[ad_1]
Editor's note: A reader contacted Macworld to tell him the story of a bent iPad Pro and his struggle to get it fixed, but asked that we only use his first name in the article.
When information was revealed at the end of last year concerning curved iPad Pro devices and Apple's refusal to repair or replace the affected units, they did not register on Marcus' radar. After buying a tablet in July, he was not on the market to buy a new one. Even though his 10.5-inch iPad Pro was part of the previous generation of Touch ID, Marcus was perfectly satisfied with it, having secured it securely with an Otterbox Defender holster from the moment he turned it on. unpacked.
When he started having problems with his iPad stuttering and turning it off last month, he thought it would be an easy trip to the Apple Store. After all, he was still under warranty and Marcus had an excellent record on Apple tablets, which was the fourth.
But when he arrived at the Apple Store, his luck changed. The stationed genius told Marcus that his iPad, six months old, was irreparable and that he should pay $ 449 to buy a replacement device. Why? Because it was curved.
Be curved
Marcus was puzzled because, as he had told me, "there is no chance for me to lean over, let down or do anything with my iPad" because he is traveling rarely with him and never removes him from the case. Marcus, who had not bought AppleCare + for his iPad, explained that when the Apple technician could not restart the iPad after a factory reset, he reviewed it and informed Marcus that the left side of the tablet was folded. not covered by standard warranty as it has been physically damaged by the user.
Plus, Marcus said he could not even see how and where the iPad was bent, even though the technician could. As you can see in the photo above, the iPad shows no noticeable irregularities, apparently lying well in Apple's acceptable range of deviation. Despite everything, the Apple Store has refused to repair the iPad, while it should have been covered by the one year warranty.
Marcus took his iPad home, restored it (although the technician could not) and brought it to a second store in Illinois. The technician was able to diagnose the problem but also refused to solve it. The second store's genius was able to pinpoint the problem until "a connection problem with the main board" and also blamed the problem, although oddly they disagreed with the first store on the spot , telling Marcus that the right side was more curved than the left. But no matter, they would not settle it without the same fees.
The fix is in
In both cases, the Apple Store categorically refused to help, accusing Marcus of this problem and criticizing him for expressing his concerns about things he had read on this site. and others. Marcus told me that the technician had made fun of the idea that the iPads were getting folded, and that "items and notes of form indicating that the iPads folded from the factory did are not real ". This cavalier attitude comes directly from Apple because the company has not published any message. tips on the problem other than a support page article explaining all the issues related to the new iPad Pro.
This article of support is hardly favorable. Instead of proposing a fix, Apple provides a detailed explanation of the unibody case design of the iPad Pro and ensures that new tablets "meet flatness specifications even more stringent than previous generations." Apple blames the new straight lines and the presence of "Antenna splits" on the cellular model for "subtle deviations of flatness more visible only at certain viewing angles that are imperceptible during normal use". Basically, if you think it's bent, you look at it awkwardly.
Apple adds that "the small variations do not affect the strength of the case or the functions of the product and they will not change over time, even if they are used normally," but based on Marcus' experience with the Apple Store, that's not quite true. Technicians from two separate stores agreed that his iPad was experiencing functionality issues due to barely perceptible bending problems, with no signs of external trauma. Even if it was not a factory default, which seems unlikely, Marcus iPad has the same behavior as an iPad Pro with acceptable "small variations". Apple would not correct them either.
Get results
Even after the second notice, Marcus refused to yield. He decided to send it to an Apple repair center (which you can do at the address getsupport.apple.com) and here is a replacement device was sent to him the same day that his defective iPad Pro has been received. As they say, the left hand of Apple does not seem to know what the right hand does.
Despite the "absolute madness" that Marcus has experienced trying to repair his iPad Pro, he is happy with the conclusion. It has a fully functional iPad with the same guarantee as before and the only thing it cost was time and some aggravation.
People who have unwittingly paid $ 449 to repair their iPad under warranty are much more troubling than the obstacles to overcome to repair its iPad Pro. Apple has built its reputation on trust and commitment, and customers expect quick and satisfying solutions to their problems, especially during the first year. By refusing to recognize that there may be a manufacturing defect or a technical problem that could damage or complicate your iPad experience, Apple essentially asks customers to buy at their own risk, which is not a problem. way to sell a thousand dollar tablet. And since the 10.5-inch iPad Pro available to Marcus is essentially the same chassis as the new iPad Air, what assurance do we have that buyers who buy it will not have the same problems in six months?
That's why Marcus wanted to tell his story. He still keeps an old broken iPad to remember how fragile they are and thought his investment was protected by a solid holster. Even so, if he had not fought, he would have paid $ 449 more and actually admitted he had bent his iPad so as to affect the logic over time. And he wants all iPad Pro users to do the same.
"This (result), in my opinion, further confirms my position that my iPad has not been bent or damaged by me," Marcus said. "This should also serve as a warning that people could end up paying out of pocket for something they should not have."
[ad_2]
Source link