I had become accustomed to purchasing the silicone cases that Apple sells for their phones. In the past, I had purchased nearly a dozen of these cases for my iPhone SE, 8, and 11. These cases were well-constructed, had a modern appearance, and felt comfortable in my hand. So, when I received my iPhone 13 mini, I immediately chose to purchase the Apple silicone case. However, I soon realized that this was not the best choice.

Terrible build quality at first sight.

When I removed the case from its packaging, I was immediately disappointed by its poor build quality. Not only were there dark spots on the material, but the material was also stretched near the opening for the lightning port. I initially considered exchanging or returning it, but my laziness overcame me.

It started to chip.

After about 3 weeks of use, the first chip appeared and the case began to deteriorate. I was a microbiology student and I would disinfect my phone with alcohol wipes after every lab session, which I believe greatly contributed to the accelerated wear compared to cases I had used in the past.

Although I had previously owned many other silicone cases, this was the first time I experienced such rapid damage. I am unsure what exactly caused the chips but they seem to be getting worse over time.

Contacting Apple Support.

A quick search on Google revealed that many people have experienced the same issues as me. Some have had success in replacing the case by walking into the store and talking to the Genius Bar people, which is what I then decided to do.

I was able to escalate the case and the store manager took a look at it. She was able to replace the damaged case free of charge as it was covered under their limited warranty. The entire process only took about 10 minutes. However, they did have to order a replacement for it to be sent to the store, so it took a few days to receive the replacement and I had to wait.

Getting my replacement.

Apple contacted me last week to inform me that my replacement was ready and I went to the store again to pick it up. Like all Apple replacement products, the case came in a plain white box.

The new case did not have any dark spots or flex near the port, it was smooth to the touch, and overall built better.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I experienced issues with my original Apple Silicon Case, but thanks to the helpful staff at the Genius Bar, I was able to successfully replace it. The new case was of a higher quality and met my expectations. Overall, I had a positive experience with the replacement process, and I am pleased with the final outcome.