Returning my iPad 3 to Apple - will I get a refurbished unit back?

I dropped my iPad 3 in its protective case in December and the front screen shattered. I took it to the Apple store for replacement under Apple Care Plus and was given a replacement unit in the plain brown box. This iPad 3 has way better screen color and uniformity than the previous one which had a decidedly pink-tinted screen. I had settled for the pink one, deciding to just live with it after returning two with blotchy yellow screens at last year's March launch. My two lessons from this experience:

1. Always purchase Apple Care Plus! I got a replacement for $50 when a new front screen repair would have cost well over $300.

2. Never fear the plain box replacement! This is a way better unit than any of the three I received soon after product launch.

The experience renewed my enthusiasm for Apple and reminded me why I'm a loyal customer.

charlituna said:

As for the issue of new v refurb etc. in the US at least you will not get a refurb. That term is for a non defective unit returned by a customer within the legal return period. It is erase, run through diags and a new battery and backplate. It is the same serial as before with the warranty reset to when it is bought.

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Correct, warranty is 90 days or remainder of original warranty, which ever is longer.

What is confusing is the definition of "refurbished". We know that "new" is directly off of the assembly line and we know that "remanufactured" (what Apple is calling refurbished) is an item with a defect that has been repackaged in a new case with new battery and new serial number. What we DO NOT know for certain is what Apple does with those that are returned for what they consider merely "cosmetic" reasons. My experience leads me to believe that they may in fact use them as warranty replacements. If they give them a new case and battery they are no longer what you are referring to as "refurbished" and are instead what we are calling "remanufactured" as they are all given new serial numbers when repackaged in a new case.

koigirl said:

I dropped my iPad 3 in its protective case in December and the front screen shattered. I took it to the Apple store for replacement under Apple Care Plus and was given a replacement unit in the plain brown box. This iPad 3 has way better screen color and uniformity than the previous one which had a decidedly pink-tinted screen. I had settled for the pink one, deciding to just live with it after returning two with blotchy yellow screens at last year's March launch. My two lessons from this experience:

1. Always purchase Apple Care Plus! I got a replacement for $50 when a new front screen repair would have cost well over $300.

2. Never fear the plain box replacement! This is a way better unit than any of the three I received soon after product launch.

The experience renewed my enthusiasm for Apple and reminded me why I'm a loyal customer.

Click to expand...

Just had similar experiencing X 2 with Apple...

the refurb iPad 3 i bought was of much better quality than the brand new (2) iPad 3's i bought and exchanged then returned etc

MacSince'85 said:

Correct, warranty is 90 days or remainder of original warranty, which ever is longer.

What is confusing is the definition of "refurbished". We know that "new" is directly off of the assembly line and we know that "remanufactured" (what Apple is calling refurbished) is an item with a defect that has been repackaged in a new case with new battery and new serial number.

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Those two terms are not interchangeable. Apple uses for two very distinct situations.

In Apple's use of the terms, a refurbished unit is a non defective item returned by a customer during the applicable return period which is verified to be non defective in terms of any obvious issues, given a new battery and new outer casings as needed for cosmetic issues. Any data on the device is wiped and the item, with the existing serial is then sold 'open box' etc

A remanufactured device is one assembled from tested and verified parts that can come from multiple devices that were either returned as defective during the return period, swapped at the bar or found to be lower than acceptable quality at the factory. A remanufactured can potentially have no two parts that came from the same source. Some of the parts (outside of the battery and casing which are always new) might be fresh from the supplier factory. Remanufactured units are given a brand new serial number etc.

charlituna said:

Those two terms are not interchangeable. Apple uses for two very distinct situations.

In Apple's use of the terms, a refurbished unit is a non defective item returned by a customer during the applicable return period which is verified to be non defective in terms of any obvious issues, given a new battery and new outer casings as needed for cosmetic issues. Any data on the device is wiped and the item, with the existing serial is then sold 'open box' etc

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Where are you getting this information? Are you certain this applies to iOS devices and not just other Apple devices? Because I was told by a senior Apple Service Advisor that when Apple "refurbishes" an iPad it is essentially "remanufactured" meaning new battery, new case and new serial number. You don't actually think they are going to go to the expense of having the factory custom print the original serial number on the new case rather than just having a stack of pre-serialized cases do you?

I am not trying to be argumentative, but IF you get a iOS device that was returned by someone else AND it has the original serial number I do not believe that that item was ever opened up and reassembled by Apple. Case in point is that if you pay Apple to change out your battery you will receive back from them a "remanufactured" item in replacement of the one you sent to them.