[Ryan]

The manager came through. Did whatever override was necessary and handed me a new device.

edit: Also, the manager said this wasn't the only Xs he'd seen with this problem today.

Just to rant a bit...

If I buy an Apple device, I expect the Apple Store to stand behind it. I do not care that I purchased it through T-Mobile. The Apple Store employee (who was apparently an assistant manager) wouldn't stop with his song and dance about how Apple couldn't service my phone because they'd already sold it to T-Mobile so the profit wasn't theirs? Or something. We argued for quite a while. He just wouldn't shut up about how Apple wasn't financially responsible. Please Apple, take this guy away from a customer-facing position. Kept saying that the carriers do their own repairs (not true for phones still covered under AppleCare) and how Apple can't know T-Mobile's arrangements.

1) Apple is the company that got AT&T to upend their voicemail infrastructure. I'm sure they can find a way to deal with repair chargebacks or whatever's needed.

2) Cut this bullshit that there's some impenetrable firewall between the two companies. We both know that's not true. There are all of four phone carriers Apple cares about in the US. You can figure out their policies.

3) Apple. Shipped. A. Defective. Device. Fix it and deal with billing later.

Man that guy was a prick. Don't go looking for service at the Boulder Apple Store.