I have just the opposite experience. $10K or more in device/appliance replacements. I don't worry about taking my phone to a sketchy area since if it gets stolen I don't have to worry about replacing it. When something happens getting a repair/replacement is much simpler with insurance. Every time my Vision Pro, despite all my precautions, crashes to the floor I don't freak out worrying about a ~$2500 repair. Saved a lot of money (actually 100's of thousands with other insurance) but well worth the peace of mind alone.
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iPad Pro 13" M4 iPad Pro : Dead TrueDepth Sensor [Warranty Rejected]
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I have just the opposite experience. $10K or more in device/appliance replacements. I don't worry about taking my phone to a sketchy area since if it gets stolen I don't have to worry about replacing it. When something happens getting a repair/replacement is much simpler with insurance. Every time my Vision Pro, despite all my precautions, crashes to the floor I don't freak out worrying about a ~$2500 repair. Saved a lot of money (actually 100's of thousands with other insurance) but well worth the peace of mind alone.
Never bought any kind of Applecare. Saved a fortune over the years.
One shouldn't need an insurance policy to fix manufacturing defects. Maybe living in Europe in a country with a 2-year guarantee on workmanship helps. I've known no different.
One shouldn't need an insurance policy to fix manufacturing defects. Maybe living in Europe in a country with a 2-year guarantee on workmanship helps. I've known no different.
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AppleCare+ doesn’t only cover manufacturing defects, so living in EU doesn’t change anything.
Of course, but here people are implying that having Applecare would have been the way to get the OP's issue fixed.
(I live in Europe, not the EU.)
The genius looked it over thoroughly. She then ran diagnostics on it for quite a while until she got the error in her tool showing that the sensor had failed. At no point did she say anything about a bend, nor was there any note of damage anywhere. She also said there wouldn’t be any charge for the repair. She made me sign a document, but said it was just a formality and pointed to where it said $0.
Just realized they emailed me the work authorization. And the genius stated that is was not bent:
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AppleCare+ covers physical damage, i.e., the bend chassis. For $99 OP would get an replacement device. Without AC+, the OOW replacement fee is $999.
I think you will get this resolved when you contact Apple support. The documentation from the Genius explicitly states it is not bent, therefore you have a clear case for Apple to get your iPad repaired (which in reality would mean swapping it for a refurbished unit). Contact them with this documentation and let us know how it goes.
I appreciate your sentiment, but how do you propose I do this? Go back to the Apple Store? Call them via their support app? When the iPad was returned to me, the note specifically threatened that if I send this device in again for the same problem they would charge me $100. I was also without my device for over a week and would prefer not to repeat that.
I'm just not sure there is a way to resolve this that is worthwhile. Maybe in a few months I'll try going into the store again and see if they will just swap it. I keep having a feeling that a bunch more people will have this sensor failure and it will become a "known issue".
I still have 6 months of warranty - it is only 6 months old. I'm bummed, but at least I have a working iPad. I haven't really missed FaceID yet...as strange as it sounds, entering the numeric code turns out to be way faster in daily use than FaceID. For some reason the numeric code is not requested as often.
I used to be very adamant about getting this kind of thing resolved. But I guess now I feel like cutting my losses.
Maybe I'll change my mind.
I would use the Apple Support app on your iPad. Tap on on your device under “My Devices” then tap on the topic “More” then tap “Face ID”. There will then be an option to contact them via Message. That will take you to the Messages app where you can then type “Representative”. Then you can engage a representative via iMessage and explain what happened and provide them with the documentation from the Genius stating that it was not bent when they accepted it. Assuming that goes well, they will present you with options to get it serviced properly this time around.
I would not wait nor hesitate. You have a written declaration from them that your iPad was not bent, but they returned it to you with a bend. In other words, they have damaged your iPad and tried to blame it on you.
Once you point this out they, should bend backwards (no pun intended) to fix it for you. Else, you’ll have a solid legal case to pursue, but it will not come to that.
You've got it black on white that the iPad was not bend! So definitely contact Apple Support!
It's a very expensive device. They should repair it for free - especially since you've got prove that the device was not bend!
SAME thing Happened to my M4 11” “bent” no warranty. Emailed Tim Cook’s email that was Delegated to staff. I lied saying Tim Cook was a good friend of mine. Sent along a picture of me and him meeting 8 years ago. They bought it. And replaced my device.
Just a quick update on the last day of my warranty:
I did everything suggested in this thread, but no resolution.
I talked to the manager at my local Apple Store today since it was the last day of my warranty. She said the genius that checked it in must just have not noticed the bend. That damage happens. That there is no way the repair technician bent it. That I would just need to pay to repair it, sorry. I loudly said, "Well, I guess I learned my lesson. Don't buy an iPad." And left.
I did email Tim Cook.
I feel bad about being "that guy". About causing a scene. I've never done anything like that in my life. I'm the polite Midwestern guy. But I needed to be heard after 7 months of typing that unlock code a dozen times a day.
Thanks for listening.
I did everything suggested in this thread, but no resolution.
I talked to the manager at my local Apple Store today since it was the last day of my warranty. She said the genius that checked it in must just have not noticed the bend. That damage happens. That there is no way the repair technician bent it. That I would just need to pay to repair it, sorry. I loudly said, "Well, I guess I learned my lesson. Don't buy an iPad." And left.
I did email Tim Cook.
I feel bad about being "that guy". About causing a scene. I've never done anything like that in my life. I'm the polite Midwestern guy. But I needed to be heard after 7 months of typing that unlock code a dozen times a day.
Thanks for listening.
You can take your experience and let it sour you but it won't change anything you experienced. Apple of today is not the Apple of Steve Jobs. That being said Apple has always been focused on profit. The difference is that Apple of today is laser focused on profit. The individual consumer is not as important to Apple as it used to be because they know if they lose a customer they will gain a new one because of their reputation and desire for their products.
If your iPad still works then maybe just cut your losses. OR continue to push Apple. If your warranty expired but they didn't fix a problem you brought to them then they did not remedy your problem under warranty so they still have an obligation to fix your iPad for the bend. I would continue to call and ask for a supervisor. Call once a week or more and document time date and who you spoke to.
Eventually they should fix your iPad. They still may not.
I would also suggest testing Apple products in the first 10 days. I would try to flex my iPad with normal torque and if it bends it is sent back. Rinse and repeat. I have found that QC is not great with Apple and you may have to go through a few devices before you get a good one.
My 5th gen iPad I bought 3 of them before I got a good unit. The first one had low volume on the speaker and another had another issue. The 3rd one was perfect. It was simply volume and I doubt if I went to Apple store and tried to get it fixed under warranty they would just tell me it works fine. Yet the difference between the units was huge. The model I ended up with is very loud and what I expected.
If I would have waited padt the return period and didn't get resolution from Apple I would just sell my iPad and get another if I could afford to do so or just keep it and learn that I have to test before I buy with Apple.
Sorry about your experience. Good Luck!!!
Absolutely do not do this. Your return will be rejected the same way my repair was. And you will have a bent iPad with no warranty.
My iPad was fine for 5 months until the face sensor just suddenly failed. There is no way I could have tested for that when I received the iPad new. Maybe there was a connector that wasn't fully seated in the factory or something and it finally stopped making contact? Who knows. The bend didn't cause it (opposite edge completely).
I dropped my iPhone into a sink full of water from about 15" in height and somehow that took out my Face ID sensor. Funny thing is it really didn't hit hard or jar much that I could tell, but it still failed. The phone was about 18 months old and I did not have Apple Care on it so I just upgraded to a new one.
I’ve been an Apple user since the 90s. Before it was even cool to be an Apple fan. Before there were Apple stores. Back when Apple computers had a small section in a dusty corner at CompUSA. And the staff would snicker when you asked where the Macs were. 😂 I stayed loyal. And was one of the first customers to walk into the very first Apple Store when it opened in Soho NYC back in 2002. I remember once i walked into that store with a broken keyboard from a Mac that i had bought used. It wasn’t under my name or anything, i just was hoping they could fix it. The Genius took it, walked into the back and came out with a new keyboard… for FREE! No questions asked. I was kinda shocked actually. Over the years tho that kind of extreme generosity has faded away. For the most part Apple does do the right thing. But now that they’re a Trillion dollar company, you sometimes feel like a number. The staff at Apple Stores are always helpful, but policy has changed. Nothing is for free anymore, and often times repairs aren’t covered & cost an arm & a leg. I guess that’s business. Apple isn’t a fledgling company anymore. They used to be David, now they’re Goliath. So i guess it’s to be expected. As an artist tho, I will continue to remain loyal to Apple. They still make the best damn products for us creative types.
Which apple store did you go to? Was it a major one?
I have never had my ipad get sent off to repair. Usually they can do the screen repair in store, or they just give you a replacement one. I never had my front camera break, but didn’t realize this is fixable? Did you try going to a different / perhaps bigger apple store?
I have never had my ipad get sent off to repair. Usually they can do the screen repair in store, or they just give you a replacement one. I never had my front camera break, but didn’t realize this is fixable? Did you try going to a different / perhaps bigger apple store?
Front camera is not broken, it works fine. It’s just the FaceID sensor…which is next to the front camera. No visible damage of any kind.
Two different stores in San Francisco, so pretty major. They told me the dual-layer OLED M4 was so new it had to be sent out.
Well crazy enough, this actually happened to me recently. My iPad needed service so I took it in to the Apple Store and they determined it needed service so they took it from me. At the time I was pretty surprised that the store rep just stacked my iPad onto two or three others she had in her hands and casually carried them into the back of the store. When I went back to the store to pick it up the following week, I noticed deep scratches on the front of the screen. Thankfully, the documentation I got from the store when they accepted my iPad specifically said that the screen was not scratched. I pointed this out to the store representative and they conferred with the store manager. They then came back and told me they needed to contact Apple support. The whole process took about four or five days, but they ultimately contacted me to say that they were swapping my unit for a refurbished unit due to this damage with no cost to me. OP, I’m really sorry you didn’t have a similar favorable outcome. Have you tried contacting AppleCare support and escalating it to a senior advisor?
Not to waste eyour time, but i would give hillsdale and/or burlingame a shot. i’ve had my m4 ipad replaced with just a refurb
i will say though i have applecare+ so unclear ot me if that’s why.