Accidentally dropped replaced iPad

regency_man

Hi

I have had a terrible morning. But by far the most painful thing that has happened this morning has been dropping an iPad and Apple's subsequent response.

On Tuesday I got a brand new iPad Air delivered, but after I unboxed it I found it had a manufacturing defect, a big chip out of the metal on the rear. I called Apple and they were very good and quickly dispatched me another one. They said I could keep the 'defective' one until the new one arrived and arrange for a courier to pick it up.

The replacement arrived 11am today, and the the courier is scheduled to pick the defective one up by 6pm. So I get the new one out the box - all good, no defects, looks perfect so I boot it up and restore my backup on it and everything is fine. So then I go to pack up the defective one, I get it all laid out on the kitchen counter, iPad - check, charger - check, usb cable - check. I'm about to put it all back in the box when I suddenly realise my SIM card is still in the defective one. I pull the little SIM tool out and as I'm trying to poke it into the hole on the device, the iPad flies out my hand and lands on the flagstones. :eek:

It wasn't good. The whole screen is smashed to smithereens. I stood there in shock for a few minutes. Then went to make a cuppa to calm down. I went through it in my head: it's OK, I have accidental damage cover for my contents, it happened in the home, and it's below the single item claim limit. I can get it replaced for £50 excess.

So I called up Apple and explained the situation, at their discretion I could either send them back the 'replacement' which was new but now not pristine as I had opened it and used it. Or I could send them back the unopened insurance replacement when it arrived.

NO. They said.

They said because every iPad is unique and serial numbered and IMEI numbered (like a mobile phone) they require the EXACT same one back as listed in their inventory. OK, I said, but that one has a smashed screen. Yes they said, we will be charging you for that one too.

Hold on a minute I said, that means I paid £600 for one iPad, now I return another iPad to you and have to pay another £600. Leaving me with 1 iPad but £1200 out of pocket. How on earth do I then claim the breakage off the insurers to get me back to all-square?

They said Apple will send me a 'certificate of replacement' which I can give my insurers and they will pay out to the value of the iPad.

This sounds a little unusual.... Has anyone else heard about this?

What about general consumer rights here - do I have to return Apple the exact same iPad or is one of exact specification and exact same condition allowable?

Further, I made a contract of sale for 1 iPad, so technically, despite it being in my hands, one of the iPads in my house belongs to Apple not me - so shouldn't their insurance cover it? Can they legally now charge me for another iPad?

Please understand, I'm not in anyway trying to get out of paying or making good with Apple, it was an accident but yes ultimately it was my fault and I accept that. I'm just trying to do it in a way that doesn't leave me vastly out of pocket at the end of it!

marliepanda

I'm confused (fairly perpetual with me)

You send apple back the first one, the chipped, dented one. They've replaced that one, it belongs to them.

The second one, the smashed one, is yours. You have claimed that on your insurance. You'll get money or a replacement. The second one is surely nothing to do with apple. It's yours, you smashed it, and it's between you and your insurance.

Send back iPad number 1 and you should be charged only £600. Why are you offering to send the smashed one?

nickcc

As I understand it the one with the broken screen was the original damaged one that was due to be returned to Apple but the screen was broken when the OP dropped it.

marliepanda

I knew I was confused. You smashed the one with the dent?

In that case it may be that you send the smashed one and sell the new one when you get it to pay apple. It may just be the way they work in that they need that one back (maybe security problems, fraud, who knows)

You've caused damage to the product so it makes sense that they will charge you. Hopefully you can get a monetary pay out from your insurers rather than a replacement? Have you asked about that posdibility? That would leave you only £50 out of pocket.

regency_man

Thanks for the quick responses. After about an hour on the phone with Apple they have finally come to their senses.

I am returning the 'good' replacement iPad to them and they will call it quits as if I had never asked for it to be replaced and they won't charge me anything extra. I can now claim the broken one on my contents insurance.

Except - now I'm confused, I'm going end up in a worse situation here. Having just spoken to the insurers, they said by the sound of it they will likely just get the screen replaced rather than a whole new one. If this is the case then I'm going to get back an iPad with a working screen, but still with the manufacturing defect to the rear... which was my whole reason for getting a replacement in the first place! :think::wall:

regency_man

marliepanda wrote: »

I knew I was confused. You smashed the one with the dent?

Yes I smashed the dented one - if I'd smashed the good one, ironically this would all be much easier!

marliepanda

You will end up slightly worse, but then you did smash it

However, if you returned the smashed one, and then had to sell one of your good ones your chances if getting full rrp are low, so I think this way you will lose less.

nickcc

Any chance that the manufacturing defect (dent/chip) could also be due to you dropping it ? Or have you already fessed up to the insurer ?

visidigi

regency_man wrote: »

Thanks for the quick responses. After about an hour on the phone with Apple they have finally come to their senses.

I am returning the 'good' replacement iPad to them and they will call it quits as if I had never asked for it to be replaced and they won't charge me anything extra. I can now claim the broken one on my contents insurance.

Except - now I'm confused, I'm going end up in a worse situation here. Having just spoken to the insurers, they said by the sound of it they will likely just get the screen replaced rather than a whole new one. If this is the case then I'm going to get back an iPad with a working screen, but still with the manufacturing defect to the rear... which was my whole reason for getting a replacement in the first place! :think::wall:

Even Apple don't take the screens off - the insurer is not likely to do it...I would expect a new one...

jacques_chirac

visidigi wrote: »

Even Apple don't take the screens off - the insurer is not likely to do it...I would expect a new one...

Apple do not replace screens, but some independents do. It is impossible to say whether the OP will get a new one without knowing who deals with this for the insurer.

Fosterdog

I doubt many if any independents have replacement screens for the iPad air yet, they've only been out a week, it takes time for replica parts to make it out there.

The insurance company would is more likely to either want it repaired by apple or will just replace with a new one.