# Cell phone issue: What would you do at this point? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 3, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316 "2019-12-03T17:37:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/1 "2019-12-03T17:37:06Z")
Less than two years ago I bought an iPhone 6s. Last February I took it to the Apple store due to a weird battery-related problem. At best I thought they’d replace the battery but without explanation they replaced the (otherwise functional) phone. Yay! Two months later the touch screen stopped working. Apple store replaced the screen. Phone worked fine for 6 weeks then touch screen stopped again. The “Geniuses” could not figure out (or explain) why but went ahead and replaced the phone again. Ever since then I’ve had an entirely different problem: Intermittently (but more times than not) when I am speaking to someone they will, at some point, lose the ability to hear me. I can hear them perfectly (usually saying some variation of “hello? hello? he’s gone.”) [For what it’s worth it doesn’t matter if they are on landline or cell phone.] I put up with this for a while then in June I took it (my 3rd new iPhone) to Apple store. They could not duplicate problem so they ran some diagnostics and performed some sort of reboot (?). They also wanted to replace the SIM card but I did not have AT&T login info they said they needed. At any rate what they did do did not fix anything. Two months ago with my AT&T login info in hand I went back to Apple store and they installed a new SIM card. That appeared to do the job for about a week but then the problem returned and continues to make me miserable. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/2 "2019-12-03T17:51:46Z")
Insist on another new phone. It has a glitch. (IMHO). The lil’wrekkers Iphone 6s did the same crap. We finally were able to upgrade her to Iphone??( i forget what #) If you talk right maybe they’ll upgrade you. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/3 "2019-12-03T18:32:11Z")
You are dealing with technology that is over 4 years old. Upgrade to a newer version. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/4 "2019-12-03T18:44:26Z")
What iOS version is it using? You didn’t upgrade to iOS 13 did you? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/5 "2019-12-03T18:53:19Z")
Sounds like you are pressing the mute button by accident. Try navigating away from the phone app and then talking, and see if the problem goes away. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/6 "2019-12-03T19:14:08Z")
My wife has an eye phone and she cannot have email hooked up to it or it will kill her battery in a couple of hours. She had the same problem with her eye phone prior and the one prior to that (ultimately replaced under warranty). The first of the 3 phones started doing that when it was a couple years old (right out of the blue). I had phoned apple support for her and they were quite nice about everything once you get past the attitude of “how lucky you are to have an eye phone!” However, aside from giving her a new phone under warranty they had zero clue what the problem was. anyway, she just lives without email attached to her phone. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/7 "2019-12-03T19:16:08Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > You are dealing with technology that is over 4 years old. Upgrade to a newer version. Refuse to pay for technology that breaks down in four years. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/8 "2019-12-03T19:36:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Refuse to pay for technology that breaks down in four years. I guess you’ve never owned a laptop. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/9 "2019-12-03T19:41:36Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Refuse to pay for technology that breaks down in four years. Most cell phones no longer have user replaceable batteries. Why not? Because cell phone manufacturers realize that most cell phone buyers simply have no interest in long lasting cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/10 "2019-12-03T20:04:04Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Most cell phones no longer have user replaceable batteries. Why not? Because cell phone manufacturers realize that most cell phone buyers simply have no interest in long lasting cell phones. IMHO, The answer will more likely be “we the cell phone manufactures have determined that we will make phones without replaceable batteries so that people will have no choice but to have no interest in long lasting cell phones”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/11 "2019-12-03T20:08:22Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > My wife has an eye phone Well, there’s your problem! She got a cheap iPhone knock-off! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/12 "2019-12-03T20:09:40Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Refuse to pay for technology that breaks down in four years. In the time I’ve owned a cellphone, the technology advances enough in four years so that I want to upgrade to the latest/greatest. I recently got an iPhone 11, but I’ll hand it to Apple; my 6s plus was still working great. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/13 "2019-12-03T20:11:54Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > IMHO, The answer will more likely be “we the cell phone manufactures have determined that we will make phones without replaceable batteries so that people will have no choice but to have no interest in long lasting cell phones”. 😃 My gf chose to keep her iPhone 6. The battery was fading fast, so for a nominal sum she had a phone dude replace her battery. The batteries may be difficult for the consumer to replace, but with the correct tools and prowess it’s a 5 minute job. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/14 "2019-12-03T20:21:20Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > My wife has an **eye** phone and she cannot have email hooked up to it or it will kill her battery in a couple of hours. She had the same problem with her **eye** phone prior and the one prior to that (ultimately replaced under warranty). The first of the 3 phones started doing that when it was a couple years old (right out of the blue). > > I had phoned apple support for her and they were quite nice about everything once you get past the attitude of “how lucky you are to have an **eye** phone!” However, aside from giving her a new phone under warranty they had zero clue what the problem was. > > anyway, she just lives without email attached to her phone. Does she blink to answer calls? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/15 "2019-12-03T20:55:36Z")
I was going to get one of those eye phones but the installation process sounded painful. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/16 "2019-12-03T21:27:43Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I guess you’ve never owned a laptop. Some of us take much better care of our laptops (and other devices) than others, I guess. I have a Pentium 750 laptop running Windows 98 that works fine. Because it has old software and connectors, I use it once in a while still. Until clearing out old computer junk I had a laptop dating to the 8086 era that still ran. As to the OP: they are giving you junk replacements. Someone turns in a new lemon phone they are unhappy with. Apple clears and refreshes it and does some basic tests. Works okay, so give it to someone else. Now it’s your lemon. ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/17 "2019-12-04T15:52:47Z")
So…all of you clever people…“what would you do at this point?” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/18 "2019-12-04T16:02:15Z")
> [@2Bits](#): > > So…all of you clever people…“what would you do at this point?” As others suggested, upgrade your wife’s iPhone and keep her old one. Or upgrade your own phone to a newer model. Or, jump ship and get an Android. All of those seem to be good choices. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/19 "2019-12-04T16:16:36Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > As others suggested, upgrade your wife’s iPhone and keep her old one. Or upgrade your own phone to a newer model. Or, jump ship and get an Android. All of those seem to be good choices. I think you’re thinking of Dinsdale’s OP. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316/20 "2019-12-04T16:22:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I think you’re thinking of Dinsdale’s OP. Yeah, I fenrised up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phone-issue-what-would-you-do-at-this-point/844316.md?page=2)