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Apple Launches Repair Program for Blank Screen Issue Affecting Third-Generation iPad Air

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Apple today launched a repair program for third-generation iPad Air models that are affected by a bug that can cause the screen to go suddenly and permanently blank.

ipadairgold.jpg
Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank.
Click to expand...
Apple says that affected devices were manufactured between March 2019 and October 2019, and that any iPad experiencing this issue will be repaired by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider free of charge.

Customers who have an iPad Air with a screen that's gone blank should find an Apple Authorized Service Provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail location, or contact Apple support to arrange a mail-in service through the Apple Repair Center.

The new repair program covers affected third-generation iPad Air models for two years after the first retail sale of the unit.

Article Link: Apple Launches Repair Program for Blank Screen Issue Affecting Third-Generation iPad Air
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/03/06/apple-launches-ipad-air-repair-program/
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Just went through with this on my mom's shiny new ipad air. Did a full reset/restore through itunes and I knew it was bad because the text voiceover worked but screen was dead. Apple replaced it no questions asked, hopefully the new one won't have the issue down the line.
 
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Ruh-roh, hadn’t heard of this before - and I’m typing this on and iPad Air 3. Something to watch out for, though wince it hasn’t been plastered all over here earlier, it seems like it isn’t too common.
 
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scupking said:
Yet Apple wouldn't do this with the white spot issue on the pro 10.5 and a lot more people had issues with that.
Click to expand...

Very annoying that they wont aknowledge this issue. I have under EU consumer law (after warranty ran out) replaced mine three times and each replacement unit developed the same issue within 6 months. After the fourth one did it they agreed to upgrade me to the 11" model in the hopes of a permanent solution. This was nice, but having to replace all accessories (pen, keyboard, cases, adapters...) cost a small fortune and was a real bother in it's own right.
 
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"Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank."

Ahhh... there it is.
"a small number" ,"a limited number", "a tiny, tiny, tiny, (almost microscopic) number" of [insert model] ... /s

Just a personal thought:
Clarity, unambiguity are seldom, if ever, a part of Apple's corporate dialect.
So stupid because, at the end, clarity and truthfulness only purifies and increases customer trust.

Some fast notes (I was curious):
  1. The iPaid Air 3 (3rd. generation) was sold starting mid-March 2019.
  2. This potential flaw involves, most likely than not, all iPad 3's bought in 2019 (manufactured up to, and including, October 2019)
  3. Apple sells, conservatively, on average, about 10M iPads per-quarter.
  4. Even if 1:3 Pads bought in 2019 are iPad 3's -- a conservative estimate -- this covers about 10M units.
  5. And, the graphics core of iPads 3 is an Apple 4-core graphics processor -- all in-house. This is Why? they know.
 
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Im sure many will spin this into apple's quality control going downhill even though no one on here has reported this problem before, and every tech product has a small percentage of defective products when mass producing.
 
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I just bought one of these about a month ago..hopefully i am not effected, but its ment to be a holdover until the new pro 12.9 comes out in the fall (acording to the rumor)
 
This 10.5 screen size is becoming more and more problematic as time goes by. First white spots and now blank screens. What will it be next?
 
It would be nice if the official Apple site could put people’s minds to rest by having a serial number checker. This way one could determine if their device was manufactured during that time frame.

How do you wipe all data on an iPad that has nothing displaying on its screen? Using iTunes?
 
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DCIFRTHS said:
It would be nice if the official Apple site could put people’s minds to rest by having a serial number checker. This way one could determine if their device was manufactured during that time frame.

How do you wipe all data on an iPad that has nothing displaying on its screen? Using iTunes?
Click to expand...

Dude, no need for MR to bother, if you have a Mac.
Just use coconutBattery from coconutflavour.com

It will post the exact date of manufacturing of any iOS and/or Mac device, among other useful battery-life indications.

Apple corporate decided to hide battery life under a single level of charge number (which does not show the real depletion percentage from original design -- which coconutBattery does).

[I use coconutBattery. No other association.]
 
Will definitely keep in mind, but so far so good.

Does feel eerie that I’m reading the article itself on an Air 3. o_O
 
TheShadowKnows! said:
"Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank."

Ahhh... there it is.
"a small number" ,"a limited number", "a tiny, tiny, tiny, (almost microscopic) number" of [insert model] ... /s

Just a personal thought:
Clarity, unambiguity are seldom, if ever, a part of Apple's corporate dialect.
So stupid because, at the end, clarity and truthfulness only purifies and increases customer trust.

Some fast notes (I was curious):
  1. The iPaid Air 3 (3rd. generation) was sold starting mid-March 2019.
  2. This potential flaw involves, most likely than not, all iPad 3's bought in 2019 (manufactured up to, and including, October 2019)
  3. Apple sells, conservatively, on average, about 10M iPads per-quarter.
  4. Even if 1:3 Pads bought in 2019 are iPad 3's -- a conservative estimate -- this covers about 10M units.
  5. And, the graphics core of iPads 3 is an Apple 4-core graphics processor -- all in-house. This is Why? they know.
Click to expand...
I was just thinking. That’s close to a years worth of iPads. Not very limited if you ask me. Sounds like 10s of millions. Limited. Lol.
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Seanm87 said:
Im sure many will spin this into apple's quality control going downhill even though no one on here has reported this problem before, and every tech product has a small percentage of defective products when mass producing.
Click to expand...
Yes a small percentage is one thing. This is almost a years worth of iPads. Millions and millions is not limited.
 
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