Really getting annoyed with screen QC

[Macdude2010]

I am on my 8th iPad and am getting increasingly annoyed with the terrible quality control. For the most part I can mostly put up with some minor uneven screen tint, but I cannot stand scratches, dead/stuck pixels, dust under the screen and excessive light bleed RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX. All 8 iPads I have had either one or more dead pixels, or a peices of dust under the screen, sometimes both and 4 of those have even more surprising issues. And what starting to get a little bit upsetting is the attitude that the employees have been giving me, one of them going so far to call me anal. It is not my fault I am getting iPads with problems that are clearly defined as manufacturing defects and are not normal. I miss the days where I can walk into a store to get a defect free product on the 1st shot, me like many others, am a loyal apple customer, and I want the quality products apple used to make (heck, I still have my iMac G3 that is working perfectly fine after 14 years.)

Also, just to list the ones I have had:
1st: cluster of dead pixels or cluster of dust
2nd: Dead pixel and a piece of dust stuck under the screen
3rd: Dead pixel and 1 LED backlight dead, making a very dark orb on the side of the screen, also damage out of the box
4th: 2 Pieces of dust stuck under the screen and a green bright stuck pixel
5th: Major Light leaking from an angle (like this:http://att.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1342106) and a dead pixel
6th: clusters of clusters of dead pixels or dust
7th: Very deep, dark scratches out of the box all over the back of the iPad, and a dead pixel
8th (current): Dead pixel and dust stuck under the screen, also after I went home I realized there were smaller scratches on it too

This is not me being picky, for the most part I can accept minor things like screen tint, but these are huge issues I should not have to settle with, I have asked a few of my friends if they would accept that, and they also said no, one of my friends even has an iPad 3 with NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER, even after me examining it.

Also, I cannot give up the iPad platform, especially the iPad 3, because I am an app developer, and I need it to test apps on, but of corse, that is not the only thing I do on it, I specifically got the 64GB LTE so I could to a lot of web browsing and also document editing on the go, especially when I don't have my mac with me. But the main reason I can't leave the platform is because of the app development. But regardless of this i should have to settle for manufacturing defects like this, especially for $1000 after the extended warranty that should cover these defects.

 

[iHeartsteve]

Wow 8 iPads is a lot. I got a good one after 1 pink iPad. Are you going to the same apple store? It's nice those apple geeks keep exchanging for you since its after the 15 days. Are they just swapping them out for you under the standard warranty ?

 

[Macdude2010]

Wow 8 iPads is a lot. I got a good one after 1 pink iPad. Are you going to the same apple store? It's nice those apple geeks keep exchanging for you since its after the 15 days. Are they just swapping them out for you under the standard warranty ?

I know 8 ipads are a lot, and i really think i shouldn't have to do this to get a satisfactory product. And i have gone to 3 different stores and got several different factories and tried both AT&T and verizon ipads, all have similar issues. Still in my 14 days until saturday on my current one becuase i keep getting brand new ones in a white box. And in addition to the small scratches, dead pixel and dust under the screen on my current one, it also has a camera with very pinkish color arond the edge of the picture and green in the center, and has started to randomly drop LTE and 3G signal

 

[mac jones]

this is truly some kind of phenomena occurring.

There are at least twenty people on this forum that appear to be returning these over an over again , as many as 12 times, perhaps more.

I've never heard of anything like this. It's beyond my understanding actually, and is almost certainly the result of a company's lax return policy.

In striving to have the best customer support, Apple has created some peculiar side effects. But really, i'm probably naive in thinking that this is somehow isolated to these products. After all, one only needs to look at the average american consumer to wonder if they aren't all looney toons

 

[iHeartsteve]

I know 8 ipads are a lot, and i really think i shouldn't have to do this to get a satisfactory product. And i have gone to 3 different stores and got several different factories and tried both AT&T and verizon ipads, all have similar issues. Still in my 14 days until saturday on my current one becuase i keep getting brand new ones in a white box. And in addition to the small scratches, dead pixel and dust under the screen on my current one, it also has a camera with very pinkish color arond the edge of the picture and green in the center, and has started to randomly drop LTE and 3G signal

That's good ur still in the 15 days. I forget not everyone bought on launch day Sorry to hear about the camera issue? Are u saying it takes photos w pinkish hue?

 

[AbSoluTc]

this is truly some kind of phenomena occurring.

There are at least twenty people on this forum that appear to be returning these over an over again , as many as 12 times, perhaps more.

I've never heard of anything like this. It's beyond my understanding actually, and is almost certainly the result of a company's lax return policy.

In striving to have the best customer support, Apple has created some peculiar side effects. But really, i'm probably naive in thinking that this is somehow isolated to these products. After all, one only needs to look at the average american consumer to wonder if they aren't all looney toons

I agree. Some people just can't be satisfied. I can understand maybe 1 or 2 bad ipads but 8, in a row? Really? I think people really need to take a step back and review their priorities in this life.

 

[JWSandi]

I know 12 maybe 15 folks who all have iPads of some version or another... we have 8 more at work and not a single one of them had to be returned...

Most, including my old one was put thru hell daily and other than scratches, dents and dings I caused... they are all still running and fine.

Who are these people who go thru 8, 10, 12 and 13 iPads?

 

[swingerofbirch]

I agree. Some people just can't be satisfied. I can understand maybe 1 or 2 bad ipads but 8, in a row? Really? I think people really need to take a step back and review their priorities in this life.

Look at Apple's marketing priority:

"When a screen becomes this good . . . "

Is it unrealistic to want a good quality screen when a screen "this good" is the selling point?

 

[mcdj]

I think people really need to take a step back and review their priorities in this life.

Says the guy who joined a chat room on the internet to discuss consumer electronics and software with a bunch of random anonymous people, and whose current "priority" is participating in a discussion they clearly have no interest in.

 

[AbSoluTc]

Look at Apple's marketing priority:

"When a screen becomes this good . . . "

Is it unrealistic to want a good quality screen when a screen "this good" is the selling point?

Nope. Not at all but when do you draw the line? 2? 3? 10? 16?

Says the guy who joined a chat room on the internet to discuss consumer electronics and software with a bunch of random anonymous people, and whose current "priority" is participating in a discussion they clearly have no interest in.

Welcome to the internet. Didn't know MR had a chat room?

 

[shinobi-81]

Welcome to the internet. Didn't know MR had a chat room?

It doesn't need one, who needs a chat room in a chat room? Besides, having the Forum Spy blurs out the border even further.

 

[mcdj]

Welcome to the internet. Didn't know MR had a chat room?

Lol. As if me not calling this a forum makes you any less hypocritical...

 

[Giov]

FYI, the 64g LTE is the slowest moving variant in terms of sales. You might be dipping your hand into the same jar of bad cookies. My brother bought two iPads for the third batch of launch in Malaysia during his visit and both were perfect!

 

[swingerofbirch]

Nope. Not at all but when do you draw the line? 2? 3? 10? 16?

To answer your question (when is it too many?), I would say Apple should answer that question—not the customer. But I think if Apple answered that question, the logical answer would be that there is not a certain number that is too much when each iPad continues to have issues, given that is the way they seem to be trying to address this issue. If you have the same issue on your 32nd iPad you had on your first, I would be the first to admit Apple hasn't been efficient in solving the issue, but I don't see why you should accept it any more than the first. The inefficiency loses Apple some money likely, but if this is how they choose to solve the customer's issue, I don't think any of us should spend a second worrying about Apple's bottom line.

Now, perhaps you are questioning the customer's judgment as to whether the issue is really significant or not. But that is different from saying an issue Apple acknowledges should be accepted just because they replaced it a certain number of times. Apple may have lost out financially, but the customer is no better off, either, if the issue is real and the issue is the same on the 32nd as first.

What I would say is that there should be some sort of process whereby either the customer verifies the new product is OK, perhaps before leaving the store, or perhaps if this is being arranged over the phone, Apple really just does need better QC, and maybe they could start improving QC in these cases where people are having to exchange products by sending out a product that they determine they would not accept a return on because it meets their specifications for quality. Obviously Apple is sending out products with issues they don't believe meet their quality specifications (or they haven't confirmed meet their specifications) because they implicitly acknowledge an issue by allowing a replacement.

EDIT: I just saw that this particular customer is getting replacements by returning within the 14 day period, which is valid, but makes my comments less relevant. I still stand by my comments if this were being covered by AppleCare, which is what I assumed.

To the OP: can you explain the situation to a Genius in the Apple Store and let them help you find one with a good screen before leaving the store?

 

[ZipZap]

^^^ Thats always been my question.

Why cant this be resolved in the store. If you are returning to the store for a specific screen issue, it seems logical that you would want to inspect the replacement for the same issue.

Why would an Apple staffer not want to do this...especially of you state it and open the product right then and there?

Perhaps its as simple as too much assumption on the part of Apple that the issues are isolated therefore no need to inspect a replacement?

Or perhaps its the consumer perception that these issues are not worthy of a return and not issues at all from Apples perspective so rather than discuss it with them you take your 14 day return/exchange and run?

Can any of these exchanges be done post the 14 day period?

I have a new IP3 and have not really looked for the issues noted by the OP (except for dust) as many require a deliberate action to find. If later, however, I do notice distortion due to color hues am I not entitled to a repair/exchange?

 

[thelookingglass]

^^^ Thats always been my question.

Why cant this be resolved in the store. If you are returning to the store for a specific screen issue, it seems logical that you would want to inspect the replacement for the same issue.

Why would an Apple staffer not want to do this...especially of you state it and open the product right then and there?

Perhaps its as simple as too much assumption on the part of Apple that the issues are isolated therefore no need to inspect a replacement?

Or perhaps its the consumer perception that these issues are not worthy of a return and not issues at all from Apples perspective so rather than discuss it with them you take your 14 day return/exchange and run?

Can any of these exchanges be done post the 14 day period?

I have a new IP3 and have not really looked for the issues noted by the OP (except for dust) as many require a deliberate action to find. If later, however, I do notice distortion due to color hues am I not entitled to a repair/exchange?

I swapped mine out earlier this week for a replacement. Mine was a launch day iPad.

Only problem with inspecting in store is that the bright flourescent lighting is not always conducive to checking display flaws.

 

[spcdust]

^^^ Thats always been my question.

Why cant this be resolved in the store. If you are returning to the store for a specific screen issue, it seems logical that you would want to inspect the replacement for the same issue.

Why would an Apple staffer not want to do this...especially of you state it and open the product right then and there?

Perhaps its as simple as too much assumption on the part of Apple that the issues are isolated therefore no need to inspect a replacement?

Or perhaps its the consumer perception that these issues are not worthy of a return and not issues at all from Apples perspective so rather than discuss it with them you take your 14 day return/exchange and run?

Can any of these exchanges be done post the 14 day period?

I have a new IP3 and have not really looked for the issues noted by the OP (except for dust) as many require a deliberate action to find. If later, however, I do notice distortion due to color hues am I not entitled to a repair/exchange?

If Apple opened every box for inspection at the POS the multiple returners would likely reject any number of iPad's, rendering them unsaleable, before settling on a screen. This may seem to be an ideal, however these same returners would then likely get home and start reading these forums and then checking their screen for X, Y and Z faults which they would likely find and fret about resulting in them ultimately returning their iPad to begin the cycle again. On the flip side I guess Apple could allow them to inspect the screen at POS and if they agreed that the screen was sub par allow them to open another box, however if Apple felt the screen was fine then they would be within their rights to say "we regard this screen as fine, you can either accept it or we'd be happy to offer a full refund.

It's seems to be a bit of a debate wether there are so many defective screens out in the wild but I'm sure their are some - however returning 10, 12, 18 iPads seems borderline obsessive and can one individual be that unlucky to get so many "defective" screens. Surely they have ultimately deprived themselves out of the sheer enjoyment of using the iPad as even when they "settle" on a screen there's that niggling thought "is my screen perfect"

 

[Insulin Junkie]

ouch, sorry to hear that. i've seen quite a few people report similar, i wonder how many more have these issues but dont post about it / dont mind them. i actually forgot all about the incidences of bad screens when i went to get mine, if id remembered i might have reconsidered. over where i live the new ipad is sold out all over the country so if the one i bought had been somehow inadequate i could likely wait for ever to get a replacement, looks like you folks in the us are luckier that way. report back when youve finally gotten a decent one.

 

[s15119]

WOW! Another thread identical to 100's of other threads. yawn.

 

[Zcott]

Mine is perfect to me.

 

[The Special One]

WOW! Another thread identical to 100's of other threads. yawn.

Really, the nerve of people to continue to post about craptastic screens on a product that is advertised as "Resolutionary" and "with a screen this good". They should post about all of the other "non repetitive" topics discussed ad nauseum here. Yep, nothing to see or complain about, just move along.

 

[spcdust]

Really, the nerve of people to continue to post about craptastic screens on a product that is advertised as "Resolutionary" and "with a screen this good". They should post about all of the other "non repetitive" topics discussed ad nauseum here. Yep, nothing to see or complain about, just move along.

Don't Believe The Hype.
​

Seriously, this is part of the problem, Apple's marketing nowadays tends to big everything up in such ridiculous over the top fashion (and we all, to a greater or lesser extent fall for it) that for some the expectation is ridiculously high. Nowadays, Apple announce a new iPhone or iPad and it makes news headlines around the World and whips the masses up into some ugly frenzy. Come on "Resolutionary" some ad agency created word to excite us all but actually means nothing. End of the day it's a mass produced electronic device / toy, using existing technology, with all it's shortcomings, which I love to play with.

 

[mcdj]

WOW! Another thread identical to 100's of other threads. yawn.

WOW! Another post identical to 100's of other posts. yawn.

 

[Dlanod]

I gave up after 6 and gave my cash to Samsung. Tab 8.9 and Note for the same money. Both perfect first time out of the box. And I'm a big fan of everything Apple. iPad 3 QC sucks.

 

[The Special One]

Don't Believe The Hype.
​

Seriously, this is part of the problem, Apple's marketing nowadays tends to big everything up in such ridiculous over the top fashion (and we all, to a greater or lesser extent fall for it) that for some the expectation is ridiculously high. Nowadays, Apple announce a new iPhone or iPad and it makes news headlines around the World and whips the masses up into some ugly frenzy. Come on "Resolutionary" some ad agency created word to excite us all but actually means nothing. End of the day it's a mass produced electronic device / toy, using existing technology, with all it's shortcomings, which I love to play with.

Actually yes and no. Yes, you are right that the hype is part of the expectations problem. No, you are wrong that this is simply a mass produced toy where the QC of the screen doesn't matter. I use mine primarily as a business tool, not as fan-boy toy. Believe me no toy loving OCD here. I read large amounts of e mails and documents on it. A blotchy tinted screen is a major issue for that use. And it cost around $900. That's not a cheap toy. And if you can't use the existing technology with decent QC, you shouldn't release the product until you can. The QC is terrible on this product. It wasn't ready for mass production and therefore the screen lottery. Still love my original, insufficient memory and all. Never gave the screen a second thought on that one, or looked for any problem with it.