The Apple Store. The place where our 13 year old selves would spend hours with our friends taking funny pictures on Macbooks and uploading them to Facebook. Don't lie, you know you did this at least once. Now, we go to The Apple Store to cry to the people behind the Genius Bar when our phones and laptops aren't working. Even still, The Apple Store has been the highlight of the 21st century's upbringing, but after recent events, I hope I never have to step foot in that store again.
When was the last time you actually went to The Apple Store? They are always so incredibly crowded, but are they crowded with people purchasing new Apple products, or are the crowded with people trying to fix the ones they already have? This summer, I spent four months of my life in Apple Store after Apple Store, and every time I went in there were always more people there to fix their computers and phones rather than people buying new ones.
Here's a story for you. One fateful day in June, I dropped my precious iPhone on the cold, hard, concrete ground. When I picked it up, my heart stopped and I was instantly crushed with the reality that my touch screen had stopped responding. The next day I took my iPhone to The Apple Store, where I am told that there is something wrong with the hardware in my phone and I would have to pay $299 for a brand new one. How could there be an issue with my hardware if I just dropped my phone? Regardless, I was a broke college student, I barely had enough money for a Chipotle bowl and some guac. Luckily I had insurance with my provider, and I got a refurbished iPhone.
A few days after receiving my refurbished iPhone, the touch screen stopped responding again, so once again I went to Apple. The woman behind the Genius Bar told me that I had too many apps and photos on my phone and that's why the phone kept crashing and not responding. So I deleted almost everything on my phone, and still it refused to work.
My story continues with two more new iPhones that have a broken touch screens. One day I had had enough of Apple's crap, and I went in for a fourth time, demanding help. The same woman behind the Genius Bar helps me again. While she does diagnostic tests on my phone, I hear many other customers around me with different issues with their electronics being told "There is nothing we can do" and "you are going to have to pay $299 for a new one." To no surprise, the woman helping me tells me what I have been hearing for months. "There is something wrong with my hardware and your best option is to pay $299 for a brand new one." I reply, telling her this is my third new phone, how can three phones in a row have broken hardware. She stares at me, thinks for a second, and says "Ma'am, I don't know. I think your best bet is to pay $299 for a brand new one." I chuckled to myself, grabbed my worthless phone, and walked out of that Apple Store. I knew in that moment, I was done with Apple.
If you're wondering if I ever got a working iPhone, I did... kind of. Three weeks before I left for school I got an iPhone with a working touch screen, but it only plays music out of the right earphone and it dies at 50% battery power. But hey, after four months of broken phones, this was the best Apple could do.
The sad truth about Apple is that they truly do not care about their customers, and they don't make quality products. I was simply one of millions of Apple product owners, and all Apple wanted was my money. When did the idea of making quality products go out the window? Time after time, I went into those wretched stores and all I heard were people telling me to give up my hard earned money.
Everyone says once you go Apple, you won't go back. Well, I get a new phone in March, and I sure as hell am NOT getting the new iPhone 7. I'm sorry friends, but my messages are going to be green from this point on. Until Apple can prove to me that they can provide quality customer service and quality products, I am making the switch back to Microsoft and Androids. Sorry I'm not sorry, Apple.
