Hey guys, before I start I have learnt and will not purchase anything HTC any more so please no negative comments in that direction. This post serves to explain what happened to me and it may warn others of ending up in the same situation.
It all started last year (2014) in February when I read Google was bringing out the Nexus 9. I'd never owned a "PURE" Android device and this was rumoured to be the fastest Android tablet released yet. I hate bloatware and waiting for updates. Most of the handsets I'd ever owned for example are Telstra ones and you guys probably know how long it takes to get ANY updates at all for their handsets. I for once just wanted something which I thought would be nice for myself and started saving up.
At the end of October - the Google web site finally had the device for sale from 3 outlets. Best Buy, Amazon and Google themselves. Best Buy would not ship to Australia, And Amazon was almost $100 US cheaper so I chose them. The device arrived a couple of weeks later. I was firstly over the moon but within a few weeks I had the (common) problem of the Gyro getting stuck. After contacting Amazon and ensuring I could get a replacement before I left on my holiday 4th December, they sent a replacement AND arranged for me to have a larger return Window so I could return the faulty unit after I got back from holiday. This all went smoothly. The display was not as nice as the first one (a bit of back light bleed) but the device otherwise seemed pretty flawless.
In February THIS year I started getting almighty crashes where (now discovered to be when the battery drops below 58% and playing intensive 3D games) the device gets a white screen, nothing else works, and it emits a very high pitched tone at very high volume. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiMApKHSz2Q. Sometimes the device would shut down spontaneously (telling me the battery was empty at 84%), sometimes the sound would just stop. Restarting the app works. Sometimes it would just reboot out of nowhere.
I contacted HTC AUSTRALIA to start with and see what could be done. Unfortunately I got the usual factory reset/hard reset which I did perform. While on the phone the problem did not recur (at the time I did not know it only happened when the charge was lower). They kept referring to my device as a handset and asking for IEMI (it's wireless only which I had to clarify time and time again) so they weren't all that competent, and did not really realise they were dealing with a tablet. The games and apps I use are quite large so re-installing them literally takes a day or more over my ADSL1 connection.
Anyway I didn't really get anywhere but with 1 year warranty thought I would tackle it if it got worse.
By May it did.
This time I got on to Amazon and asked for an exchange as I was now sure in myself it was hardware issues. They explained I was outside the 90 day return window, and the device is now in HTC hands. They gave me HTC Australia's number (yay!). When I explained I'd been there they did sympathize and at least returned some of my money (about $120 US from memory), but other than that there was nothing they could do anymore. HTC needed to cover the warranty.
Anyway this went on and on.
At the start of this month I decided to give it one more good hard try as the warranty will run out at the end of this month. I called GOOGLE. They were FAR more helpful, acknowledged it was probably a hardware issue, but could not do anything. Even though they promote the device I purchased it from a LINK and their store, not their store itself and said HTC needed to cover the warranty. They passed me straight through to HTC US.
After a 45 minute conversation HALLELUJAH they agreed to replace the device. HOWEVER, their policy states they cannot post the replacement to Australia, and kept asking for a US address. I do not have anyone that lives in the US, and with the original freight TO the US (about $100 - Aus Post won't touch it as it has a battery), and if I used a freight forwarder to get it returned it would cost almost as much (especially with the aussie dollar) to get it back.
I said as much and they said to call back at after midnight to see if I could get the ticket escalated. I'm a shift worker so that does not really work for me, but I did try to settle this through e-mail and even snuck in a live chat at work but could not get through during those hours (mail was not responded to).
I approached HTC Australia again to see if ANYTHING could be done but once they took the serial number (and asking again for IEMI) they said it was an American model and HTC AU won't touch it. When I explained it was accepted as a faulty unit in the US they could not access the US ticket database anyway as they are completely separate units.
(I think these support lines may be run by contractors or something because surely HTC international would have a global database???)
So I'm stuck with a faulty HTC Nexus 9. HTC will not help.
Again, let me stress, it is totally my fault. EVEN THOUGH I followed Google AU links initially to buy the device, I DID realize I was buying through Amazon US. What I did not realize is that HTC does not have an international warranty on their devices.
I believe in this day and age of the global economy that is ludicrous but also realize my opinions don't matter in this case.
Google will not step up and help me with the device they promote.
Amazon I can't really complain about - I believe they've done all they're required to do and more by giving me a little discount (doesn't go anywhere near covering the device and the keyboard accessory I purchased but at least they took some responsibility)
HTC is horrible in my opinion. I had an issue back in 2010 with them when my HTC Desire kept crashing and overheating, and I had the same MONTHS of back and forth before they let me send it back. Finally 8 weeks later I received a replacement which is still working to this day I'll admit but it was a terrible process.
And now with this it's even worse. I have read they are hurting financially at the moment:
http://bgr.com/2015/07/09/htc-2015-sales-earnings-disaster/
http://www.wired.com/2015/08/htc-financial-trouble/
and can't help wondering whether their quality isn't that good OR people have no brand loyalty because of their bad support. I'm also disappointed Google used a company not in good shape to build the device in the first place but I guess maybe they're trying to give HTC a leg up. Unfortunately I believe they're screwing it up.
Not surprising Google is now building it's own devices:
http://www.engadget.com/2015/09/29/google-pixel-c-hands-on/
Again, I know it's my fault and nothing I can do but please think twice before buying HTC. This does serve as a bit of a rant I know but I'm hoping it saves a few of you from possible disaster.
you lost me when you started to expect google to help you with a transaction you made from amazon.