Some iPad Air 5 Users Complain About Creaking and Build Quality Downgrade

[ninecows]

Did Apple admit a bad design and recall a product? Lol

Here? No. Previously on other products? Yes.

But point being it’s up to Apple to decide if they made a mistake. Outside EU you only have Apple Care or the goodwill of Apple to protect you and you shouldn’t really have to pay for that as a consumer… IMHO.

Edit: And possibly a lot of other countries with better consumer rights than the US

 

[ian87w]

You realise they have to sent them back?

Either way, they got to review those things without spending any money. Meaning they got it for free, even if they need to return it. Regular people who want to "review" must use their own money and buy those things on their own. Do you think these youtubers would risk not getting any review units in the future by being critical about things, especially Apple? Apple even booted people from attending their future keynotes due to negative comments.

 

[JM]

You down voted my post but, my post was a tongue and cheek joke nothing more.

None of us here can reasonably say there is a design flaw or that Apple cut corners and made a bad product.

Ahhhh, but just wait until the bend videos 🧐

Edit: 😂

 

[svish]

Hopefully the quality is good enough and it does not cause damage during normal use. Apple will say that the quality is normal and is not a defect.

 

[babyexercise]

Either way, they got to review those things without spending any money. Meaning they got it for free, even if they need to return it. Regular people who want to "review" must use their own money and buy those things on their own. Do you think these youtubers would risk not getting any review units in the future by being critical about things, especially Apple? Apple even booted people from attending their future keynotes due to negative comments.

Even some YouTubers use their own money, they cannot have crazy early access to the product and make the video. All those “reviews” videos come out at the first second once the product is released for public.

 

[Remy149]

The problem is some people did not buy it directly from Apple and may not be able to return their device.

I’ve had apple exchange products for me I didn’t buy directly from them. I ordered an Apple Watch 4 through my cellular carrier because they had a faster delivery time at launch. It was broken out the box the screen had a green line down the middle of it. My carrier gave me a difficult time about exchanging it so I called Apple. 2 days later I had a replacement delivered to me

 

[jonnysods]

That's sad to hear, hopefully its very limited - no one wants to hear that Apple's build quality is dropping any further than it already has.

 

[Hoo Doo Dude]

Now at 335 posts with no solid evidence beyond a handful of anecdotes. And large numbers have shipped. Another new product, another round of mass hysteria.

 

[alFR]

TL DR version of thread so far:

• 90% of people commenting don't have / haven't even seen an Air 5
• Most people who actually have one seem to be saying theirs is fine / same as Air 4
• Lots of instances of reviewers getting bashed for being "paid shills for Apple" because they didn't mention the allegedly rubbish build quality - curious, do people include MR in that, because their Air 5 review on the front page doesn't mention anything about it being flimsy?
• Also lots of instances of people saying the case is being made thinner to cut costs, but Air 5 actually weighs slightly more than Air 4 for same config: no explanation is being given for how less aluminium can actually weigh more.
• Usual MR forums lack of critical thinking about any of the above.

I think potential buyers are probably best to look at the product themselves and make their own mind up...

 

[JM]

With all this talk, I’m expecting to pick this thing up and it’ll feel like a cheap plastic laptop, where the shell bends and cracks and pops. 😳

 

[sracer]

Henry Royce quote: The quality will remain long after the price is forgotten.

Apple are charging extremely high prices now for these devices, if they continue to cut corners it will be their downfall.

A quality product is about look,feel and a certain weight. I have come to expect from Apple over the years there devices feel solid like a single pane of glass.

The whole enjoyment of the product is not just it’s use but as they claim, the device just falls away as if it’s not there.

So a hollow sounding creaking iPad goes right against that concept and people will look elsewhere…

That is generally true for standalone products. But add an ecosystem into the mix and the situation changes. The "sunk cost" created by the amount of money spent on apps and services creates a gravitational pull that is stronger than the dissatisfaction with the quality of the hardware.

Apple certainly knows what they're doing. They've been methodically building up more opportunities for customers to get hooked into their ecosystem.

They also know that if they produce lower quality products that their customers will give them MORE money (not less). So many customers buy AppleCare+ extended warranty because they are concerned about problems their devices will experience after the base warranty expires. The more problems that surface after the base warranty expires, the greater attraction AC+ has. It makes no sense to me personally to give a company MORE money for a lower quality product, but that is how many respond to the issue.

If they don't buy AC+, they'll give Apple more money by moving up to buy their more expensive models. If there are any manufacturing defects with the Air 5, there will be those who will buy a Pro instead.

Apple is not unique in this regard. They just happen to be masterful in their implementation of it. And just because they're doing it, doesn't mean that there is NO value to their products and services. As a total package, Apple continues to produce products and services that appeal to many people.

But what it DOES mean, is that customers need to be more discerning about what they buy. By doing that myself, I've managed to buy and enjoy those Apple products that actually offer an amazing value for the price. I thank those spending $2000+ on iPad Pro setups for that.

 

[mjs916]

In terms of YouTube reviews with the likes of an iPad or iPhone, they absolutely do make that kind of money. You can look up specifically what Youtubers make through there analytic reports, which most of, is publicly available.

If I recall correctly, Unbox therapy (Lou), made over ~$30,000 on one video reference one of the newest Galaxy phones.

Ad revenue coupled with popularity with tech products, generates a lot of money.

I’ll look into that. I have a love/hate relationship with Unbox Therapy. The channel is cool but that dude strikes me as biased towards low price instead of build quality. I’ve watched him praise features and recommended purchase of a device because of new design & “low” price but that phone is toast in a year and the iPhone that lasts 4-5 years is “expensive”.

Also, Steve was a d**khead; people should give up on treating him like some deity or saintly figure.

Come on, we’re all better than to think some man a god.

Now please say 5 five Our Fathers, 5 Hail iPhones and 5 Mac minis and then recite the invocation: “O Steve be our light and guidance in the tech world!” and hope for forgiveness before the next September Event.

 

[Boutsik]

Some fifth-generation iPad Air users are complaining about a purported downgrade in build quality, according to posts on social media.

The complaints claim that the iPad Air has a noticeably thinner aluminum enclosure, resulting in creaking, a hollow sensation in the hand, and light pressure on the back of the device warping the display. A thread on Reddit (via iMore) contains a large number of complaints from iPad Air users who say they have build quality concerns about the device. The opening post on the thread states:

A multitude of responses on the thread agreed and expanded upon the issues, suggesting that it is not an isolated case, and some users have even posted videos of creaking noises coming from gentle taps on the device's display to highlight some of the problems. Some replies said that the iPad Air "feels very low quality" compared to its predecessor, noting that there is a detectable difference on the rear of the device. It "feels like I can feel the inside from the back," one reply claimed.

The first reviews of the fifth-generation iPad Air were shared earlier this week, but no reviewers mentioned any downgrade in build quality, and other than new color options, the iPad Air is externally identical to the previous-generation model. Key new features of the iPad Air include the same M1 chip found in the iPad Pro, 5G connectivity on cellular models, an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera with support for Center Stage, up to a 2x faster USB-C port for data transfer, and new color options. Pricing continues to start at $599 in the U.S. for 64GB of storage.

Article Link: Some iPad Air 5 Users Complain About Creaking and Build Quality Downgrade

Some fifth-generation iPad Air users are complaining about a purported downgrade in build quality, according to posts on social media.

The complaints claim that the iPad Air has a noticeably thinner aluminum enclosure, resulting in creaking, a hollow sensation in the hand, and light pressure on the back of the device warping the display. A thread on Reddit (via iMore) contains a large number of complaints from iPad Air users who say they have build quality concerns about the device. The opening post on the thread states:

A multitude of responses on the thread agreed and expanded upon the issues, suggesting that it is not an isolated case, and some users have even posted videos of creaking noises coming from gentle taps on the device's display to highlight some of the problems. Some replies said that the iPad Air "feels very low quality" compared to its predecessor, noting that there is a detectable difference on the rear of the device. It "feels like I can feel the inside from the back," one reply claimed.

The first reviews of the fifth-generation iPad Air were shared earlier this week, but no reviewers mentioned any downgrade in build quality, and other than new color options, the iPad Air is externally identical to the previous-generation model. Key new features of the iPad Air include the same M1 chip found in the iPad Pro, 5G connectivity on cellular models, an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera with support for Center Stage, up to a 2x faster USB-C port for data transfer, and new color options. Pricing continues to start at $599 in the U.S. for 64GB of storage.

Article Link: Some iPad Air 5 Users Complain About Creaking and Build Quality Downgrade

Got the new iPad Air and there is no problem. Very happy with it so far. No creaking or feeling of thinness. Mine is space Grey and cellular—I wonder if its specific to certain colors? I think these things get way overblown.

 

[xgman]

Am I the only one who uses a case? I don't feel anything but case..

 

[PegLegDreg]

TL DR version of thread so far:

• 90% of people commenting don't have / haven't even seen an Air 5
• Most people who actually have one seem to be saying theirs is fine / same as Air 4
• Lots of instances of reviewers getting bashed for being "paid shills for Apple" because they didn't mention the allegedly rubbish build quality - curious, do people include MR in that, because their Air 5 review on the front page doesn't mention anything about it being flimsy?
• Also lots of instances of people saying the case is being made thinner to cut costs, but Air 5 actually weighs slightly more than Air 4 for same config: no explanation is being given for how less aluminium can actually weigh more.
• Usual MR forums lack of critical thinking about any of the above.

I think potential buyers are probably best to look at the product themselves and make their own mind up.

The usual suspect 'reviewers' are unofficial Phil Schillers. Anyone with eyes and ears can see that.

 

[AndrewC89]

Girlfriend got her new M1 Air on Friday (Pink 64Gig Wi-Fi) and it feels rock solid 🤷🏻‍♂️

Maybe there was just a bad batch of these made. Wondering if it’s more common with certain colors/options or if it’s just bad QC across the board.

 

[warriors2017]

When the iPad Air starts up with Android, you realized why it was sold for $99.95.

 

[rgwebb]

So how could such a critical element as build quality be overlooked in these reviews? Didn’t they compare the iPad Air 4 and 5 side by side for a comprehensive review? It looks like something went intentionally wrong here.

That is one possibility. There are other possibilities that do not involve malicious intent:

1. The review units were from a better production run and did not exhibit the problems mentioned in this topic.

2. The reviewers were exceedingly lazy with their review and never really tested the device enough to notice the defect.

Some people are looking for a conspiracy when complacency could be an answer to their question. Equally likely that the complaints on build quality are not widespread too. Early adopters with a defective product are a particularly loud bunch.

 

[UK-MacAddict]

I personally think your logic is dated. Steve had plenty of ‘projects’ that were released under him that were also not totally well executed and had their own set of issues.

Just using the Apple Watch as an example, (which was not released under Jobs), was one of Apple‘s ‘best products’ under Cook that still has loads of potential for the future.

Tim Cook is a number cruncher. The watch came from Jony Ive who was Steve Job's right hand man.

 

[AppleMad98004]

Soon Apple will just ship non-enclosed iPADS with all the parts glued together.... "It's the thinnest iPAD every because we removed the enclosure"

 

[UK-MacAddict]

Like the shatter-tactic glass-back iPhone 4 with its bad antenna design?

Never had any issue with my glass iPhones shattering. People who do don't usually look after their phones very well. You're right about the antenna design though.

Also at least back then there was only one iPhone which had everything. Unlike scatter gun Tim who splits products for no reason at all other than to try and increase prices.

 

[thejoshuabradshaw]

Well, I guess the labeling "Air" is spot on for once LoL.

 

[_Spinn_]

Not good. First we had the screen tearing on the Mini and now this on the Air.

 

[cvstodes]

Gotta love that apropos of nothing and with no evidence the rants are based on:

• working remotely, as if nobody at Apple QC’d the thing IRL
• recycled aluminum, as if again, this wouldn’t have been QC’d
• bought previews, as if some of these outlets didn’t dunk on aspects of both this iPad and other Apple products announced at the same event, like the Studio Display
• Apple quality changing recently, as if people here weren’t dunking on the build quality of the 3rd gen iPod I use as my avatar and complaining about declining QC back in 2003

I mean it surely couldn’t be that there’s just as many clicks to be had in making esoteric complaints about new Apple products as there are in “shill previews,” right?

I’d ask these forums to never change, but they’ve been like this for 20 years so I know I won’t have to worry about it.

 

[ufgatorvet]

Oh here we go.

"iPad Air 5 is a joke", "what a wasted upgrade", "see, i told you so", "iPadOS causes bending", "If it had 256 GB base and ProMotion this wouldn't be happening".

When you have lemons, make lemonade. Foldable phones and tablets are the wave of the future. The Air 5 just got there before any other Apple product! It's a feature!

FWIW, my Air 5 doesn't "creak" or bend. It's a study, fast, beast. YMMV