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Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_

Premium Member

iphone kill switch? so you have to buy another?

iphone has a kill switch?

Just wondering since 4 iphones have failed with in the last 2 days from people I know.

Cody0
Bob Vance, VR
Premium Member
join:2002-05-28
Spokane, WA

Cody0

Premium Member

I know numerous people that had a functional 3GS at the time of their upgrade to a 4s/5, so I doubt it's something like that. More likely a software bug...?

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

1 edit

Anonymous_

Premium Member

5.01
oh and by the way

All electronics are designed to fail with in a year so you have to buy a new one

they would be out of business if that item lasted 10-15 years.

Cody0
Bob Vance, VR
Premium Member
join:2002-05-28
Spokane, WA

Cody0 to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
I misread that; I thought it said two phones had failed. I'm not really sure what the cause is, or if it's coincidence.

haroldo
join:2004-01-16
USA

3 edits

1 recommendation

haroldo to Anonymous_

Member

to Anonymous_
There are well over 50,000,000 phones out there, but since two (edit...four) have failed that's proof that a major consumer products company (you know, the type of company that lives and dies on their reputation) has nepharious designs of carefully planned obsolescence?
Why did phones fail? What did repair personnel find when brought in? We're the two phones purchased at the same time (thus the kill switch is a function of a set lifespan for device). If not, then your kill switch must have been a function of a specific date in time (iDoomsday)...if so, then why didn't the other 50 million fail?

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_

Premium Member

it was 4 iphones

haroldo
join:2004-01-16
USA

haroldo

Member

Sorry, I misread that as iPhone 4.
In any event, until you know the cause of failure (battery dead, contact with water, user inflicted damage, etc.), this has got to be a coincidence.

The Dv8or
Just call me Dong Suck Oh, M.D.
Premium Member
join:2001-08-09
Denver, CO
ARRIS TG862
Cisco 2811
TP-Link Archer AX10

The Dv8or to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
said by Anonymous_:

5.01
oh and by the way

All electronics are designed to fail with in a year so you have to buy a new one

they would be out of business if that item lasted 10-15 years.

Sounds like your own self-fulfilling prophecy to me. I sold both my 3G and my 4 after 2 years of use, and both were still quite functional. I routinely get 3-4 years out of my laptops, and sell them while I can still get decent resale value out of them. The TV Im watching I've had for 15 years.

haroldo
join:2004-01-16
USA

haroldo

Member

The only "planned obsolescence" I can imagine is the cost of battery replacement (~$100 ?) versus the value of a 4-5 year old phone (assuming that's the life expectancy of the battery).
By the time the battery dies, it'd be cheaper to sign a new contract and get a discounted (or free) replacement.

pflog
Bueller? Bueller?
MVM
join:2001-09-01
El Dorado Hills, CA

pflog to Anonymous_

MVM

to Anonymous_
said by Anonymous_:

All electronics are designed to fail with in a year so you have to buy a new one

What a bunch of nonsense. Yeah, that's why at work we specifically run what's known as aging simulations to gauge the degradation of transistors over time. Because it makes sense to spend massive amounts of money on tools to check that things DON'T break down over time too much when you're purposely making it fail in a year.

I feel for your bad luck, I really do, but you're reaching big time here. They don't have to worry about "10-15 years", because at the rate technology moves, people will want to get new products anyway.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
I highly doubt there is any kill switch. I know of plenty of people that have old model iphones and have no problems.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
Our family has the whole collection of iPhones. (Original iPhone, iPhone 3g, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone5). They all still work perfectly. The dock connector on the original iPhone is a little problematic.

-- Rob

Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium Member
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

Anonymous_ to pflog

Premium Member

to pflog
said by pflog:

said by Anonymous_:

All electronics are designed to fail with in a year so you have to buy a new one

What a bunch of nonsense. Yeah, that's why at work we specifically run what's known as aging simulations to gauge the degradation of transistors over time. Because it makes sense to spend massive amounts of money on tools to check that things DON'T break down over time too much when you're purposely making it fail in a year.

I feel for your bad luck, I really do, but you're reaching big time here. They don't have to worry about "10-15 years", because at the rate technology moves, people will want to get new products anyway.

sorry even TVs do not last 20 years anymore.
average life is 1 to 2 years.

I have a TV from 1983 that still works it's 30 years old and still has excellent brightness/contrast
yes I do admit I updated to a CRT HDTV [Widescreen]

FYI HDTV IS NOTHING NEW it's been out for a while since the mid 1940's. the very limited bandwidth made it imposable to use at the time.

French 819-line system

electronics now days are made of poor quality components.

It's a cash cow for you to having to replace something.

darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium Member
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR
·Ziply Fiber

darcilicious

Premium Member

said by Anonymous_:

said by pflog:

said by Anonymous_:

All electronics are designed to fail with in a year so you have to buy a new one

What a bunch of nonsense. [...]

sorry even TVs do not last 20 years anymore.
average life is 1 to 2 years.

You must buy utter crap. The HDTV we gave to my mom has been going strong for nearly 10 years. My HTPC (HP/Vista x86) has been running 7x24 for nearly 5 years.

I'm beginning to think you're a troll.

skeechan
Ai Otsukaholic
Premium Member
join:2012-01-26
AA169|170

skeechan to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
My edge iPhone is still going strong. Glad my tinfoil hat is working.
rugby
I think I know it all.
join:2000-09-26
Plainfield, IN

rugby to Anonymous_

Member

to Anonymous_
Maybe you're Harry Dresden?

Ctrl Alt Del
Premium Member
join:2002-02-18

Ctrl Alt Del to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
said by Anonymous_:

sorry even TVs do not last 20 years anymore.
average life is 1 to 2 years.

On average, the life expectancy of an LCD TV is estimated at between 30,000 to 60,000 hours. A household that watches six hours a day of television can expect to replace the LCD TV unit after 28 years.

Read more: Life Expectancy of a LCD HDTV | eHow.com »www.ehow.com/about_63952 ··· HjqZbQBN

ilikeme
Premium Member
join:2002-08-27
Stafford, TX

ilikeme to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
said by Anonymous_:

said by pflog:

said by Anonymous_:

All electronics are designed to fail with in a year so you have to buy a new one

What a bunch of nonsense. Yeah, that's why at work we specifically run what's known as aging simulations to gauge the degradation of transistors over time. Because it makes sense to spend massive amounts of money on tools to check that things DON'T break down over time too much when you're purposely making it fail in a year.

I feel for your bad luck, I really do, but you're reaching big time here. They don't have to worry about "10-15 years", because at the rate technology moves, people will want to get new products anyway.

sorry even TVs do not last 20 years anymore.
average life is 1 to 2 years.

I have a TV from 1983 that still works it's 30 years old and still has excellent brightness/contrast
yes I do admit I updated to a CRT HDTV [Widescreen]

FYI HDTV IS NOTHING NEW it's been out for a while since the mid 1940's. the very limited bandwidth made it imposable to use at the time.

French 819-line system

electronics now days are made of poor quality components.

It's a cash cow for you to having to replace something.

We have a JVC TV that is 20 years old and still works perfectly. My iPhone 3G was purchased when it first came out and still works perfectly, but I have upgraded to the 4s, which also still works and is still in use, and more recently the 5. The iPhone does not have a kill switch to render it useless so you have to upgrade.

haroldo
join:2004-01-16
USA

1 edit

haroldo to Anonymous_

Member

to Anonymous_
said by Anonymous_:

sorry even TVs do not last 20 years anymore.
average life is 1 to 2 years.

i originally posted in my first reply (to the bizarre notion of a kill switch) that this was the most absurd and preposterous post I've ever seen.
Out of decency, I edited the line out, but after seeing this reply, I'll add it back in...and repeat it for greater emphasis...

...that this was the most absurd and preposterous post I've ever seen....

What is your goal?
To get a rise out of the forum and see if you can create controversy or go to battle?
Are you bored and just like to joust or merely waste other people's time, many of whom voluntarily show up here and actually try to help legitimate users with real problems?
said by Anonymous_:

sorry even TVs do not last 20 years anymore.
average life is 1 to 2 years.

that this was the most absurd and preposterous post I've ever seen.

They should give an award for this category

Back on topic, I'll repeat my original question...did each of the failed iPhone owners bring their devices to the Apples Store for analysis of what happened? Until you know what caused each failure and know whether these were coincidental issues or not, the entire thread is a waste of everyone's time. For all we know the four friends went swimming with their phones in their pockets at the same time.
On behalf of all the volunteers here, if you want to continue discussing a legitimate question regarding an Apple product and seek assistance on a problem or discuss a real problem with the products, please provide the details as to why the phones failed.
Otherwise, please, no more ridiculous and bizarre assertions
said by Anonymous_:

sorry even TVs do not last 20 years anymore.
average life is 1 to 2 years.


skeechan
Ai Otsukaholic
Premium Member
join:2012-01-26
AA169|170

skeechan to Ctrl Alt Del

Premium Member

to Ctrl Alt Del
I don't buy that for a second. While LEDs themselves have very long lives, the rest of the components are crap. You will have PS and cap failures, solder points break, stuck pixels...the TVs just don't last that long in reality. To get that life, every component in the TV has to have that life and that is simply not going to happen.

darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium Member
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR

darcilicious to rugby

Premium Member

to rugby
said by rugby:

Maybe you're Harry Dresden?

Best post of the week!

ToxicDrew
Premium Member
join:2001-09-24

1 recommendation

ToxicDrew to skeechan

Premium Member

to skeechan
said by skeechan:

Glad my tinfoil hat is working.

Actually there is even a kill switch built in to tin foil. You use it once and it wrinkles and you have to buy more.

pike
Premium Member
join:2001-02-01
Washington, DC

pike to Anonymous_

Premium Member

to Anonymous_
The allegation made by the OP in this thread is silly of course, but I wanted to chime in on the comments about planned obsolescence.

When it comes to solid-state electronics, there really is no such thing. It is true that there were a lot of crap electronics in the latter part of last decade, but I feel quality has improved. Most of the prematurely dead electronics were the result of manufacturers failing to adapt to the new RoHS standards that precluded the use of lead in solder. This resulted in tin "whiskers" growing across solder joints and shorting things out (the entire reason lead was added in the first place). Improved techniques are beginning to overcome this problem in the higher quality devices.

Mechanical devices like washing machines for example have absolutely dropped in quality. I have a hard time believing manufacturers are spending tons of R&D cash on engineering parts that fail 1 day after the warranty expires however. I think it's more likely they are doing everything they can to lower prices so they can compete, and this results in lower-quality components being used that don't last as long (ie swapping metal parts for plastic). Further exacerbating the problem is that mfrs have found they can save a lot of money by not running a warehouse and retail operation to stock replacement parts, forcing consumers to replace the entire device when a component fails. Like nearly every other problem in the world, this comes to to greed: greedy consumers want to spend less on appliances, and greedy companies want to spend less on supporting them.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd

Premium Member

plastic parts is the big reason for failure in many mechanical devices. Or even if metal if they are using the lower quality chinese steel that can fail before the higher quality western steels.

Brendan
Warr Guitar
join:2000-07-14
Portland, OR

Brendan to Anonymous_

Member

to Anonymous_
Read up on Edward Bernays and the birth of consumerism. Then, you'll understand why products only last a year or two, before failing.

darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium Member
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR
·Ziply Fiber

darcilicious

Premium Member

said by Brendan:

Read up on Edward Bernays and the birth of consumerism. Then, you'll understand why products only last a year or two, before failing.

Yes we all understand about consumerism but the fact of the matter is that most quality electronic products DON'T fail after a year or two, including iPhones, computers, a/v receivers, speakers, and television sets.

Now, do I expect my $19.95 mp3 player to last more than a year or two? No, not really. That's why only spent $20 on it.
rextilleon
join:2003-12-28
Pleasantville, NY

rextilleon to Anonymous_

Member

to Anonymous_
Actually, the are not designed to fail. Electronics are meant to be upgraded--has nothing to with building them cheap to force people into buying new models.
russotto
join:2000-10-05
West Orange, NJ

russotto to pike

Member

to pike
said by pike:

When it comes to solid-state electronics, there really is no such thing. It is true that there were a lot of crap electronics in the latter part of last decade, but I feel quality has improved.

Yep. Not just RoHS lead removal (total disaster), but water-soluble flux (because the old flux remover was NASTY), counterfeit capacitors, the infamous stolen electrolyte formula (not the only cause for bad caps), and issues with newer manufacturing techniques (e.g. batches of boards where components would just fall off because the heating was uneven) It seems like most of that has shaken out.
rugby
I think I know it all.
join:2000-09-26
Plainfield, IN

rugby to darcilicious

Member

to darcilicious
said by darcilicious:

said by rugby:

Maybe you're Harry Dresden?

Best post of the week!

I'm glad somebody appreciates me.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to russotto

Premium Member

to russotto
interesting thing about lead is that the likely best killer of lead in electronics as the death of the CRT. I remember reading somewhere that a typical size CRT monitor had several pounds of lead.