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Available through SonyStore like Z3C?

Is the Z3 going to be available through the official SonyStore like the Z3 Compact? Any rumors or articles? I previously bought it on ebay but I'd like a factory warranty.

Mity85 said:
Is the Z3 going to be available through the official SonyStore like the Z3 Compact? Any rumors or articles? I previously bought it on ebay but I'd like a factory warranty.
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I got no rumors or articles to back this up: no. Sonys latest flagship phone will not be sold in the Sony store, it will exclusively be sold on ebay.

I went to T-Mobile Store today and I was told T-Mobile will carry the Z3 Compact. I found that to be a bit odd because the Z3C made it to the SonyStore, thereby indicating a lack of exclusivity in Sony & T-Mobile's agreement.
Also, I called the SonyStore in Manhattan and a sales rep told me they may be getting the Z3 unlocked but it hasn't been made official yet. But you have to be careful when hearing things from sales people. From my experience with buying computers and cars, I generally know more about the product than the sales people.

Mity85 said:
I went to T-Mobile Store today and I was told T-Mobile will carry the Z3 Compact. I found that to be a bit odd because the Z3C made it to the SonyStore, thereby indicating a lack of exclusivity in Sony & T-Mobile's agreement.
Also, I called the SonyStore in Manhattan and a sales rep told me they may be getting the Z3 unlocked but it hasn't been made official yet. But you have to be careful when hearing things from sales people. From my experience with buying computers and cars, I generally know more about the product than the sales people.
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Better to get from TMO (14 day exchange period) or whichever carrier you are on, they replaced mine without hassle 3 times due to various defects. If you buy from Sony store, you will have to deal with long waits for warranty repairs and maybe end up with a refurbished one just like any manufacturer would do, just for small defects.

I need D6603 due to the various LTE bands. My goal is to get my next device to last me 3-4 years by having NFC, expandable storage so I can download offline Nokia Here maps, and lots of LTE bands to use in both Europe and the US. I hate carrier branded phones for this exact reason - every carrier wants to keep you on their network by restricting hardware.
Given all the issues with the camera and bending, I'm also considering the Note 4. The only problem is the price!
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_4-6434.php

Z3 is not a bad device, just wait for the new batches. All manufacturers at one time or another have had launch production QC issues. Better yet wait till Feb/Mar, the Z4 will release and is a much bigger upgrade than the Z3.

I was thinking the same thing - wait for the Z4 to come out after MWC and then buy the Z3 because the QC issues would be worked out and I could get it for cheaper. However, I came across this article stating that the Z4 is going to be a 5.5" QHD phablet. This means the new Z4 can be considered a different segment like the iPhone 6 and 6+. So, QC issues worked out, yes. Cheaper, no.
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/new-prod...peria-z4-uk-release-date-price-specs-rumours/
I actually bought the D6603 on ebay and then returned it due to the camera issues. The water coloring effect was unacceptable to me. Waiting would be a good strategy to see if Lollipop can provide the fix.

Mity85 said:
I went to T-Mobile Store today and I was told T-Mobile will carry the Z3 Compact. I found that to be a bit odd because the Z3C made it to the SonyStore, thereby indicating a lack of exclusivity in Sony & T-Mobile's agreement.
Also, I called the SonyStore in Manhattan and a sales rep told me they may be getting the Z3 unlocked but it hasn't been made official yet. But you have to be careful when hearing things from sales people. From my experience with buying computers and cars, I generally know more about the product than the sales people.
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Take this with a grain of salt.. My sister works in the Sony building in Manhattan and she was told by rep in the store that rumor is 11/11 for the z3
Sent from my Nexus 5

jdiddy_ub said:
Take this with a grain of salt.. My sister works in the Sony building in Manhattan and she was told by rep in the store that rumor is 11/11 for the z3
Sent from my Nexus 5
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It popped up in the SonyStore last night but the MSRP is $680. If you can't register as a student/don't apply for a Sony credit card, it's better to go through an authorized retailer.
http://store.sony.com/xperia-z3-lte...d-Phones?vva_ColorCode=FFFFFF&_t=pfm=category
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1091325-REG/sony_1289_4869_xperia_z3_lte_phone.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1087073-REG/sony_1290_0538_xperia_z3_compact_cell.html

Mity85 said:
It popped up in the SonyStore last night but the MSRP is $680. If you can't register as a student/don't apply for a Sony credit card, it's better to go through an authorized retailer.
http://store.sony.com/xperia-z3-lte...d-Phones?vva_ColorCode=FFFFFF&_t=pfm=category
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1091325-REG/sony_1289_4869_xperia_z3_lte_phone.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1087073-REG/sony_1290_0538_xperia_z3_compact_cell.html
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hmm interesting...maybe there is some validity to the in store rumor after all...
that $50 mark up sucks though..and its sad that outside retailers can sell it at a cheaper price than the manufacturer.
i wonder when the shipping date for this is going to be pushed back to..haha...the shipping system for the z3c is a complete mess right now, ive seen my order status change 3 times since yesterday

My eBay experience (techno.trading.house)

Hi everyone,
I want to share my journey with the Z3, and the experience with buying from eBay, specifically from a seller, techno.trading.house (Steph, Ed). I bought two brand new Z3 (D6603)--a black one for myself, and a white one for my girlfriend. The order was smooth, and the phones came in pretty much brand new (open box though) with their plastic peel-screens on the glass, untouched. After using the two for a few hours, I noticed that my black one had a defective sensor (photo). The seller advertised "hassle-free" exchanges/refunds, so I reported the defect and had the black one exchanged right away.
After a week, the new one came, the same brand new (open box) condition as the previous phones. However, there was a slight manufacturing defect with the USB flap--it closes completely at a slant (photo). I spelled out the issue with the seller, and here was how it went:
SELLER: I'm sorry to hear that! We will certainly replace it for you, I believe that your phone would be damaged underwater if that or any other flap was not closed properly. (I also do strongly suggest to avoid wetting the phone just in case). Please return the phone to...
ME (after 2 days delivered to them): Hi, have you receive the package yet, and have you ship out the new phone?
SELLER: Your return has been received. If you had chosen to receive a replacement, it will be sent within 2 days. If you have opted for a refund, it will be issued within 24 hours minus applicable restocking fee.
ME: Do you have tracking info? Thanks!
SELLER: Our records indicate that we have already sent a replacement. You have reached out to us to let us know that the replacement has the same issue. In order to avoid another occurrence, we recommend that we proceed with a refund for this item. Please let us know if this is okay.
ME: Sorry, I am not sure what you are saying. Are you talking about the previous replacement or the 2nd replacement being shipped out? I am currently waiting for the 2nd replacement. You said "sure" on the second replacement last week.
SELLER: We are talking about the previous replacement. We believe since both- the original phone and the replacement phone- has had the same issue, that a refund might be best. Let us know if this is ok.
ME: That is not correct. First phone had a defective camera. Second one had a manufacturer defect on the flap. You agreed for the second exchange, so I am not sure why you are backing out now? I need the phone as I have been using an old dumb phone for work for a week already.
SELLER: I'm very sorry for the confusion. I just read back through the emails and you are indeed correct. We will have your replacement unit shipped today. Here is your tracking number. Again, I am sorry for the confusion. Have a great day!
ME: Thanks. I just hope the new one does not have any defect--I will be checking it. If it's not shipped out yet, anyway you can inspect these? Thank you.
SELLER: Hello, Not a problem.
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So the 2nd replacement came (third phone), and the phone came in a used/open condition. There were no plastic peel-screens on either side of the glass and the USB wire was laying in there without its plastic wrappers. I knew immediately this was used, so I began close inspection of the phone. I found that the power button had a noticeable dent on one side, as if it was dropped on a table before. At this point, I don't know what to do with the phone. I have summoned the seller to see what they plan to do with this situation.
It appears that the seller recycles their returned phones and try to sell them as new, or whatever it is. I am extremely disappointed with this seller, and I want others to know so they may not fall into the same trap.
I checked the current feedback, and it appears someone had the same situation (photo). Go figure!

To me this sounds like a fair seller and a picky buyer. 832 positive reviews and 6 negative ones in a month is a ratio I would buy at if I wanted to save a hundred bucks by buying without factory warranty.

It could have been an honest mistake. I doubt he purposely gave you an opened one, just work with him to solve the problem. eBay is much harder on sellers than buyers and he would ruin his reputation if he did it on purpose. Looking at his rating I would say it was an honest mistake.
I understand if he wants to refund you, he is just trying to cut his losses. At the same time it was your misfortune to get a bad device/s. Since this phone is known for cosmetic/other issues as its in early production you are better of buying from Sony/carrier making replacement easier.

abhinav.tella said:
It could have been an honest mistake. I doubt he purposely gave you an opened one, just work with him to solve the problem. eBay is much harder on sellers than buyers and he would ruin his reputation if he did it on purpose. Looking at his rating I would say it was an honest mistake.
I understand if he wants to refund you, he is just trying to cut his losses. At the same time it was your misfortune to get a bad device/s. Since this phone is known for cosmetic/other issues as its in early production you are better of buying from Sony/carrier making replacement easier.
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remember me?
I'm sorry to hear that. It was really a frustrating moment you went through. If I were you I would probably be really angry.
If you want, just buy it from Sony store. I got mine and it's perfect so far (except some cosmetic minor faults).

I bought two phones directly from the same seller. The price was cheaper on their own site vs eBay or Amazon. Both phones are perfect. They came in non sealed boxes. I've got no complaints.

android404 said:
To me this sounds like a fair seller and a picky buyer. 832 positive reviews and 6 negative ones in a month is a ratio I would buy at if I wanted to save a hundred bucks by buying without factory warranty.
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I may be a picky buyer, but who wouldn't be when you receive a defective product, and even worse when you get a used one on your third one. Feedbacks mean jack when you are on the short end. They are only good for initial decision about the seller, hence I trust them like you would too.
abhinav.tella said:
It could have been an honest mistake. I doubt he purposely gave you an opened one, just work with him to solve the problem. eBay is much harder on sellers than buyers and he would ruin his reputation if he did it on purpose. Looking at his rating I would say it was an honest mistake.
I understand if he wants to refund you, he is just trying to cut his losses. At the same time it was your misfortune to get a bad device/s. Since this phone is known for cosmetic/other issues as its in early production you are better of buying from Sony/carrier making replacement easier.
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I hope you are right on the honest mistake.
bluesky2111 said:
remember me?
I'm sorry to hear that. It was really a frustrating moment you went through. If I were you I would probably be really angry.
If you want, just buy it from Sony store. I got mine and it's perfect so far (except some cosmetic minor faults).
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Yeah, I really regret not buying from Sony store, or even T-Mobile here. At this point, I might just say screw it, keep the phone, and move on with my life. Maybe the Z4 will entice me in few months. :good:

I purchased 3 different Z3 D6603 from Techno Trading, Never-MSRP, and Sony Direct all off ebay.
Techno Trading shipping a Central America version of the D6603 (White) to me and it had no seals whatsoever on the box (US Charger). This model would not show LTE indicator until I flashed a generic TFT. Booting with Encryption shows the Pin Entry text in Spanish but quickly changes to English. Seller Feedack: Shipped very quickly but using subpar shipping materials. Shipped from Miami.
Never-MSRP shipped a Central Europe version of the D6603 (Copper) to me and it HAD seals on the box but also included a Sony Screen Protector (Non-US Charger). This model had the LTE indicator from start. Booting with Encryption shows the Pin Entry text in English. Seller Feedback: Shipped same day and was packaged very well. Unfortunately, they are located in Houston so I had to pay tax.
Sony Direct shipped a Generic North American model of the D6603 (Green) to me. This one had seals on the box but didn't include the Screen Protector. LTE shows from start and includes a US Charger. Plastic on the front and back of phone is totally different than the other two. Its hard to describe but the other phones came with a very very thin plastic protector. This model shipped with much thicker protectors on front and back (still meant to be removed because they have tabs on the side). Additionally, the other two phones were inside a cellophane bag but the this model was not in cellophane. Shipped from Sony in Romeoville IL. Shipped within two hours of purchase using FedEx for free. Unfortunately, Sony charges tax everywhere. Packaged well but not great.
My point...
Sony packages models different based on their intended destination. It might not be that you ever got "open box" devices but rather they were intended for an area which Sony (for whatever reason) chose not to use seals.

mwep said:
My point...
Sony packages models different based on their intended destination. It might not be that you ever got "open box" devices but rather they were intended for an area which Sony (for whatever reason) chose not to use seals.
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That is interesting. Before buying from techno, I bought a white one from tropical_mobile (in which I sold quickly due to being D6653), who stated they were located in Tennessee, but shipped from Singapore. However, the phone was sealed with two white rounded "sealed" stickers on the box. The phone also was sealed in a clear plastic slip and had protective screens on both sides.
This whole Z3 deal has been pretty bad luck for me. Maybe it is not meant to be. But good news--the seller techno.trading.house got back to me, and is willing to refund me $20 for the dented power button, or do another replacement. I'm planning to take the refund, and live with it as I am sick of all the exchanges. Who knows, the replacement might have even weirder issues.

If you spend $500 plus on an item, you the buyer, have every right on this planet to be as picky as you like.
Nobody has to settle for anything less than perfection.
So no, you don't have to accept a defective camera, or flap or indeed a previously returned phone.
As I mentioned before but was lambasted in another thread, Sony may be using premium materials, but they are certainly not using premium construction. Not when some people have to go through six boxes in store to find a unit without light bleed and gaps.
I myself had two exchanges within the first two weeks. My first unit was simply not waterproof and had a leaky flap and my second one didn't charge on the magnetic dock and now I have light bleed but no energy to fight it anymore.
It's almost as bad as an iPhone. All my iPhone friends have had multiple exchanges... Some as many as 5 in a year.
Sent from my D6603 using XDA Free mobile app

More recent feedbacks to prove my point.

stop accepting being called a picky buyer.... ur paying top dollar for the phone, that said u should receive a product good for the purpose, if the camera doesn't work its not good
if the phone isnt water proof it isnt good
if there is a dent in the design it should state it before being bought. so it's not the buyer nor seller (purposely) its a unlucky sale.

I purchased mine at t-mobile. I paid 100% upfront despite being with t-mobile and they unlock it on the spot. When I registered with Xperia Care (sonymobiles product registration) I entered my IMEI and it has till Oct 2016 on warranty.
However on the 2nd day of owning the device The bottom speaker stopped working and was making a static noise. I went to my t-mo store I purchased it and they swapped it out. I didn't even pay a restocking fee. The manager said as long as I get the same phone and since I bought it back so promptly that he would just swap a new one. This one has been perfect since. Sometimes the convenience of having a store near by is better than having to deal with shipping my phone back and forth!
Alot of people dont want the tmobile Bloatwear but like I said, 32 GB + Local customer support outweight > No bloatwear & 16 Gig with mail in issues. (since i have no sony store near by, id still have to mail in for repairs and exchanges)

Me too, I'm glad I bought it from TMO with an EIP, exchanged mine 3 times on my 4th now, no hassles or fees.

[Q] Rinsed my phone, now touchscreen not working

This morning I rinsed my z3 off in the kitchen sink, all the ports were closed and I only have ever used a magnetic charger so theres no way I damaged the rubber seals. After rinsing the phone off for about 15 seconds I dried it and tried to use it.
The screen comes on and all of the buttons (power, volume, camera) work but the touchscreen is completely unresponsive. I've rebooted it with power button + volume up and now it's sitting in a bag of rice while I'm typing this.
This is obviously especially frustrating given the fact that the phone is supposed to be WATERPROOF up to 5 feet of water and mine was only under the faucet for 15 seconds or so.
I have the extended warranty but I dont want to use the extended warranty on something that I feel isnt my fault when I might need it later if I drop it or if I damage it somehow. (the warranty can only be used once)
Also I've had a terrible experience with Sony customer service in the past so I'm really trying to avoid dealing with them at all costs. Unfortunately this might be my only option.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? did the rice work or did you have to send it back?

I've rinsed my phone off several times and never had a problem.

I've had mine underwater a few times and rinsed it in the sink lots of times with no ill effects. Is yours the T-Mobile version by any chance? I've read about quite a few problems with at least one batch of Z3s T-Mobile received.

torquelift said:
I've had mine underwater a few times and rinsed it in the sink lots of times with no ill effects. Is yours the T-Mobile version by any chance? I've read about quite a few problems with at least one batch of Z3s T-Mobile received.
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No this is the unlocked variant bought straight off of the sony store. The fact that there is nothing else wrong with the screen makes me think it was just something wrong with the phone and i happened to rinse it off at the same time that it stopped working. I've never dropped this phone, I've only had it for a week and a half. It's gotta be from a bad batch.

I had one of my Z3s with massive light leak all along one side of the frame, looking closely you could see bits of glue in intervals. If yours has a similar issue, water may have entered.

abhinav.tella said:
I had one of my Z3s with massive light leak all along one side of the frame, looking closely you could see bits of glue in intervals. If yours has a similar issue, water may have entered.
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Yeah I was thinking maybe there was some leak on the body or frame but It's weird that the picture is fine and it's only the touchscreen that's completely unresponsive. I would think if there was some water damage then the picture would be distorted or it wouldnt turn on properly. I'm on the phone with Sony right now, hopefully they decide that it was defective in the first place so I can dodge this ridiculous 15% restocking fee.

UPDATE**
After speaking with almost every compartmentalized department of Sony I was finally brought back to the sony store help line where the rep told me that I would be able to return the phone for a full refund. Now I'm deciding whether or not to buy another Z3. The phone was great when it worked but after mine broke down I found a lot of people online with problems like mine. This leads me to believe that this phone is very delicate and not at all as durable as I originally thought. I wish I could know if it was just a defective one out of the millions they will produce.
PS If you use your Sony warranty do not expect a replacement or loaner phone while you wait for your phone to get fixed. I ended up just buying a galaxy S4 from bestbuy to use until my new phone gets here. 14 day return policy!!

fujimori1780 said:
UPDATE**
After speaking with almost every compartmentalized department of Sony I was finally brought back to the sony store help line where the rep told me that I would be able to return the phone for a full refund. Now I'm deciding whether or not to buy another Z3. The phone was great when it worked but after mine broke down I found a lot of people online with problems like mine. This leads me to believe that this phone is very delicate and not at all as durable as I originally thought. I wish I could know if it was just a defective one out of the millions they will produce.
PS If you use your Sony warranty do not expect a replacement or loaner phone while you wait for your phone to get fixed. I ended up just buying a galaxy S4 from bestbuy to use until my new phone gets here. 14 day return policy!!
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Darn. I was planning on getting the Z3 too next month as part of a contract with one of the carriers in Canada. Looks like a great phone in terms of battery life and performance.
Don't think I can/will wait until Q1/Q2 of 2015 for a new phone. I could, I just don't know if I would. :|

Info
fujimori1780 said:
UPDATE**
After speaking with almost every compartmentalized department of Sony I was finally brought back to the sony store help line where the rep told me that I would be able to return the phone for a full refund. Now I'm deciding whether or not to buy another Z3. The phone was great when it worked but after mine broke down I found a lot of people online with problems like mine. This leads me to believe that this phone is very delicate and not at all as durable as I originally thought. I wish I could know if it was just a defective one out of the millions they will produce.
PS If you use your Sony warranty do not expect a replacement or loaner phone while you wait for your phone to get fixed. I ended up just buying a galaxy S4 from bestbuy to use until my new phone gets here. 14 day return policy!!
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thr can be faulty device for all brands
for example someone broke its Galaxy S4 just by putting it in pocket!
If you want real durable device the Xperia Z series is the best and the original Xperia Z was better than others
it had durable frame + light weight + beauty
:good:

Geeks Empire said:
thr can be faulty device for all brands
for example someone broke its Galaxy S4 just by putting it in pocket!
If you want real durable device the Xperia Z series is the best and the original Xperia Z was better than others
it had durable frame + light weight + beauty
:good:
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Yeah i just ordered another z3 about 10 minutes ago haha i can't go back to a sub par battery now

Went to the aquarium yesterday and took some cool pics, unfortunately my touchscreen doesn't work now...
14 day wait time

xxquicksh0txx said:
Went to the aquarium yesterday and took some cool pics, unfortunately my touchscreen doesn't work now...
14 day wait time
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I dont know if you have a backup plan in place while youre waiting but I strongly suggest going to bestbuy and buying a phone to use in the meantime since you can just take it back within 14 for a no questions asked return. It's basically a free phone rental service. :good:

fujimori1780 said:
I dont know if you have a backup plan in place while youre waiting but I strongly suggest going to bestbuy and buying a phone to use in the meantime since you can just take it back within 14 for a no questions asked return. It's basically a free phone rental service. :good:
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Seems kinda lame to buy a phone from someone with the intent to return it like this.

helpmejeebus said:
Seems kinda lame to buy a phone from someone with the intent to return it like this.
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I doubt BestBuy is going to feel the difference in their wallet. My other option is to buy a 25 dollar flip phone that I'll never use again or keep the 500+ dollar Galaxy S because it's the "right" thing to do. It would be one thing if the damage to my phone was my fault, but it's not and Sony isn't going to provide me a replacement. That is what I'd call "lame".

T-Mobile Z3... dropped/Best way to root new one/Backup old one/Insurance Claim

So I dropped my Z3 on some concrete last night....
Device works just fine but it's ugly. Will they accept the claim provided it's just cosmetic or should I lie and say it is done for? What pisses me off is not the money for the deductible... it's the countless hours I've spent customizing it.
So I'm going to file the insurance claim today. I would like to know the best way to backup my device so that I can restore as much onto the new one as possible. I had the dual backup installed but will never boot into it, maybe ill try to reinstall.
Then as far as the new device... what's the best way to root it? Should I take the update? I have blocked the sony updater on my existing one for fear of it breaking root.
Lastly will Assurant check to see if I rooted my old one? Should I unroot it prior to sending it back.
Thanks in advance for your advice. My big thing is I'm not sending this one in until I get an exact replacement and I can get that replacement rooted. If I can't do that I'll pay $200-300 to get it repaired.

I do not believe cosmetic issues are covered. Granted I did not have insurance (They backdated Jump for me after my 3 refurb so had insurance technically) when I did my exchanges with T-Mobile but they made it clear that cosmetic issues are not considered plus you technically physically damaged it and it was not a factory defect, Unless its affecting the usage of the phone they won't, unless I suppose any damage to the frame affected water proofing, you could make that case if true. In my case of severe light leak on a few of them I convinced them waterproofing was compromised (failed pressure test) so they agreed to replace.
Oh and by the way T-Mobile does not have any new Z3s nor any new ones coming in, you will get a refurb..... And boy does the repair center do a bad job, I had to send 4 refurbs in a row back recently because they had issues ranging from severe light bleed to missing paint patch in bezel which acts like an extra LED near lower speaker on 2 of them to a streak of hot/dead pixels on one....
So basically unless they can get you factory sealed one, you will have to test your luck with refurbs, though depending on how bad your damaged Z3 looks it may well be worth it lol.

abhinav.tella said:
I do not believe cosmetic issues are covered. Granted I did not have insurance (They backdated Jump for me after my 3 refurb so had insurance technically) when I did my exchanges with T-Mobile but they made it clear that cosmetic issues are not considered plus you technically physically damaged it and it was not a factory defect, Unless its affecting the usage of the phone they won't, unless I suppose any damage to the frame affected water proofing, you could make that case if true. In my case of severe light leak on a few of them I convinced them waterproofing was compromised (failed pressure test) so they agreed to replace.
Oh and by the way T-Mobile does not have any new Z3s nor any new ones coming in, you will get a refurb..... And boy does the repair center do a bad job, I had to send 4 refurbs in a row back recently because they had issues ranging from severe light bleed to missing paint patch in bezel which acts like an extra LED near lower speaker on 2 of them to a streak of hot/dead pixels on one....
So basically unless they can get you factory sealed one, you will have to test your luck with refurbs, though depending on how bad your damaged Z3 looks it may well be worth it lol.
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Assurant always does refurbs, unless they don't have any they will give you a new one. It's at least a z3 they are sending, otherwise I'd tell to them to f*** off and I'd find a way to repair it.
I'm pissed that T-mobile doesn't carry anymore (some still available in stores). I think half the reason they don't sell is the salespeople at the mobile carriers and best buy are always pushing garbage samsung devices. If you go to Europe you can find accessories for any sony phone in any electronics store or airport shop. My friends in Canada say one in four in their group of friends have an Xperia. I have only seen one other out in the real world... and the individual was from Hong Kong.
I would rather purchase direct from Sony, but T-mobiles coverage is still spotty and I depend on wifi calling in some places I visit regularly.
Guy at T-Mobile said cosmetic is covered. The way I see it they'd probably prefer I pay $175 and get a device that's working just fine. I said the screen was cracked... but technically it's the glass on the back.

It's not T-Mobile's fault, they still sell the Z/Z1, reason they stopped sale of the Z3 is due to quality control issues and numerous returns. A rep told me that after I said I want a new one not any more defective refurbs. As I said I am on my 8th lol plus the 4-5 more (new) TMO store itself went through to get me my 4th so make it 10-12 total TMO sent back to Sony just for me...
Don't get me wrong I love the phone but needing that many returns is just ridiculous.....
The international version seems to have much better consistency in production and quality.
However honestly I'm glad I bought directly from T-Mobile they gave me immediate replacements for my first 4 (in Oct-Nov) which were new and 1 day shipping for the last 4 which were refurbs (recently). Sony support asked me to do a software reinstall to get rid of light leak from frame/glass where glue was clearly missing, facepalm. After that they said 3 week minimum turn around time for replacements. TMO reps seemed more knowledgeable.... They even offered to cancel my monthly phone cost and refeund tax if it happened again....
Well anyway, I hope you get a good replacement. Another idea is in the event you get a bad refurb, try to go through Sony and make them give you the international version instead.

abhinav.tella said:
It's not T-Mobile's fault, they still sell the Z/Z1, reason they stopped sale of the Z3 is due to quality control issues and numerous returns. A rep told me that after I said I want a new one not any more defective refurbs. As I said I am on my 8th lol plus the 4-5 more (new) TMO store itself went through to get me my 4th so make it 10-12 total TMO sent back to Sony just for me...
Don't get me wrong I love the phone but needing that many returns is just ridiculous.....
The international version seems to have much better consistency in production and quality.
However honestly I'm glad I bought directly from T-Mobile they gave me immediate replacements for my first 4 (in Oct-Nov) which were new and 1 day shipping for the last 4 which were refurbs (recently). Sony support asked me to do a software reinstall to get rid of light leak from frame/glass where glue was clearly missing, facepalm. After that they said 3 week minimum turn around time for replacements. TMO reps seemed more knowledgeable.... They even offered to cancel my monthly phone cost and refeund tax if it happened again....
Well anyway, I hope you get a good replacement.
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As much as I liked the more squarish design of my z1s (though hated the silver accents)... my z3 seemed to be a much more quality device. Scared to try out this refurbed one. I'm charging it up and waiting until I find out the best means for rooting it. Hoping it's not a piece of crap. I remember a friend dropped my z1s, the replacement models vibrator would stop working.
Personally what upsets me most is the bootloaders that can't be unlocked and frustration with rooting. It's so easy on the international versions. And frankly while wifi calling is a nice feature it's a total load that I can't use it on any device and even more upsetting that it isn't compatible with third party messaging apps. I can't get mms to download over wifi calling with anything but that hideous bare bones stock messaging app.
"The international version seems to have much better consistency in production and quality." That right there says it all. If the international version is compatible on your service, why create a dumbed down version?

Regardless it's good to speak to someone that has experience with this, albeit unfortunate experiences. Good luck.

Make sure to check it at night, and look for light bleed and also any LED like effect from missing paint on front glass (That I believe is due to a tool mark), saw this on 3 refurbs.
As I said earlier if it does have issues try the cross model exchange with Sony. I see no alternative devices lol, the Z3 is still the most well rounded device even with the new guys in town.

Holy Crap Motorolas RMA service is Terrible!

I originally sent my z2 force in & paid around $50 for a "free" shattershield screen replacement and bought a z3 to use while waiting for the repair to be completed.
They contacted me after receiving the device saying they couldn't do a shattershield RMA because the very top layer of the screen was peeling back which is part of the display but whatever(why they wouldn't just put an entire LCD assembly in is beyond my understanding).
So after refusing to fix mine they offered to send me a new[refurbished] device for a little over an additional $50, so I'm a bit over $100 in the hole but I'm getting a new[refurbished] device, okay, or so I thought.
Expecting it to be a quick process I was just going to sell this z3 once I got my z2 force back; it's now 2 months later, I still haven't received my new[refurbished] z2 force and they can't even figure out how to ship it. In the meantime I'm still using my z3 which is showing signs of use now so selling it is going to suck, the charging port on my z3 is already wearing out & I've have a motomod turbopower battery pack die.
To sum up the issue, since my phone was originally a repair & got changed to a replacement they had to make a new RMA case for it because apparently they don't have a process to modify it mid RMA. After they made a new RMA case for it they can't figure out how to mark my device as "received" since they already had it. So they haven't shipped my replacement for over a month because their customer support & warehouse people are completely inept. I've already called & emailed multiple times and actually gave them multiple ways to mark it received on their end(I have inventory management experience) but all I ever get is "we're coordinating with our warehouse" "we can't get ahold of the warehouse" and my favorite "we're escalating your case" which I've been told so many times I think the CEO of Motorola must be handling my case.
After exclusively using Motorola phones my whole life [v710, razr(probably had 5 of these), MotoQ, original flip Moto Droid, Droid X, Droid Bionic, Droid Turbo, Turbo 2, Z force, z2 force & now z3] I've been on the fence my last few purchases and I'm done with Motorola/Lenovo forever.
Here I come OnePlus?, Samsung?, Huawei?
Any recommendations lmk...