Prepare for your visit.
Research your particular problem online using Google. Read as many forums as possible to help you be informed about your problem. Try to fix the problem on your own. Definitely figure out how to reproduce the symptoms of your problem so that you will be able to show the Genius. If you appear knowledgeable and informed, the Genius will be more likely to conclude that replacement is necessary.
Book your appointment with a Genius online at the Apple Store website. It is very easy and it greatly reduces the amount of time you will waste waiting. Back up your iPhone on your computer: do it before you leave for the Apple Store.
Visit to the Genius Bar.
First things first: sync and back up your iPhone. Update your iPhone to the latest software version. As of this article, that version is 2.2.1. Once you have synced, updated, and restored your iPhone you may proceed. If you were experiencing problems, this may fix them.
Always, sync and back up your iPhone before going to an Apple Store. If they replace your iPhone you will lose all personal data stored on it. Also, always clean your phone up before going to the Apple Store: you do not want to give the Apple store Genius a reason for thinking you intentionally or negligently damaged your iPhone.
When you get there, be polite, be reasonable, but be adamant. You spent hundreds of dollars on your iPhone. You spent more on that darn AT&T contract. You are entitled to have your iPhone work properly for at least a year. However, do not forget that the Geniuses are people too. Moreover, they are usually very accommodating.
Explain your problem thoroughly. Explain the symptoms. Demonstrate the symptoms. If your problem is intermittent, say so. At this point the Genius will usually take your iPhone and run a few diagnostics. Most likely, the Genius will get you a new phone without any issue.
Insist on inspecting the replacement iPhone. You do not have to accept a damaged or dysfunctional iPhone. Be sure to inspect the screen, as you do not want to accept an iPhone with multiple dead or stuck pixels. Attempt to recreate the original problem with your iPhone and feel free to test for others. If the replacement iPhone is defective the Genius will get you another one.
Finally, make sure that you are happy with the replacement iPhone. Say your thanks. You are home free. Be sure to take the next few weeks to extensively test your replacement iPhone and run through the list of problems provided in this article. Remember that your replacement iPhone is probably a refurbished iPhone. Although the exterior may appear pristine that does not mean that its insides are in the same condition.
In many cases, the refurbished replacement iPhone will be a far superior option to carrying on with your old iPhone. However, if you do replace your old iPhone the onus is on you to ensure that it is 100% functional. Apple gives you a 90-day extension on your 1-year warranty if you have your iPhone replaced. That is, if you have your iPhone replaced, Apple will give you until the end of your original 1-year warranty or 90 days — whatever comes later. If you run into problems, do not hesitate to reschedule another appointment with the Genius Bar — that is what they are there for. Remember, if you have a defective iPhone you can take it back to exchange as many times as you wish. If it is still under warranty (or the 90 day post-replacement extension), it does not matter if it is your first replacement iPhone or your 100th. However, once that warranty and those 90 days (if you exchanged your iPhone) are up, you are on your own.
Conclusion.
If your iPhone warranty is about to run out you should seriously consider giving your current iPhone a good hard look for any defects. The iPhone is an exceedingly complicated device. Many of the above-mentioned defects can by symptomatic of other severe problems that can frequently degenerate further. Consider this: an out-of-warranty battery replacement, possibly the simplest iPhone repair imaginable, costs approximately $100 and requires about 3 days to perform. Exchanging an iPhone that is still under warranty is free and usually takes no more than 20-30 minutes of your time. If your iPhone is in any way defective, doing a preemptory exchange may save you serious money and headache over the course of the next year.
Make sure Apple can’t blame the defect on you. The three most common excuses are Jailbreaking, water damage, and serious physical damage. If your iPhone has suffered from any of these, you are out of luck.
Therefore, you should clean up your iPhone before going to your local Apple Store (DO NOT use water). If you believe a Genius might try to argue that your iPhone is excluded from its warranty, you should be prepared to argue that the physical damage is not related to the defect. However, do not be dishonest: if you really are at fault, you should not lie about it.
But think about this: Do you really want to replace your iPhone?
