iPhone display "bubbles" causing toil and trouble?

Jockeys riding the Apple discussion forums are claiming that their iPhone displays are afflicted with tiny "bubbles." Apparently, the manufacturing issue is recognized by Apple who will replace the phone, no questions asked. So tell us dear readers, bubbles or no bubbles, what's your experience?

[Via Textually]

[nak @ Feb 13th 2008 5:12AM]

I have a tiny bubble that lands right at the top of the third signal bar. I thought of exchanging the phone at the time I got it, but decided it didn't bother me. And now I won't since my iPhone has been unlocked.

[Tony @ Feb 13th 2008 11:42AM]

Why not? It says "no questions asked," supposedly. So it should be no problem.

[jamma @ Feb 13th 2008 1:26PM]

It would be better to do it now, before another firmware is released and before the new working 1.1.3 unlocker becomes obsolete

[william @ Feb 13th 2008 2:41PM]

I have one issue with my original phone. On day 3 I dropped and shattered the screen, they overnighted me a replacement phone and 3 days later I had a new phone. I had a bubble in the display in the middle and it went away at some point in the following few days and never gave it a second thought. Apple seems to be excellent at replacing flawed or damaged phones! Other companies should take note!!!

[nak @ Feb 13th 2008 3:35PM]

@Tony: because, as far as I know there isn't a sim unlock for iPhones that ship with 1.1.3. And the bubble still doesn't bother me.

[rusty771 @ Feb 13th 2008 7:10PM]

no way I just noticed a bubble on my signal bar too!

[iDave @ Feb 13th 2008 5:17AM]

I have about 8 to 10 bubbles on my display. It doesn't seem to affect functionality, but they are increasing in number and becoming an annoyance. I'm going to go for a replacement this weekend. It would be nice to get a 16 GB model.

[pundit @ Feb 13th 2008 8:20AM]

I'd wait 'til they drop the 8Gb model, which could be within a few weeks. Then you're probably guaranteed a 16Gb.

[Alex @ Feb 13th 2008 8:43AM]

Really not so much... I know someone who got their 4 gb replaced last week and Apple sent them a brand new, week 4 refurbished 4gb iPhone.

[Nubaeus @ Feb 13th 2008 11:57AM]

"I know someone who got their 4 gb replaced last week and Apple sent them a brand new, week 4 refurbished 4gb iPhone."


Either it's brand new or its refurbished...

[Hector Mercado @ Feb 13th 2008 1:00PM]

I just had my 4gig iPhone replaced this past weekend with a refurbished phone. What I was very amazed by is that how easy it was to get restore my phone. After my first sync, all my text messages, open web pages, and notes etc... where on my new phone.

[Apple Mac Bon Jovi Aerosmith Ipod -Unicorn Tears- ilife forever @ Feb 13th 2008 5:21AM]

sad indeed...

[tapaul @ Feb 13th 2008 5:32AM]

can you back up an iphone?
i mean if you exchange it , how difficult , or easy is it to get the new iphone back to where you old iphone was ?.

[slug @ Feb 13th 2008 5:37AM]

I dont own one but from what i have heard its pretty easy. I think you back up everything in itunes, i.e you contacts, pictures etc. Not sure about your settings though.

[CB17 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:37AM]

@tapaul
All data is backed up every time you sync.

SMS, general settings (bluetooth, mail, wifi), notes, calendar, contacts, media, bookmarks, pretty much the whole phone

[Adam S @ Feb 13th 2008 8:20AM]

@CB17 You said "All data is backed up every time you sync."

This is NOT TRUE!! You should manually back up your iPhone before you exchange. Here's how:

Go to your iPhone prefs (on Mac iTunes > Prefs, on Windows Edit > Prefs)
Go to the Syncing tab
Highlight the last backup of your iPhone
Click "remove backup"
Resync

This will *ensure* your most recent configuration is there. When you get a new phone, EVERYTHING will be back except photos, music, and other stuff replaced when you sync. Also, you MUST have the same firmware version when you restore.

I just did this, and not only did it replace everything, I had previously modded my Carrier String with "Make It Mine," and it changed my carrier string on my new un-jailbroken iPhone!

[Scott @ Feb 13th 2008 10:07AM]

I upgraded my software officially once (through itunes) and unofficially (1.1.3 dev soft update) and both times all settings were retained. I mean literally every setting I've ever entered. It was quite amazing how well it worked compared to other devices I've owned.

[Alan Zeino @ Feb 13th 2008 6:20AM]

I have had one bubble on my screen since I took it out of the box. I'd love a replacement, but there's something about Apple Australia that makes me think they won't repair it.

[maikel @ Feb 13th 2008 5:31AM]

I do have like 2-3 bubbles. So how can I make them exchange the phone?

[hpaggie2009 @ Feb 16th 2008 12:59PM]

All you have to do is go to Apple.com/retail and find a local retail store to make a genius bar appointment at

[Nick K. @ Feb 13th 2008 5:35AM]

My first iPhone had the bubbles- I tried to replace it for a new one for the negative black screen issue, but they wouldn't take it back. Then I brought the bubbles to their attention, and they happily changed it. This was back in early October, a week after i bought my iPhone.

[John @ Feb 13th 2008 8:19AM]

I have 1 just right on the edge (Top black area). I didn't even notice it until this blog. And i am a guy that like my gadgets flawless when i buy them. So this sucks! LOL

[roole @ Feb 13th 2008 9:46AM]

Why are you laughing out loud?

[roole @ Feb 13th 2008 9:47AM]

Why are you laughing out loud?

[john @ Feb 13th 2008 10:08AM]

Because men don't cry

[Hjalti Jakobsson @ Feb 13th 2008 5:45AM]

I have at least 5 in a cluster in the upper left corner. Doesn't bother me very much but still.

[Melih Sancar @ Feb 13th 2008 5:41AM]

What bubbles? There's no bubbles at my iPhone.

[Joe @ Feb 13th 2008 5:43AM]

My first iPhone started developing the "bubble" problem on the bottom left hand side of the screen, and then a few in the middle. I took it to the Apple Store and they replaced it with no questions. The guy had never seen the bubbles before, just kind of shrugged, and said "there's an easy fix to this, we'll just give you a new one!"

Gotta love that Apple Service. I was expecting to get grilled by the Genius about whether I use a screen protector, or if the phone was ever dropped, or left in excessively heated conditions, but they just pulled a replacement model out and handed it over.

As far as the syncing goes, like everyone else said, it's all backed up to your iTunes account. You can actually use the new phone as soon as you get it, but you won't have any numbers stored in it.

[Leon Ngo @ Feb 13th 2008 6:19AM]

Did you bring on iPhone or with the box? Did they just did a iPhone exchange or did they gave you whole new box sealed iPhone, in which case end up with 2 charger now and headset (^_^)

[MRCUR @ Feb 13th 2008 6:47AM]

Yeah, I would like to know the same thing. Did you get a brand new iPhone along with all of the accessories?

I'm going to get my iPhone replaced this weekend for signal issues. It drops just about every call and can't hold 5 bars for very long; it just drops to 1 almost everywhere.

[guerilla779 @ Feb 13th 2008 6:53AM]

dude apple is a software company not a hardware company....so they basically don't give a shit about the overall hardware quality plus they dont own a single factory. All of it is purely outsourced to FOXXCON.so when u go to the shop they basically throw it back in china for another piece cuz it costs them the same...for so much outsourcing they could even have a deal with their china factories (FOXCONN) for bad quality replacements.

but no one can match their service:)

[guerilla779 @ Feb 13th 2008 6:55AM]

u only get the iphone...for accessories u have to tell em that u got a problem with the buds, wire etc.

[Leon Ngo @ Feb 13th 2008 7:24AM]

But if they just give the iPhone then our box would have a different serial number to the replacement iPhone

[guerilla779 @ Feb 14th 2008 11:54AM]

dunno...they did this 6 times for my ipod nano launch version 2 gb ( best version ), but they every time told me to register it on the apple web site...so maybe thats how they keep a track of it plus they also register it themselves before they give it to u.

[Roni Solomon @ Feb 13th 2008 8:07AM]

I wish the geniuses at the Apple Store were that nice when I brought my 12" PowerBook in three times for 21 pixels that wouldn't turn completely black and four 15" PB-like white spots. (they recalled 15" PowerBook models with the same white spot issue) This was within the first four months of ownership, and the Geniuses said that the issue was not significant enough for a warranty repair. But everyone who uses my PowerBook asks "what's up with your screen?" So much for Apple Care.

[Adam S @ Feb 13th 2008 8:15AM]

Brought my "bubbled" iPhone back last Thursday, they gave me a new iPhone, I was done 5 minutes later, no questions asked.

They do, however, inspect for water damage and other types of maltreatment.

[TedB @ Feb 15th 2008 5:43PM]

Aye, I thought I was the only one with this issue. My bubble is exactly like the picture, on the left side centeral area. Does anyone know what they do if you have a 4 GB iPhone? They can't exactly replace it on the spot...

[Mike @ Feb 13th 2008 6:03AM]

I imagine they'd replace it with an 8GB :)

[TedB @ Feb 13th 2008 6:05AM]

Sweet, I am thinking so to Mike. Thanks

I did pay full price for it, so it is only fair.... lol

[CB17 @ Feb 13th 2008 6:21AM]

Apple keeps 4gig service iPhones in stock, sorry...They generally keep parts going back to about a year/year and a half old.

[Alex Brooks @ Feb 14th 2008 6:20AM]

I've seen Apple hold back stock much further than 1 year, I saw a second gen iPod swapped last year.

So if you take in a 4GB iPhone then it'll be replaced with a 4GB iPhone.

[hpaggie2009 @ Feb 16th 2008 1:09PM]

Apple has "service parts" as they're called for everything Apple has made for 5 years. If you were to bring in a PB from 2003, you can still get parts, but a iBook G3 from 02, our out of luck for parts, at least through Apple.

[TedB @ Feb 16th 2008 7:16PM]

Well after 10 minutes at the genius bar I have a new 4 GB iPhone. He had never seen a bubble like that before, but decided to call it a plain dead pixel and replaced it on the spot.

Thanks apple!

[jacquerr @ Feb 13th 2008 6:14AM]

put a nail in it, it's done...oh wait...that's only for hd dvd...sorry . I got so used to reading that a forum feels naked with out it.

[michael @ Feb 13th 2008 6:28AM]

My friend's iPhone also has a similar bubble on his screen a week ago. We took it to the Apple shop, but they wouldn't fix it for another week or 2. :(

We thought ours was the only one.

[Kurian @ Feb 13th 2008 6:14AM]

AHAHAHAH. Die.

[keith583 @ Feb 13th 2008 6:18AM]

I bought this phone last august when the 4GB models were available. I noticed the bubbles in december and its kinda cool that they will exchange it. But, does it matter that I have unlocked the phone and use it in Toronto cause I live here?

[hpaggie2009 @ Feb 16th 2008 1:07PM]

No, they won't service it. Apparently the warranty is contingent on having an active AT&T account tied to the phone. I was in for a HDD replacement on my 15" PB and over heard a conversation with another guy in for his iPhone that was having problems. The genius told him since he'd never activated the phone with AT&T, they couldn't provide warranty service on his iPhone. Plus there's a big sign behind them that says basically the same thing( "If you unlock your phone, your warranty is null and void" sort of thing).

[GrantM @ Feb 13th 2008 6:37AM]

I told my Apple store guy this, but he wouldn't fix it for free.

He said that it wasn't a bubble. More like something else. At least that's what he said.

[Janv1er @ Feb 13th 2008 6:55AM]

I don't have a bubble on my iPhone, but I do on my new iMac...