This weekend my trusty iPhone started getting hot. Really damned hot. So hot, I was concerned it may explode or something.

It was in good shape too; no drops, no spills, no abuse - and it was still in warranty by a  good couple of months.

So I duly booked my genius appointment at my local Apple Store in Cardiff, rocked up and explained the situation to the genius dude.

He plugged my poorly phone into some diagnostics gadget and stone-faced told me there was nothing wrong with the phone.

Computer says no.

So we start the discussion around how something that is working fine (according to a gadget) is able to get so hot that you can’t hold it. 

It’s “working fine” he repeats. At this point i’m starting to get a little pissed. This is not the friendly can-do attitude of an Apple employee that i’m used to. It actually felt more like dealing with a Dixons employee. Ironic huh.

So then he gets out his next little weapon. A little magnifier with a light that he pokes in the headphone port. “Ahhhh” he nods sagely. “Water damage”.

What the hell? Firstly the phone hasn’t had water on or in it, secondly the diagnostics has already told us things are fine. But yet some weird little litmus sensor seems to think it’s had a shower or something. 

So we’re left doing the who’s fault is it dance and the guy just won’t budge. He’s resolute the phone is fine, despite me having told him the phone hasn’t had water in it and that i’m concerned it’s dangerous. 

I’m really getting annoyed now. Not just because it’s looking more and more likely I need to buy a new phone, but more that this is not how it’s supposed to be when you come to an Apple store. I’ve bought and used Macs and apple products for many, many years and of course stuff has gone wrong. But in every situation prior to last night, the staff have bent over backwards to help out.

This truly sucked.

I didn’t have the heart or the energy to get into some big fight though, and like some chump I stumped up for the new phone and left feeling like i’d just been mugged.

I’m not some fanboy but I do appreciate good service and as an Apple user - have no doubt paid the premium for it.

If that was my first experience of Apple support I’d probably not want to go back. There’s a John Lewis store 100 yards away and they really know how to look after customers. Maybe next time i’ll go there…