IPhone 3G - thinking of getting one but... what are the potential issues?

Question

I'm thinking of getting an iPhone 3G because:
1. I've been writing iPhone apps with a friend of mine (already have two in the app store) and I think I'm probably the only iPhone developer in the world who doesn't actually own an iPhone himself. My friend and partner in this venture has worked extra time doing actual testing on her original iPhone (and we've had other beta testers too), but there is only so much I can do in the simulator. I can't develop multi-touch or accelerometer features without my own device. And I feel I shouldn't put the entire hardware testing burden on her.
2. I like the iPhone browser and the ability to use apps and a lot of other aspects of the iPhone.
3. I live in Japan, and switching from my AU cell phone to the iPhone is actually a bargain here. There is no money down, and the payment plans start at like $25/month to a max of about $68/month. So it's actually cheaper here than in the U.S. Even adding in the $10-$15 extra charge for 24 months until the phone itself is paid off, it's no more expensive than my current cell phone. And I can keep my current phone number.
So it would seem to be a no-brainer. I should just walk over to my nearest Softbank store and get one, right?
The only thing holding me back is this - every time (and I mean every single time with no exaggeration) that I have ever purchased an Apple portable device, including every single one of my many MacBooks and MacBook Pros over the years and the iPod nano 3G I bought last year, have had problems that needed immediate care and replacement or servicing and, in the case of the iPod 3G that awful "tilted LCD" problem that after 3 exchanges I had to have the consumer affairs office in Tokyo arrange with Apple for me to get a refund on.
I love the systems, I am using my MacBook Pro right now as I write this message (already been repaired twice and the trackpad is acting funny again - glad I have AppleCare), but I dread the mental stress of dealing with getting my new out-of-the-box Apple products fixed. I feel they have quality checking problems with certain of the product lines.
I just know that there is going to be something really annoyingly wrong with the iPhone 3G as soon as I turn it on - like obviously dead pixels, or a tilted LCD like with the iPod nano 3G, or some weird color discolorations, or something loose and jiggly like with my MBP battery cover or ... I don't know... something. It's just happened too often with me to not be wary.
So my question is this. If the Softbank store lets me turn on and check out the iPhone before buying it, what are the things I should look out for?
Are there common, well-known issues with the iPhone 3G that I can check for, similar to the tilted screen issue on the iPod nano 3G?
Any suggestions would be welcome.
I would like to get an iPhone. I just want one with no problems out-of-the-box.
Thanks for any suggestions,
doug
Message was edited by: Doug Lerner2

Answer 1

{quote:title=Doug Lerner2 wrote:}
But if it is something more subtle like "the colors seem wrong" or "the screen is not set straight" it will take more arguing. And I can't stand arguing about stuff like that just to get a good phone.
So... What were the problems you had with your phone?
Well the only reason I got the IPhones was because it was a birthday gift,And the first phone I got was the 16G in white so when we got home My screen was jumping so I said okay maybe if I power my phone off and than cut it back on maybe it will started to work a little better,While it didn't I just made thing worse My screen was only jumping it wouldn't come back on after that,So I was so mad cause we had to drive a 138 miles to get my phone and than my cousin came over and she have the same phone I had just got.But her phone look like she had it for some years the white on the back of the phone had turned a off white.
So we had to drive other 138 miles there and back for me to get other phone and when I made it to the Apple store I didn't know you suppose to call and make appt before you come up there about your phone.So I'm standing up there telling them that I just came yesterday and drove a 138 miles here and back and I just had to turn around and do it again today.So they went on and seen me and ask me what was going on with my phone.So I told them as they can see it was not coming on no more.
So they exchange my IPhone and I didn't get the same color due to how my cousin white IPhone was looking like,So I got a black IPhone instead.
So the new phone I got was working so good and than about two weeks later my phone would blink on and off and it would freeze on you during call's are anything.So you already know what I had to do again I had to drive other 138 miles there and back and I was not happy about that at all.So this time before I went I made appt that morning to come and they told me to come around 200pm but for me to try to be there at least ten minutes early.So I made it there around 145pm they didn't get to me still around 315pm.So when they final call me to go talk to someone about what's going on with my phone.They ask me for my receipt and I let them know I didn't have it cause they didn't give it to me cause yale told me I didn't need it cause yale was going to send it to my email address.
So they went to try to look up my email address,That took them other 30 minutes to find it,But they finial found it in there system.So they went on and exchange my phone again with no problem at all.
So this phone I got was doing so good, I really thought my trouble was all over still I saw a black line running down my screen of my phone.So I had to get on the phone with apple again so I can make other appt for the 3rd time,So I can go up there and bring this phone so they can look at it,Cause I thought maybe I was seening something are it suppose to be on my phone and I didn't know,But to come to find out it didn't suppose to be on my phone so they had to replaces my phone for the 3rd time.
So I bent haveing this phone That I got now about 3 months now and I got to tell you I went through **** and back to get this phone and it's really doing good really love the phone so much I'm so glade that I didn't give up on this phone because I was haveing so much bad luck with getting a IPhone I was about to give up but I am so glade that I kept trying.It really is a great phone to have it have so much on this phone I love it.I just hope I don't have no more problem down the line cause I don't want to go through this again.
I feel were you are coming from cause I wouldn't want nobody to go through what I went through try to getting my phone.
But I'M telling you,it might be worth you going through this at the end..The TV on this phone is so unbelievable I'M telling you,you going to love it.Before I go to sleep at night I listen to my i pod on my IPhone and I love it that's how I go to sleep at night are I might watch a movie that I have on my phone at night.It's a great phone to have all the way around I give it a ten.
And other thing you said you don't like to arguing sometime you just have to do that.you and me have so much in common cause I don't like that my self,I feel like why should I have to raise my voices to get my point a cross that's just crazy to me.
So how long do yale have to exchange something were you stay.