Studio 7 are bonkers

soi3eddie · November 3

Jeez, I don't see a problem if you are there watching the staff check the new phone. My GF bought a new Samsung last year. The store not only checked it, but updated it and transferred everything from the old phone too. She was able to walk out of the store with no worries about setting up the new phone. Great service!

sometimewoodworker · November 3

2 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Bought an 'Apple iphone air 5' off Lazada for the daughter's birthday; just 2 weeks ago. Paid for it 18k COD.

The thing is. You are not buying it from Lazada. They are simply the contract facilitator. The last thing they want is dodgy sellers.

You probably mean an iPad Air as there is no iPhone air and an iPhone 5 would be at least 11 years old and worth almost nothing

steven100 · November 3

4 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Are you 100% sure it is a genuine iPhone?

I just sent back a hammer drill, strimmer and lawnmower (not to Studio 7 obvs) to Lazada......all fakes....45k bahts worth.

what did you expect for 45k ... all Makita or Bosch .. :vampire:

sometimewoodworker · November 3

1 minute ago, soi3eddie said:

Jeez, I don't see a problem if you are there watching the staff check the new phone. My GF bought a new Samsung last year. The store not only checked it, but updated it and transferred everything from the old phone too. She was able to walk out of the store with no worries about setting up the new phone. Great service!

That is great service if you actually want them to do it.

Personally I do the setup for both my and SWMBO’s devices myself.

my phones I get direct from Apple online for SWMBO we got it from studio 7 because it was the fastest way, could use her aunts credit card for the zero % 10 month payment plan and got a screen protector installed by the store, she does rather like the iPhone 16 Pro Max

owl sees all · November 3

7 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You probably mean an iPad Air as there is no iPhone air and an iPhone 5 would be at least 11 years old and worth almost nothing

You are right bro.

It was a tablet. Great big thing. The daughter likes it. She has done some great drawings on it already.

James105 · November 3

28 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

Jeez, I don't see a problem if you are there watching the staff check the new phone. My GF bought a new Samsung last year. The store not only checked it, but updated it and transferred everything from the old phone too. She was able to walk out of the store with no worries about setting up the new phone. Great service!

Sure I could watch him do it but since he was using the Thai language to go through the set up which I cannot read that wasn't much comfort. Maybe if he had explained before I bought the device what he planned to do and why he had to do it then it wouldn't have caught me by surprise.

Will B Good · November 3

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

what did you expect for 45k ... all Makita or Bosch ..

555....DeWalt, Honda and Honda.......555

richard_smith237 · November 3

5 hours ago, James105 said:

Checking it is working is annoying but I have no major problem with that and once the phone turned on that is proof enough. But going through the phone set up to get it to connect to the internet and do whatever else is too much, especially for a device that is used for so many things like banking etc. It made me way too uncomfortable watching him go through the setup (in Thai language as well) to let him continue. As I said, I had bought and paid for the device at this point so technically it was mine and I should have some say into what he can do with it.

Its a 'Thailand think' or rather... its a 'thing' that occurs here becasue the 'warranty' issue is so longwinded...

Its not like the West where we can simply return an item for any reason with xx days etc....

We just had failire of part of an item... (battery charger)... we we're asked to send the whole product back, rather than just the faulty charger part... we were told it was going to take months, it was easier just to separately buy a new charger !!

richard_smith237 · November 3

6 hours ago, James105 said:

So I tried to buy a new iPhone yesterday. Went into the local Studio 7 and they had what I wanted in stock so I paid for it. The next step should be walking out the store with my newly purchased product... right? Well not in this case. The guy then said he needed to open it to check it was working. So he broke the seal, then removed the protective plastic and used his grubby fingers on my shiny new toy to turn it on. Ok fine, its working, I thank him and take the phone and put it back in the box ready to leave. Can I leave? Nope. He then says he needs to sign into wifi with it to activate it and take a photo and check other things. Store policy or something. Now checking it is working is one thing, but getting to the stage of connecting a device that I use for authentication, banking and investments to the internet before I have had a chance to use it, now that is a no go for me. So I said there was no need and I can activate it myself. He wouldn't let me leave and in the end he ended up refunding my payment as I wouldn't let him use my new phone and connect it to wifi and do whatever before I have had a chance to secure it and activate it with my apple account.

So the store now has an opened iPhone in stock that they will not be able to sell as new and I still don't have a new iPhone. What kind of madness is this?

Part of this seems logical... the latter part seems madness....

Also... The store 'screwed up'... What they usually do is take payment, then open and check the item.

This happened to me with an iPad... I purchased the iPad (paid for it and expected to walk straight out with it), the staff wanted to opened it and check it was 'working' etc... no issues there, they connected it to the internet confirming the WiFi was working.. no issues there again... all ok.

BUT.. I did ask, what would have happened if there was a fault ?... They said they'd have to sent it to Apple for fixing.

I asked, in such a senario would they issue me with another iPad ?... No !!! - that was the one I purchased !!

So... as I understand it - when they open the iPad (or iPhone or other product) to check that it is working - it does not mean they will immediately issue you with a 'new one' if it has a fault.

THUS: what I would do in future, is to get them to open and check it first and take your course of action and walk out if there is a fault.

BUT, I also see your walking out just becasue they'd connected the iPhone to their WiFi as somewhat of an over-reaction, I don't see any security risk there.

----------

Slightly separately - the last couple of apple items I have purchased (iPad for Wife and Son and Macbook for me) - I purchased through the AppleStore and they were delivered directly to my home... So if they were faulty, I'd have had to send them to Apple anyway, so iStudio as an authorised 'reseller' is just doing the same... (at least I think thats the term - Authorised reseller).

Gottfrid · November 3

3 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Authorised ?

What? Do you know what that means in the business landscape? Totally Nothing! Anyone can put up that they are authorized sellers.

James105 · November 3

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

BUT, I also see your walking out just becasue they'd connected the iPhone to their WiFi as somewhat of an over-reaction, I don't see any security risk there.

Actually, whilst I was talking to the manager about it I got a notification on my phone that the payment was refunded which the first sales guy did as he got the hump with me laughing at the silliness of it all. If they had explained and/or just let me set the thing up which I was trying to suggest as solution and do the tests myself in the English language (rather than the Thai language he was doing it in) it probably would have resulted in win/win (store sells phone I get phone) instead of lose/lose where store has an opened phone they cannot sell and I don't have phone.

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

BUT.. I did ask, what would have happened if there was a fault ?... They said they'd have to sent it to Apple for fixing.

I asked, in such a senario would they issue me with another iPad ?... No !!! - that was the one I purchased !!

So... as I understand it - when they open the iPad (or iPhone or other product) to check that it is working - it does not mean they will immediately issue you with a 'new one' if it has a fault.

THUS: what I would do in future, is to get them to open and check it first and take your course of action and walk out if there is a fault.

This makes the whole "testing to make sure it works" scenario utterly pointless then as you are in no better position than if you took it out of the store in its box without testing. I doubt very much they would break the seals and open a device box prior to payment as if you change your mind they now have an opened device which most people would be reluctant to buy.

Edited November 3 by James105

sometimewoodworker · November 3

8 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

What? Do you know what that means in the business landscape? Totally Nothing! Anyone can put up that they are authorized sellers.

They can do that. BUT and it’s a big but they can’t get onto the Apple website, and it’s the Apple website that is confirming that they are Authorised Resellers

sometimewoodworker · November 3

29 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

BUT, I also see your walking out just becasue they'd connected the iPhone to their WiFi as somewhat of an over-reaction, I don't see any security risk there.

While it’s not very likely, the risk is still there. If you think that just connecting to an unknown WiFi network is safe that just shows your lack of knowledge. And any WiFi network that you do not have absolute control over is by definition unknown.

TLDR Safe? Probably. Definitely safe? No.

The question should not be am I paranoid? It should be, am I paranoid enough?

Edited November 3 by sometimewoodworker

richard_smith237 · November 3

3 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

While it’s not very likely, the risk is still there. If you think that just connecting to an unknown WiFi network is safe that just shows your lack of knowledge. And any WiFi network that you do not have absolute control over is by definition unknown.

TLDR Safe? Probably. Definitely safe? No.

The question should not be am I paranoid? It should be, am I paranoid enough?

Risk of what exactly... perhaps thats my lack of knowledge - so pls explain what risk there is to a new device ?

You can go back to a factory re-set after you know everything is functional.

Additionally, once you have set up your phone, are you not going to be connecting to various different WiFi networks anyway ? in hotels etc when travelling ?

Also, I thought the risk with 'public WiFi systems' or 'unknown WiFi' systems is when you are actively using 'banking Apps etc' over that network which 'could' then become intercepted.

richard_smith237 · November 3

21 minutes ago, James105 said:

Actually, whilst I was talking to the manager about it I got a notification on my phone that the payment was refunded which the first sales guy did as he got the hump with me laughing at the silliness of it all. If they had explained and/or just let me set the thing up which I was trying to suggest as solution and do the tests myself in the English language (rather than the Thai language he was doing it in) it probably would have resulted in win/win (store sells phone I get phone) instead of lose/lose where store has an opened phone they cannot sell and I don't have phone.

I would appear as though it was the individual than the story policy...

There is no logical reason for them not to allow you to 'check the phone' yourself in English.

Doing so in Thai, as you pointed out is not helpful to you but this is the logic.

In Internatoinal Companies over here I've had IT guys set up my computer (windows) all in Thai... there was a complete logic disconnect that the installation needed to be in English !!... so I think the critical thought standards of some of these 'tech folk' is somewhat absent.

21 minutes ago, James105 said:

This makes the whole "testing to make sure it works" scenario utterly pointless then as you are in no better position than if you took it out of the store in its box without testing. I doubt very much they would break the seals and open a device box prior to payment as if you change your mind they now have an opened device which most people would be reluctant to buy.

Exactly... it kind of makes a mokery of 'testing' the item.

Its also a true indication of the standards of customer service here... While many people rave about high customer service here because a waitress smiles at them etc... the true litmus test is when something goes wrong...

There is a gulf in standards between various different companies - its the same in the car industry here, as it is in the tech industry...

I've found myself very pleasantly surprised at times when I was expecting the run around.

I've also found myself incredibly frustraited at times when expecting a simple response.

James105 · November 3

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Risk of what exactly... perhaps thats my lack of knowledge - so pls explain what risk there is to a new device ?

You can go back to a factory re-set after you know everything is functional.

Additionally, once you have set up your phone, are you not going to be connecting to various different WiFi networks anyway ? in hotels etc when travelling ?

Also, I thought the risk with 'public WiFi systems' or 'unknown WiFi' systems is when you are actively using 'banking Apps etc' over that network which 'could' then become intercepted.

Root kits would be my main concern as they can affect the hardware of the device and potentially can be set up to reinstall on reset. Do I know how to do it? Nope. Can it be done if someone has control of your device and its connected to the internet to download and install it? Possibly. Can it be done if I am the one setting up the phone? Definitely not.

Gottfrid · November 3

37 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Additionally, once you have set up your phone, are you not going to be connecting to various different WiFi networks anyway ? in hotels etc when travelling ?

Why would you do that, when you already have trusted mobile data from your sim provider?

Gottfrid · November 3

51 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

They can do that. BUT and it’s a big but they can’t get onto the Apple website, and it’s the Apple website that is confirming that they are Authorised Resellers

I didn´t say they were not on Apples website, nor did I say they are not approved. Just opposed the word authorized, as that in reality means nothing.

it is what it is · November 3

7 hours ago, Will B Good said:

I wonder if the store have been scammed somehow by the odd customer claiming phones don't work???

All very odd.

Are they cheaper from Studio 7 than the Apple Store......wife is pestering for the iPhone 16 pro max......(annoyingly she only ever uses it for FB....)

Are they cheaper from Studio 7 than the Apple Store......wife is pestering for the iPhone 16 pro max......(annoyingly she only ever uses it for FB....)

if it's original it will be the same price, apple wouldn't allow undercutting.

re your wife, just refuse.

richard_smith237 · November 3

34 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Why would you do that, when you already have trusted mobile data from your sim provider?

Numerous reasons...

1) Some countries I travel to have no agreements with True

2) Roaming charges to 'some' of the countries I travel to (i.e. middle east) are extortionate

3) I use a lot of data - so it runs out quickly - thus connecting to WiFi resolves this issue

4) I connect to WiFi quite a lot.

BUT.. based on your comment - am I correct in drawing the assumption that you only ever connect to your home WiFi network or rely on your mobile data ?

richard_smith237 · November 3

55 minutes ago, James105 said:

Root kits would be my main concern as they can affect the hardware of the device and potentially can be set up to reinstall on reset. Do I know how to do it? Nope. Can it be done if someone has control of your device and its connected to the internet to download and install it? Possibly. Can it be done if I am the one setting up the phone? Definitely not.

I have to admit to not fully understanding the risks, but I understand the concern... But , I also consider the response to walk out of the store because the phone had been connected to the 'store WiFi' to be an over-reaction.

What concens me more - is using QR codes for charging EV charging stations... I'm thinking of getting a separate phone just for EV use (charging station Apps) so I dont have to use QR codes on the same device my banking etc is on - Different topic of course.

My point above: Is there truly a risk to the 'digitial integrity of the phone' becasue an iStudio employee checked the WiFi function of the phone (in Thai) ???

Will B Good · November 3

45 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

re your wife, just refuse.

Genius…..I’ll tell her tonight.

James105 · November 3

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I have to admit to not fully understanding the risks, but I understand the concern... But , I also consider the response to walk out of the store because the phone had been connected to the 'store WiFi' to be an over-reaction.

What concens me more - is using QR codes for charging EV charging stations... I'm thinking of getting a separate phone just for EV use (charging station Apps) so I dont have to use QR codes on the same device my banking etc is on - Different topic of course.

My point above: Is there truly a risk to the 'digitial integrity of the phone' becasue an iStudio employee checked the WiFi function of the phone (in Thai) ???

The store employee when the phone is new has full admin control over it and could potentially install firmware (root kit for example) that provides a back door into the phone for a nefarious individual. Connected to wifi means connected to internet and the internet is a place full of dangerous software that could be downloaded and installed as the store employee has full admin control over the device at this stage.

So lets say a nasty hacker is aware of Studio 7s policy of accessing the phone before the purchaser has secured it themselves and one of their "tests" is to connect to the internet and activate it. This nasty hacker offers lowly paid Studio 7 store employees 20,000 bahts per phone to simply visit an IP address and download a root kit to the phone that reinstalls itself whenever a factory reset is activated. The customer then factory resets the phone and goes merrily on his way thinking the phone is "secure" as its been reset, but in reality the device is completely open to the hacker thanks to the software the employee downloaded.

Is that far fetched? Sure it is. Is it possible? Sure it is. If the store employee doesn't connect the phone to the internet is it possible? Nope. The point I am making is that it is impossible for this to happen if the customer takes control of the phone after purchase and sets it up themselves. Letting someone else do something with the device and connect it to the internet just seems like an unnecessary risk (no matter how small that risk is) considering the device will have full access to every aspect of my financial life.

BigStar · November 3

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

There is no logical reason for them not to allow you to 'check the phone' yourself in English.

Yes, the logic is that they need to check it themselves to verify its working condition before it leaves

the store with the consumer. Best not to trust the consumer to do the check first, as he may not know what he's doing and just create confusion. He also doesn't know the checklist the store follows. He can check after their check.

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Doing so in Thai, as you pointed out is not helpful to you but this is the logic.

It's quite helpful as they can do it much faster in Thai because they're Thais. It's not necessary to do it in English. Same checks, Thai or English.

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

In Internatoinal Companies over here I've had IT guys set up my computer (windows) all in Thai... there was a complete logic disconnect that the installation needed to be in English !!.

Nothing illogical, for the reason above. After the setup, they change the language to English for you.

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Exactly... it kind of makes a mokery of 'testing' the item.

No. You walk out of the store with a device that's been tested and verified as working, not something that may have problems out of the box, might not even boot. The store also has that verification.

Too much paranoia here as usual. Try buying a phone at a USA Verison store in a sealed box w/ no check or setup. OMG.

Edited November 3 by BigStar

sometimewoodworker · November 3

3 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Why would you do that, when you already have trusted mobile data from your sim provider?

You probably have a data limit that is much larger than mine, for me my data limit is set for using WiFi for the vast majority of my use.

3 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

I didn´t say they were not on Apples website, nor did I say they are not approved. Just opposed the word authorized, as that in reality means nothing.

It has a definite meaning in relation to the Apple ecosystem.

You seem to have an idiosyncratic view of vocabulary.

2 hours ago, it is what it is said:

if it's original it will be the same price, apple wouldn't allow undercutting.

Some models are at less than the Apple retail price from some phone companies.

Gottfrid · November 3

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Numerous reasons...

1) Some countries I travel to have no agreements with True

2) Roaming charges to 'some' of the countries I travel to (i.e. middle east) are extortionate

3) I use a lot of data - so it runs out quickly - thus connecting to WiFi resolves this issue

4) I connect to WiFi quite a lot.

BUT.. based on your comment - am I correct in drawing the assumption that you only ever connect to your home WiFi network or rely on your mobile data ?

Mostly, that´s what I do. If I connect to unknown sources, I use a second phone to do that.

Gottfrid · November 3

32 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You probably have a data limit that is much larger than mine, for me my data limit is set for using WiFi for the vast majority of my use.

Yes, I have unlimited!

32 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It has a definite meaning in relation to the Apple ecosystem.

You seem to have an idiosyncratic view of vocabulary.

No, I don´t! It´s well known that who ever wish, can use the name/title authorized for what they wish to use it for. It means totally nothing. End of!

richard_smith237 · November 3

2 hours ago, BigStar said:

Yes, the logic is that they need to check it themselves to verify its working condition before it leaves

the store with the consumer. Best not to trust the consumer to do the check first, as he may not know what he's doing and just create confusion. He also doesn't know the checklist the store follows. He can check after their check.

It's quite helpful as they can do it much faster in Thai because they're Thais. It's not necessary to do it in English. Same checks, Thai or English.

Nothing illogical, for the reason above. After the setup, they change the language to English for you.

No. You walk out of the store with a device that's been tested and verified as working, not something that may have problems out of the box, might not even boot. The store also has that verification.

Too much paranoia here as usual. Try buying a phone at a USA Verison store in a sealed box w/ no check or setup. OMG.

Perhaps... maybe its the way the iStudio management 'think' they need to protect themselves...

Complete overkill, but I get the point - you walk out with a phone you know works.... and I agree, too much paranoia.

Buy an iPhone, AppleWatch etc at the Apple Store at Central World and just walk out of it in and unopened box...

richard_smith237 · November 3

3 hours ago, James105 said:

The store employee when the phone is new has full admin control over it and could potentially install firmware (root kit for example) that provides a back door into the phone for a nefarious individual. Connected to wifi means connected to internet and the internet is a place full of dangerous software that could be downloaded and installed as the store employee has full admin control over the device at this stage.

So lets say a nasty hacker is aware of Studio 7s policy of accessing the phone before the purchaser has secured it themselves and one of their "tests" is to connect to the internet and activate it. This nasty hacker offers lowly paid Studio 7 store employees 20,000 bahts per phone to simply visit an IP address and download a root kit to the phone that reinstalls itself whenever a factory reset is activated. The customer then factory resets the phone and goes merrily on his way thinking the phone is "secure" as its been reset, but in reality the device is completely open to the hacker thanks to the software the employee downloaded.

Is that far fetched? Sure it is. Is it possible? Sure it is. If the store employee doesn't connect the phone to the internet is it possible? Nope. The point I am making is that it is impossible for this to happen if the customer takes control of the phone after purchase and sets it up themselves. Letting someone else do something with the device and connect it to the internet just seems like an unnecessary risk (no matter how small that risk is) considering the device will have full access to every aspect of my financial life.

If someone is really that paranoid, then they may find themselves 'going off the grid' just 'Brill' (Gene Hackman) in Enemy of the State...

Alternatively - just order the iPhone direct from Apple... but then with that level of paranoia, the staff at the Apple Factory could have loaded something.. "is that far fetched? Sure it is. Is it possible? Sure it is."... Where do you draw the line ?

richard_smith237 · November 3

55 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You probably have a data limit that is much larger than mine, for me my data limit is set for using WiFi for the vast majority of my use.

On this... Data is quite expensie in countries such as Qatar and UAE..

I recall having to purchase 300 GB on a local SIM becasue the data drain was horrific...

The cost was about 5000 baht...

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