Apple Higuera Street

Incredibly disappointed - lost a sale Hopes dashed. I purchased an iPhone 15 with all the bells and whistles and made sure to get the AppleCare plus to cover it in the event of any damage. This is the first time I’ve left a Genius Bar appointment with my spirit crushed and my trust in Apple depleted, and it feels like the end of a long reign of unbeatable support. My back glass was cracked after a bad fall and my front display deeply gouged, but the Higuera street store denied me service, claiming they will only fix the back glass. They weren’t able to tell me what criteria they use to judge this, only that it wouldn’t be covered. What happened to surprise and delight? What am I paying all this extra money for? I thought it was to be covered in the event of “Accidental Damage” but now that’s up for debate? My screen has a deep gouge you could fit a fingernail in, that I regularly feel and am displeased with the look of when using it, but because the display beneath still receives touch (in store when tested, intermittently not when I’m out of store and unlucky) then only the back is eligible? So now I have a compromised display, no fix to my back glass (it was going to take four hours and wouldn’t fix the part I was most concerned about) and most significantly: a bitterness for the compromised integrity of Apple and its support team at Higuera street. I had this expectation (based on previous experience) that I would be able to walk into the store today, be greeted by a friendly face who understood my issue, be provided a fix without confrontation or escalation, and while my phone was being repaired I planned to buy a Apple Watch S10 in titanium with all the bells and whistles as a gift. I would’ve included AppleCare plus. Now I have lost faith in that coverage. And my faith is shaken in what I considered to be quality products with extended warranty coverage that had your back if something happened. I don’t think my request was unreasonable, and I don’t agree that I needed to escalate to a manager who wasn’t able to provide me with a solution other than “spend more money to replace the whole phone” because having a front glass that was accidentally damaged replaced was just too far to go for a customer that pays for the top level of coverage. I left the store feeling like I was trying to fight an insurance company over having a procedure covered, and that short of having a lawyer there to debate fine print, I wouldn’t be able to get my accidental damage fixed. It just doesn’t sit right with me. The Higuera street store lost a sale today, and the genius bar lost my trust. I’ll be letting my friends and family know that AppleCare plus is really only there for the most severe issues and you probably best not bother with it. They’ll only try to nickel and dime you when you try to use it, anyway, even after you paid a premium to have coverage and took time out of work to try to get your phone fixed, only to leave feeling swindled for buying extra coverage in the first place.

- Jeremy Helgeson

Have a iPhone 13 Pro Max and after beta update my screen turned green. My phone was under warranty and took it in to Apple Store San Luis Obispo. The Apple team told me they are aware that the new beta update turns screens green and there’s nothing they can do for my phone. Even with a warranty they said I would have to pay $400 to fix my phone. They didn’t even try to plug my phone in or attempt to do anything to help. I was blown away that they actually admitted it’s their fault and they knew it causes iPhones to turn green and wouldn’t cover my phone even under warranty. I ended up getting a brand new new iPhone 15. After I got my iPhone 15 it started playing music by itself. Again even tho I didn’t want to deal with the horrible team at Apple San Luis Obispo i went in again thinking Someone has to be able to help. Unfortunately even after asking for the store manger Miles it went no where. The store manager confirmed it’s not an Apple tone from Apple and blamed it on Microsoft and said it’s had to be from there apps. After miles used Shazam to figure out what song is playing figured out it’s called “Just Can't Find It” by: Interlucid. We confirmed that there’s no song on my phone by that name or any music app I have. Miles then told me I can be the next gas app person and if I find out why my phone is playing this song by itself to let them know. The support was from the Apple team and store manager was a complete joke. I asked miles where is the person from Apple that fixed that big problem can I speak to them maybe they can help and he told me Apple team couldn’t figure it out a random iPhone user did. I told miles I’m paying Apple $7.99 a month and it’s Apple responsibility to fix my phone not mine. Miles then told me appointments usually only last 15 minutes and I basically need to go thru can’t help me. Spent another hour on the phone with a person that said her name is Ashley and she would follow up with me that Tuesday. I still haven’t received a follow up from anyone from Apple even after I sent the files to apple support online and emailed “Ash” back. It’s been over 2 weeks. I dropped all my Apple subscriptions today and am shocked how bad apple support is now. Plus the Dynamic Island is more like a giant mole on my phone can’t even minimize it to make it disappear. Guess they’ll finally figure that one out after I write this review too. Going Android.

- Lightning

What a fiasco. I have been to exceptional Apple stores in Seattle Washington and Vancouver BC with top notch service and customer care in the past. When there are issues, no problem to have diagnosed. My Mac Pro has always been taken away, sent out for diagnosing, with the updates and care it needs. Typically it is rooted back to malfunction on Apple's part. This time however, at SLO's Apple Store was all smoke and mirrors. First off by the form I have attached, this was stated as an "easy" fix per Apple. Next I am told, " this is a hardware issue and you will need to pay near to $600 for repair or you can buy a new computer here." I asked " what is wrong with my computer ? How do you know it is upward of $600?" Manager replied " we need to send it out to be diagnosed, it could be our fault or if yours, you will need to pay up to $600 --- but first you will have to commit first to paying the $600 before we can send out to diagnose." So I am thinking, " let me get this correct, you won't diagnose unless you get a commitment that I will pay upwards of $600 without a proper explanation of why?" So..: ultimately ( and according to their business ethics ) the manager at this Apple store is willing to take $600 from me for a Mac Pro that is worth $600 -700, hence this whole transaction feels unethical and lacking integrity... the whole situation felt greedy and far from what I have experienced Apple to be. In the end, I went to Costco, buying an excellent computer after speaking with someone there who is professional, honest, trustworthy and very informative on both Apple products and PC. Save yourself a trip to Apple and go to Costco out of ethics and integrity first.... if you need to visit an excellent Apple Store & are up in Washington- the lynnwood location at alderwood mall is excellent, as is the oakridge mall in Vancouver BC.

- Heather Mckay Maddox

I had an awesome experience. I had a gift card that I've been eager to get rid of. I don't use apple products as often as I used to. I had searched the online store prior to going to the actual store. I knew exactly what I wanted not really sure where it was in the store, but I expected to wait a little bit as I normally have to. I entered the store, greeted by the security guard, and another staff habitually. As I made my way to the middle of the store I was attentively greeted by another staff member named El. El showed me exactly where the item I was looking for was then went back to helping his previous customer he had left to think over what product they wanted. Minutes later another break with the customers he was helping he came back to me and finalized my purchase. The total time I spent in the store was less than 10 minutes. Not my normal experience at Apple. I had so much to do that day. El's attentiveness, and ability to multitask was awesome!

- Justin Taylor

Attempted to bring my broken screen phone in to save information because it was working (still would make calls through the car Bluetooth, run the tesla etc.) Service tech was very rude and dismissive, at best apathetic about the situation. I offered to pay for an ATTEMPT to replace the screen (told them I would like to try but would be fine with paying for parts and labor if it didn't work) and they wouldn't even give the time of day. Horrible service from an entitled group of people, despite attempts to compensate them for trying(hint theyre not interested in effort). If you value your time avoid apple, they say it will take 6 days to access the information.

- Andrew Van Sicklen