails, then silence. Same deal.
So far… very disappointed with Google. I mean, I didn’t buy it from the Google Play store, but I was expecting some premium level of customer service at that price tag. Hell, I could walk into a Apple or Samsung store and get it replaced.
I cannot believe that I'm getting this kind of service from a company like that.
UPDATE of January 30th
- Label was finally processed on January 24th
- Phone was shipped on January 25th
- Google received my Pixel on January 27th
- Google Shipping department confirmed they approved the replacement, I should expect my shipping tag in 1 -2 business days.[/I]
UPDATE of February 07
- I did not receive my phone. I have many exchanges with Google but nothing sent out yet. Just support saying its 'in process or has been escalated'
I feel the same way when I try and chat amazon support. I work in tech support for the other A company so I know how to be clear and simple when contacting support. I tell them my issue and provide ant details they will need like my order number. They respond back asking for my order number..
Don't ever use email or chat with Amazon. Call them. It's not easy to find the number on their site but its there. BTW, their # 1 (888) 280-4331
To the OP, if you didn't buy from Google did you buy from VZ? If not, where did you get it? If not an authorized seller, that may be your problem.
Just curious, what is the problem with the phone?
Waibashi said:
Hopefully, I will find help here.
So since I've opened the case with Google Support (from the settings menu on the phone). It's been almost two week. Here's the rundown.
<snip>
I cannot believe that I'm getting this kind of service from a company like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do you think you will find help here? This is XDA not Google. Something is missing in your story and I'm not sure what it is. I'm also not sure what Apple and Samsung have to do with this. Or then again...
bobby janow said:
Why do you think you will find help here? This is XDA not Google. Something is missing in your story and I'm not sure what it is. I'm also not sure what Apple and Samsung have to do with this. Or then again...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking to see if others did an RMA with a non-Google Play purchased phone to sum it up. Also, if they had the same troubles that I got.
Mike02z said:
Don't ever use email or chat with Amazon. Call them. It's not easy to find the number on their site but its there. BTW, their # 1 (888) 280-4331
To the OP, if you didn't buy from Google did you buy from VZ? If not, where did you get it? If not an authorized seller, that may be your problem.
Just curious, what is the problem with the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Massive burn-in on the three softkey buttons. I can see them everywhere except the home screen. Indeed, I bought the phone from a local shop downtown which isn't Verizon.
I hate I have to ask this... but is it real? I mean buy a super popular phone from a random vendor for all we know the guy could have dropped it in the toilet then repackaged, could be flipping damaged units from ebay, **** there might even be fake ones idk. The point is without a vendor we know anything about it's hard to say with certainty that it is google's fault.
Waibashi said:
Massive burn-in on the three softkey buttons. I can see them everywhere except the home screen. Indeed, I bought the phone from a local shop downtown which isn't Verizon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that clears it up a bit. You might want to go down to your local shop and demand a refund or open a BBB case against them if they refuse. I, personally, have never seen a local shop selling a Pixel or an XL. Why would you do that? Nonetheless, you can't blame Google, as you did in the OP, if they won't warranty a third party sale. Apple would repair and replace it for free? I think not.
Regardless of where it was purchased, Google should back up their hardware as it still has a Manufacturer's warranty. Besides, Google themselves already took responsibility of the replacement in the first call with Nate.
This is somewhat pathetic customer support.
tdct12 said:
I hate I have to ask this... but is it real? I mean buy a super popular phone from a random vendor for all we know the guy could have dropped it in the toilet then repackaged, could be flipping damaged units from ebay, **** there might even be fake ones idk. The point is without a vendor we know anything about it's hard to say with certainty that it is google's fault.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's 100% legit. The phone isn't a cheap Chinese knockoff. I verified the model number with my friend and they both match. Google says there is no problem with the warranty of the phone just it can't generate the shipping labels for me to send back the device.
bobby janow said:
Well that clears it up a bit. You might want to go down to your local shop and demand a refund or open a BBB case against them if they refuse. I, personally, have never seen a local shop selling a Pixel or an XL. Why would you do that? Nonetheless, you can't blame Google, as you did in the OP, if they won't warranty a third party sale. Apple would repair and replace it for free? I think not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try to contact the local shop where it was originally purchased but it's past the 30 days warranty. I bought this phone second hand and the previous owner has been a real gentleman by constantly providing me info and receipts one his purchase. It has been 3 weeks, and he's still contacting me to know if the issue as been resolved. The local shop is an authorized Bell dealer and carries the Google Pixel XL and Pixel. He bought it off contract, full price.
I dunno why you get so fired up with this, I'm not dishing anything on Google, I'm just trying to find someone with the same issue. Plus, even if let's the phone has "something" wrong with it... 2 weeks and no answer from a company is unacceptable. Also, why I purchased from secondhand? Because I've saved over 500$ instead of purchasing it through Google Play store because here in Canada they go for 1207.05$ with taxes.
xocomaox said:
Regardless of where it was purchased, Google should back up their hardware as it still has a Manufacturer's warranty. Besides, Google themselves already took responsibility of the replacement in the first call with Nate.
This is somewhat pathetic customer support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. But even if I call them up, it's still the same discussion over and over. I can't even escalate this issue, I don't know where to find a mailing address for it.
Something still just doesn't seem right. Not generating a shipping label is no reason to not have an RMA number. (wow triple negative) Meaning you should have an rma number nonetheless. Ship it yourself at that point. I don't believe they ever had a return authorization for you which is why you are now stuck with the device. Second, you bought it from a Bell authorized store yet you have the contact of the original seller? So this store sells second hand / used phones? What the heck kind of store does that, a consignment store? It's time to either realize that you have a defective device and live with it (after all you did save $500) or contact the store and/or seller for a refund. I believe Google has figured out what happened and will not support a second hand device. Could be wrong and you will magically have some luck but I wouldn't count on it. That's why they are avoiding your calls.
I had this problem with the first gen Moto 360, I bought it off Amazon but apparently not from Amazon and they wouldn't repair a screen defect under warranty. They verified it was genuine but they wouldn't fix it.
Sent from my BTV-W09 using Tapatalk
Link to Google's Warranty document:
https://support.google.com/store/troubleshooter/3070579?hl=en#ts=7168940,7169349
Google warrants that a new Phone (including any ancillary parts that may be packaged with it) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use in accordance with Google’s published user documentation for one year from the date of original retail purchase in its original packaging by you. If a Phone has been refurbished, Google warrants that the Phone (including any ancillary parts that may be packaged with it) will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use in accordance with Google’s published user documentation for ninety days from the date of retail purchase by you (these warranties are collectively referred to as our “Limited Warranty”).
This Limited Warranty is only valid and enforceable in locations the Phone is sold and will apply only if you purchased your Phone from Google or its authorized resellers. This Limited Warranty only applies to hardware components (and not any software elements) of the Phone, and this Limited Warranty does not apply to damage caused by normal wear and tear, accidents, misuse (including failure to follow product documentation), neglect, disassembly, alterations, servicing other than by Google authorized technicians, and external causes such as, but not limited to, water damage, anomalies in the electrical current supplied to the device, and extreme thermal or environmental conditions. This Limited Warranty does not guarantee that use of the Phone will be uninterrupted or error free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Based upon this it seems to me that used devices aren't covered under warranty, there's no mention of transfer of warranty that I can find in the document though local laws may govern here. I could imagine things would be even more dire if a phone was purchased within the US and sold outside of it.
Time to get your money back. Maybe the original owner can get it fixed and then sell it back to you. Good luck.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers Legacy app
bobby janow said:
Time to get your money back. Maybe the original owner can get it fixed and then sell it back to you. Good luck.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're out of luck. Google can rest on its warranty fine print.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's a simple fact Google is no apple but have the nerve to charge the same price. Wannabe apple!
I've had issues with Google before and have lost confidence in their customer services.
Keep pestering them until they sort out even write to them. Speak to manager demand to speak to managenent, it's completely unexceptable ignoring your issue.
riz157 said:
It's a simple fact Google is no apple but have the nerve to charge the same price. Wannabe apple!
I've had issues with Google before and have lost confidence in their customer services.
Keep pestering them until they sort out even write to them. Speak to manager demand to speak to managenent, it's completely unexceptable ignoring your issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He did not buy it from an authorized dealer. He is SOL. Check the warranty. It sucks for him but no one here can help him. He needs to work with the seller, not Google. The warranty was violated. That's game over from a Google perspective.
riz157 said:
It's a simple fact Google is no apple but have the nerve to charge the same price. Wannabe apple!
I've had issues with Google before and have lost confidence in their customer services.
Keep pestering them until they sort out even write to them. Speak to manager demand to speak to managenent, it's completely unexceptable ignoring your issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple would not do anything different than what Google did. Don't kid yourself. They also have a right to sell their phones for whatever price they want. You don't like it, don't buy it. We got spoiled with the older devices but that ship has sailed. The OP needs to realize he got screwed in order to save a few hundred bucks. It was a gamble that he lost.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Mike02z said:
He did not buy it from an authorized dealer. He is SOL. Check the warranty. It sucks for him but no one here can help him. He needs to work with the seller, not Google. The warranty was violated. That's game over from a Google perspective.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can walk into Apple store whether you bought it from your uncle or an alien, as long as it's not reported stolen and within warranty your issue will be resolved.
Google is a bit of a joke simple as that, btw I'm an android fan but not a fanboy of any particular company. I just don't like people being ripped off.
riz157 said:
You can walk into Apple store whether you bought it from your uncle or an alien, as long as it's not reported stolen and within warranty your issue will be resolved.
Google is a bit of a joke simple as that, btw I'm an android fan but not a fanboy of any particular company. I just don't like people being ripped off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? Walk right in and get an exchange? You mean after you have to schedule with a "genious"? So I make my appointment and they run the IMEI and find it has a block? Think they will replace it? You may not like the Google warranty but you accepted it when you purchased the phone. I know most don't read it but that is Google's fault?
And what does the OP think anyone here can do to help him except to suggest he take it back? They saved some money and now he has a problem. Saving money is great but it comes with a risk.

Categories

Resources