Have you heard of this program?

[Hotstover]

Hi, newbie here to the forums, long-time reader of MacRumors. I just had to come here to ask this, as I can't find anything similar to my experience anywhere online.

Here's the deal. Due to complete stupidity, I accidentally knocked our 64GB iPad 2 off this small table while I was watching a football game on the Sunday Ticket app. The exposed corner hit the cement ground from a two-foot drop and .... well, smash, crack - there's a big crack across the screen, not to mention a big dent and small screen cracks everywhere in the corner. After my wife came to grips with my stupidity, she suggested I go to the Apple store to see if they could fix it. Common sense told me "No," but I did it to humor her, which brings me to today's Genius apt ...

... No, they can't fix it, BUT they are going to swap it out for a completely new one for $349, which is half the price of the original purchase price $699. They take the broken iPad 2, and give me a brand spankin' new one for half price. Now, it's not great that I have to spend another $350 to have an iPad again, but it's far better than the other alternatives I had, which included buying a new one out right, or trying to use it in its current state, which would break my heart. Our home owners insurance deductable is $1,000, so that wasn't an option.

Anyhow, I couldn't do it today, but can and will next week. The rep there gave me a sheet w/ a barcode to bring in next week and that will be that. So, a couple questions:

-Have you heard of this happening before for any Apple product?

-What is in it for Apple here? Sure, they may be able to use the parts in some way, but why would they give me a new one for half price, when they could very easily say, "awe, too bad, that'll be another $699, and don't drop it this time?" What's in it for Apple?

 

[Hls811]

My wife dropped mine last week, it landed just hard enough to dent the case next to the volume buttons nad pushed the volume button in so it was stuck. without using too much force I couldnt' fix it so I brought it into the Apple Store. They offered me the same deal as you - $349 for a replacement.. I didn't take it (in my case it was only the volume thing, I could still use the thing) - I was hoping they'd do a "get out of jail free" swap but no luck..

Luckily, a little wiggling with a butter knife seems to have fixed it for me without causing any more damage.


You could try another Apple store if theres one around before shelling out the money, I know my sister got a "get out of a jail free" replacement when hers broke...

 

[Sandman1969]

Heard of a glass device cracking if it is dropped? Yup definitely. I have cracked a couple iphones.

I would imagine they could send it in and get it refurbished and sold for much more than $349. That is my guess at least.

One thing you might want to look at is replacing the screen yourself. I have done it three times recently on 2 iphones and an ipod.

You can buy the glass/digitizer from etechparts.come for $124. ifixit has step by step instructions on how to replace various parts.

Yes, it may void your warranty, but I wasn't worried about that with my iPhones since they were out of warranty anyway. And besides, other than breakages I haven't had any issues with my hardware.


I am still debating addinng the Best Buy coverage to our 2 iPhones for $360 total for 2 year coverage each. But I am leaning towards not doing it. Since I am comfortable with replacing the screens if they happen to break.

Edit : Just looked at the iPad breakdown and it is more involved. You have to heat the front LCD to loosen the adhesive. So it is not as easy as the iphone 4 and 3GS I fixed.

Hmmm, maybe I will add the protection now.

 

[Hotstover]

I hadn't thought about the refurbish thing, from Apple's point-of-view. They can recoup the cost of selling me one for half price, and keep a customer happy at the same time.

The Apple rep even mentioned that I could get the screen replaced by a third party, but with the dent in the metal casing on one corner, it's pretty much impossible now.

Overall, my best option is to pay the $350 for a new one and just bite the bullet (essentially, I'll have paid $1,050 for it when you include the original purchase price). My wife and I both love using the thing, to the point we've actually missed it the past couple weeks since I broke it.

I probably won't have a chance to try another Apple store for a "get out of jail free swap," as the next closest store isn't close. I'm still a bit shocked that we'll be able to get a new one for half price. My wife was gloating, telling me how it wouldn't have been possible if I hadn't listened to her and brought it into the store.

It's pretty cool if you think about it. I've never heard of an electronics manufacturer doing something like this, at least without any kind of extended warranty program at an extra cost.

 

[Sandman1969]

Yeah it is cool from the customer perspective. Everyone wins actually. They get to refurb it ( I guess ), you get a new one, and they keep a customer happy.

Did you have any sort of case for it? I am hoping our Defender cases would save it from most falls in the house that would only be a couple feet off the ground.

I looked at ifixit some more. the iPad was simpler. It didn't have all the adhesive that the 2 uses. Figures...

 

[Hotstover]

No, no case

Yes, looking at something for the new one for sure, including the defender. My four-year-old loves the thing too, so it's really just another accident waiting to happen.

I mean, a good case, and it would've been fine. I have a case over my iPhone, have dropped it weekly, and no issues whatsoever. Looking back, it's a big fat "duh!"