Well, IMHO that is unconscionable that they charged you anything to replace an obviously defective phone. Ive had mine going on four years now without a hitch and I expects a much longer life for it yet.
If it were ATT with whom you were dealing, I would have said thats par for the course but for the Apple store that is just outrageous. Its not as if you did anything to cause the problem. Is there any way you can speak to the store manager? Or possibly call the 800 help line ans speak to a product specialist letting them know in no uncertain terms how unacceptable this is.
Less than a two year life span for a piece of technology this expensive is absolutely outrageous. If they’re going to insist upon exploiting cheap labor in China then the very least they can do is to make good on its shortcomings and replace it without extra cost to you.
What I find especially ironic is that the employee resorted to convincing you he was doing you a special favor by only charging you half price. Thats too outrageous for words.
If you speak to someone higher up with the authority to authorize more, I’m assuming that they’ve had enough sales training to realize hat alienating a customer in this way over an obviously defective product will cost them much more business in the long run because word gets around. It would be far more cost effective and buy them far more good will and customer loyalty than saving the extra money you were charged. With the obscene profits they make they can certainly afford it !