iMac Vertical Line Issue
Update:
ScienceMan got his vertical line problem fixed! For free! Out of warranty! How did that happen?
When this vertical line issue presented itself, I approached the geniuses at the Apple Store for assistance. I pleaded my case on two different occasions, but ScienceMan got the old "we're not aware that this is a widespread problem" run-around. They basically told me I was on my own for the repairs (which were prohibitively expensive).
But rather than giving up, I gave Apple support a call, and the response was much different. I told them about the problem, and less than 10 minutes later, I was authorized for repair at no cost. No arguing, no muss, no fuss - just a simple "We'll get that taken care of for you right away sir."
Now that's service!
So it appears that the genius bars may be out-of-the-loop on this unadvertised warranty extension. Phone Apple before you give up on this vertical line problem.
It's still a bit disconcerting that there is not an official repair extension program concerning these defective displays, but I suppose an unofficial program of out-of-warranty repair is better than nothing.
Original Article:
Of late, Apple has been consistently leading in consumer satisfaction surveys of PC users. True, Apple makes some great products, and I myself have owed many models of Macs.
But once in a while Apple drops the ball, and when they do, they can be very stubborn about picking it back up. In this case, it's our old friend the iMac that is the problematic model, and it certainly isn't the first time.
The G3 iMac is beginning to fade into memory, but one of the bad dreams associated with that model was iMac DV, which was plagued with a power button that would stick and cause all sorts of problems.
Then there was the infamous first generation G5 iMac that was an acoustic nightmare, equipped with a fan that sounded more like a lawnmower than a computer fan.
In both of those cases, thousands upon thousands of Apple customers were left to roam the wilderness, with no official solution to the problem. Not only did Apple not do the right thing and provide an extended warranty solution, but they also practiced the old "denial two-step", consistently giving customers the run-around, even though they certainly were aware of the problem.
Well, it appears that Apple is at it again. Going back to the 3rd generation of G5 iMac and extending all the way though Intel iMac models, it seems very evident that Apple sold a lot of iMacs with faulty screens. The problem manifests itself as vertical lines of various kinds. Here's SciecnceMan's very own iMac as an example:
In this case, it's a hideously large white band in the middle of the screen, but the problem can vary considerably. It can be a plethora of single pixel lines, or lines or varying widths and colours, but almost always vertical. Check out these other examples:
If you're seeing these lines on your iMac, you're not alone. Thousands are reporting the problem, and of course, the problem seems to manifest right warranty expiry.
So the obvious question is, what is Apple doing about this problem? Well... nothing. Unfortunately, Apple is playing the denying game. Some customers have lost their patience and are taking Apple to court in a class action to try and force them to do the right thing and replace the screens as part of a repair extension program.
So what's it going to be Apple? How about using some of that monstrous stockpile of cash to reward your loyal customers with the service they should have been getting in the first place. Apple really needs to take responsibility for this issue and start a repair extension program, if Apple was on the right side of this issue and really cared about their customers, they would have instituted a repair program already.
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