Paying for OS upgrade?

Roelie

Roelie

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I once owned an Ipad but gave it away, so I'm ignorant about the Apple world. Is is standard practice to charge a client to assist them with an OS upgrade?
A lady from my office is having some hassles with apps op her iPad, and I recomended that she take it to an iStore to ask them to help her upgrade her OS (she's still on iOS 5.x). She took it to the Menlyn shop last night, and apparently a young guy just rudely told het that they don't do it for free any more, and she must make an appoinment to have it done, and walked away from her.
I thought the whole point about Apple products was that you buy into this elite eco-system because you pay a premium for their products.
It's not like she tried to freeload - she owns 2 Ipads, an iPhone and 2 iPods, but she does not have Internet at home and she did not wan't to do it at work.
We're fair game in the Microsoft and Android world and have to pay if we cannot DIY, but surely Apple should be different.
 
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Tweet @bronymax, she's their marketing manager or something and she told me they shouldn't charge. The store in east gate tried to charge me when I asked them to copy me a copy of the upgrade file. I refused and got it elsewhere
 
It should be a rather simple process for her to do it herself.

Settings>General>Software Update. The device will then automatically check for updates, given that it has some sort of connectivity (WiFi or cellular).

Alternatively, she can use iTunes, which should also always check for the latest software updates once the device is connected and synchronised with iTunes.

However, I am quite confident that any iStore should do this with a smile and surely not charge anything for it!
 
I can understand why they would be reluctant to do it, can you imagine 10 000 people storming into a store and asking for a software upgrade, it would be madness. However, they absolutely shouldn't charge for it! You pay a premium for Apple products, the least they can do it upgrade your software for free if you ask.

This happened to a friend a while back, he wanted to upgrade his OS and the iStore in Sandton (I think) asked for a R100 to do it. :wtf:
 
I saw their sign said the upgrade is free if you purchased the device from an iStore... if not I think it was R150 or thereabouts...
 
ThinusMaritz said:
It should be a rather simple process for her to do it herself.

Settings>General>Software Update. The device will then automatically check for updates, given that it has some sort of connectivity (WiFi or cellular).

Alternatively, she can use iTunes, which should also always check for the latest software updates once the device is connected and synchronised with iTunes.

However, I am quite confident that any iStore should do this with a smile and surely not charge anything for it!
Click to expand...

Can't read huh? She no has the intarwebs at homes and was a good little gurls and dirent wants to does it at works? forstands nows?
 
ThinusMaritz said:
It should be a rather simple process for her to do it herself.

Settings>General>Software Update. The device will then automatically check for updates, given that it has some sort of connectivity (WiFi or cellular).

Alternatively, she can use iTunes, which should also always check for the latest software updates once the device is connected and synchronised with iTunes.

However, I am quite confident that any iStore should do this with a smile and surely not charge anything for it!
Click to expand...

The problem is that she's reluctant to do it on cellular as she does'nt have a proper data plan, and she's too scared to use the company network (just a note: she's 64 years old, not that is a problem, I'm not a youngster either).

I think the real issue for me was the bad treatment she got from the iStore, if you have a charging policy, be nice about it. The problem is that I have experienced too many young arrogant sales staff that look at a gray person and imediately decide that you're a tech idiot, but what I forgot about IT he might never even learn. They also forget that we probably have the money to afford the cool gadgets that he's trying to sell.
Case in point is this lady, she owns 2 iPads, an iPhone, several iPods, a Mac laptop and a Kindle.
 
I bought 2 iPads and 2 iPhones recently. Cannot say that I am impressed with iStore staff. Had mixed experiences. Sometimes get the feeling that they pulled in a couple of youngsters and gave them 2 hours training. And no customer focus training. Was in store ready to buy first iPad. Crappy interaction. Walked out and went to incredible connection. Had superb service. Perhaps try them.
 
You are more than welcome to send her over to me. I'll update her iPad for free and even make her a cup of coffee. The iStore charging her for the update is ridiculous.
 
Download the update file for her and put it on a usb stick.

iStore is owned and operated in SA by Core who, as we all know, are not the most altruistic of companies. Don't expect Apple like service from them.
 
AcidRaZor said:
Can't read huh? She no has the intarwebs at homes and was a good little gurls and dirent wants to does it at works? forstands nows?
Click to expand...

Maybe eye cant's red that gud, hey?!

The point I was trying make was that as an Apple customer, no iStore should charge anyone for a simple process as upgrading their OS.

But thanks for the patronisation .
 
OK, problem solved for the lady, we downloaded for her and a colleague updated her iPad - it still left a bitter taste in her mouth about Apple in general, she already trying out Android phones for her next upgrade.
 
Roelie said:
OK, problem solved for the lady, we downloaded for her and a colleague updated her iPad - it still left a bitter taste in her mouth about Apple in general, she already trying out Android phones for her next upgrade.
Click to expand...
I would email Apple - the real one, not the one pretending to be Apple in SA - and tell them her story. Let them know that Core is sullying their reputation to such an extent that she is considering switching to Android.
 
A friend of mine bought an iPod in SA and used it for several months. It started giving him a problem with the volume control but it was minor and he ignored it. He visited the US for a course and the iPod's volume control stopped working completely while there. He walked in to the closest Apple store and explained to them the problem and they gave him a brand new replacement iPod immediately. Needless to say, he's an Apple fan for life.

I agree with bwana, mail Apple and tell them everything that happened. Apple work hard to provide quality support to justify their high prices. Core is not living up to that high standard.
 
Roelie said:
I once owned an Ipad but gave it away, so I'm ignorant about the Apple world. Is is standard practice to charge a client to assist them with an OS upgrade?
A lady from my office is having some hassles with apps op her iPad, and I recomended that she take it to an iStore to ask them to help her upgrade her OS (she's still on iOS 5.x). She took it to the Menlyn shop last night, and apparently a young guy just rudely told het that they don't do it for free any more, and she must make an appoinment to have it done, and walked away from her.
I thought the whole point about Apple products was that you buy into this elite eco-system because you pay a premium for their products.
It's not like she tried to freeload - she owns 2 Ipads, an iPhone and 2 iPods, but she does not have Internet at home and she did not wan't to do it at work.
We're fair game in the Microsoft and Android world and have to pay if we cannot DIY, but surely Apple should be different.
Click to expand...

Apple OS upgrades are free. I have never been charged by Apple support for anything. iStore isn't Apple. Even here in the UK, there are these "approved" Apple stores. There is one near me, in Cantebury. I avoid them, and rather travel an extra 15mins to a proper Apple store. I'll go to the Cantebury store to replace an earphone lead or something small. Never buy a device from them. You can buy Mac's and iPad's from other computer stores as well in the UK. I avoid them. I bought my ipad through the apple online store. Was delivered the next day. A pity the lady in your office didn't have that option.

Edit: if I still lived in SA, I would not buy Apple products. I bought an iPod in SA, but only because at the time, there werent any viable alternatives.
 
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bwana said:
I would email Apple - the real one, not the one pretending to be Apple in SA - and tell them her story. Let them know that Core is sullying their reputation to such an extent that she is considering switching to Android.
Click to expand...
It does suck that Core would charge R150 to copy you a file, I mean it can't be the cost of bandwidth. However, going to Android doesn't in anyway promise a better experience in terms of that. There are no free upgrades at Android if that'd be the reason for her changing.
 
Go to Digicape people.

This is a STORE problem and has nothing to do with Apple.
 
It doesn't take a genius to figure that Core's days are numbered and that there will probably be a real Apple presence in SA within a year or so.

With proper content in the SA iTunes Store and the number of credit card linked iTunes accounts on the rise, all the components of the ecosystem to support Apple retail is coming together.

As long as sovereign risk and the prospect of acceptable returns exist, I don't see any reason for not establishing an Apple retail footprint.
 
Roelie said:
OK, problem solved for the lady, we downloaded for her and a colleague updated her iPad - it still left a bitter taste in her mouth about Apple in general, she already trying out Android phones for her next upgrade.
Click to expand...

Lol, if that little experience is good enough reason for her to walk away from Apple then she should better not own anything in SA because that's not what this country is well known for. If she thinks Android is easier to handle than an ipad, ah well, none of my business anyway
 
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