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points by xrd 3 days ago | 0 comments

I bought a used iPad for my daughter for her birthday about a year ago for about $500.

M4 chip.

Her mom's cats chewed on the corner of the screen. It won't turn on.

The cost to replace that screen: $1200.

Apparently OLED screens break completely if just a single pixel is damaged.

I don't think that's unique to OLED. There's all manner of things that could've gone wrong when breaking a corner in both LCD and OLED

[–] gib444 3 days ago

> The cost to replace that screen: $1200.

That's Apple saying to you: omg, stop being so poor and wasting our time, just buy another one

[–] FireBeyond 3 days ago

Yup. Had an MacBook Air. Slight water damage near charging port. Laptop functioned correctly on AC power. Extensive battery diagnostics: Healthy. Just the charging circuit saying "go ahead, charge device"...

At the Genius Bar expected something reasonable, realistic... $300? Parts and labor.

"So we have a quote for you, $950. Perhaps we go out and look at the new Macs together?"

90% of the cost of the laptop to replace the charging port.

[–] makeitdouble 3 days ago

Only Apple can properly replace these screens and pair the parts (FaceId etc), so setting the standard repair cost high enough helps push people toward Apple Care eligible new devices, handicapping the second hand market.

That has been the case basically since Apple Care existed IMHO.

[–] alwillis 3 days ago

> Only Apple can properly replace these screens and pair the parts

Not true. Apple has a self-service repair program for most of its products, including the iPad mini.

All the repair manuals are available online and you can buy official Apple parts. [1] They'll even sell or rent the tools you will need.

[1]: https://selfservicerepair.com/en-US/home

[–] makeitdouble 3 days ago

You're right, the self-service repair program exists. It doesn't clear neither the pairing issue nor parent's hurdles though, as Apple parts are still required , you can't get any similar enough screen you'd want, and they'll be priced the same as in Apple Stores.

As far as I remember, the self-repair kits only make sense in very niche cases (I think repair shop get a different contract ?) and won't work around any limitations Apple puts on parts or repairs.

[–] xrd 3 days ago

I did not call Apple, this was a local "fix my iPad" shop.

It was funny, the guy was narrating as he is searching saying "Whoa, this is the most I've ever seen... Wow, oh man... Hold on..."

I knew it was not going to be good.

I asked if there were any DIY options for me.

He said I could possibly find a used iPad online and swap that screen. But, given the insane prices of the replacement screen, I assume the secondary market for a salvageable iPad that works is really tough.

At this point it makes sense to just buy another used iPad.

[–] mint5 3 days ago

your ex’s cat chewed on the corner of an iPad? Does the cat have some more interesting stories of destruction since it apparently likes chewing on metal/glass, a higher level of destruction setting than the standard cat.

[–] Grombobulous 3 days ago

Because you gave the context clues of M4 chip and OLED screen and $1200 repair cost, this means you somehow snagged an iPad Pro 13” with the cellular modem for $500, which is way below market value.

The current version of this model of iPad purchased brand new is $1700.

In other words, this is the highest end iPad available. Any other lower spec model reduces the repair cost lower than what you were quoted.

[–] mrheosuper 3 days ago

Where do you find an iPad with M4 and OLED screen for $500 ?

[–] xrd 2 days ago

I bought it off Facebook marketplace. The guy selling it apparently was granted the device from his work and then didn't need it. I didn't get the sense it was sketchy at all but now I'm wondering a bit. I had no idea it was that expensive new, I'm sad that this thing appears to be a brick now!

[–] dreamcompiler 3 days ago

That happened to my MBP without OLED. Fortunately I had Applecare.

[–] red369 3 days ago

You mean that the corner was damaged, not that a cat also chewed on the corner of your MBP, right? I'm still in shock that a cat would chew on glass and metal enough to damage it - two cats doing it is too much in one day!

[–] dreamcompiler 3 days ago

Yeah it was my cat. One bite and the screen turned black. He was a kitten at the time. Kittens chew on everything.

[–] asdff 3 days ago

Her mom keeps jungle cats or something?