Dear Sony Support and Xperia forum visitors
I'm sure some of you have had similar experiences.
I bought a Sony Xperia Z3, a day later after minor use the phone fell off a coffee table ~35cm high on to a carpet and had a single hair line fracture down the screen, barely visible. Seemingly not a big deal, though actually made the phone completely unserviceable, not responding to touch.
I contacted both Sony and the Fonebiz repair company, after about 3 weeks of emails back and fourth requesting it be repaired / replaced under warranty, they refused and deemed a fault of my own. I reluctantly paid $260 to have it repaired and returned to me another 10 days later. I noticed the speakers had about 20% reduced max volume, almost inaudible. I am a Sony fanboy, have Sony cameras, lenses, ps4, phones, speakers, etc. So pretty frustrated at the whole customer service experience there.
I've had it another three weeks and since gotten a TPU protector case surrounding all edges and back as well as a gorilla glass screen protector. I had it resting on my slouched knee at the park and it dropped about 35cm again onto the ground and cracked, though more pronounced this time and again showing the same symptoms of a useless phone. It had a protector on it as well, how does this actually happen? Whats this thing made out of balsa wood and fine china?
Where does Sony step in and consider some form of product manufacturing standards whereby a device can handle minimal wear and tear. It's hardly a drop from 7', we are talking about a 35cm drop on to CARPET?! What a mediocre and flimsy design. I have 2 beaten up Apple phones that are cracked beyond all recognition, guess what, the device still works flawlessly. This seems to me like a responsibility avoiding cash-cow, from thousands of dropped phones and developing a hairline fracture. What is the point of a warranty, repair and replacement when as soon as something is broken Sony will not honour this policy.
Lastly, I had a Z original, had the same occurrence like a lot of you guys posting on here and had it legitimately break in my pocket through no abuse or misuse. Sony refused to honour the replacement and warranty, when after 5 emails back and fourth having to threaten an ACCC enquiry they repaired the phone. Come on now Sony, lift your game, customer service is paramount, what is a minimal 200repair to your company when you can have a customer for a lifeteam.
I felt like I should share to inform those considering this as an actual phone to purchase. Unless the thing is kept in an underground bomb shelter, it will get broken. Perhaps I got a legitimate manufacturing fault, though Sony will not recognise this.
Have a good one.
