Significant light leakage, few light botches on sides/corners - defective?
Actually I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but thought I'd share my experience here. Very disappointing, but certainly completely usable until I can exchange.
Hoping it's one of those strange manufacturing things where it "needs to settle," but I doubt it.
Note that I have an iPad 1 also, and it definitely doesn't have this problem.
I ordered the iPad 2 on launch day, and received it March 24. It had a very visible light leak in the lower-left corner, and blotches in other areas. I was not looking for it at max brightness in a dark room - I was simply watching a letterbox movie at night, and had a glaring leak staring at me.
I brought it to the Genius bar, and they immediately confirmed it and exchanged for a new unit. I was initially pleased with the customer service. However, the replacement unit was SIGNIFICANTLY worse than the first! The entire lower-right corner leaked so bad, it was totally discolored, and the upper-right corner was very leaky as well. Totally visible, totally unacceptable.
I brought it back to the Genius bar, and this time they told me "three different people looked at it" and none of them noticed it. I was being lied to, and I did not appreciate it. They told me if I exchange it again, there is no guarantee that another unit won't be the same (which inherently acknowledges to me that there IS an issue with the unit!), so I returned it.
I really wanted to love the product, but there is a clear issue and I'm not forking over my money to Apple for a "premium" product that is so clearly defective. I firmly believe this is a widespread issue that Apple needs to address. I'm debating whether or not to find an iPad 1, or just abandon Apple altogether. I feel like they are letting go of their premium product feel, and rushing these things to market to maximize profit. They're losing their original fan base, and figuring the vast majority won't notice this. Apple, it will catch up to you!
This is a frustrating problem to have but it is a problem! I have now had 5 replacement units along with a handful of free iPad 2 accessories for my troubles but it still hasn't solved the problem
As far as I'm aware all iPad 2's have this problem because I haven't seen one that doesn't have this problem, so what can you do. Well there are two options refund or if you like the product then hold onto it for a few months and then exchange it under warranty! I say a few months because I don't think this is an easy fix because if it was it would be fixed by now and also I have just read a report that Foxconn is ramping up production because they are selling fast so I can't see Apple fixing this problem anytime soon
I'm personally keeping mine because when I got my first iPad 1 it had some screen bleeding issue!! And after a few months I got a new one
But it didn't stop me having fun with it and if I get rid of it now is Apple going to refund me the £300 worth of apps I have purchased (unlikely)
I think I'll just forget about the money spent on apps (though that only amounts to £9 for iPad-specific apps).
The unit is going back. As well as severe light bleed, the edges are now also falling apart. Splits between the glass and sponge, and between the sponge and aluminium, are now opening up. Some grit, dirt and (bizarrely) strands of cotton are seeping through these 'cracks'.
The guts of it are fine. It is speedy and native apps open quickly as well as being gorgeous to look at.
However, in addition to the problems listed above, the speaker is very crackly and the battery is also draining quicker than I expected, under very light use.
I'm so disappointed that I've not even taken it out of the cellophane wrap and only used it about three times.
Just hope I can return the smart cover as well. Never used it and obviously won't have any use for it when I get the refund.
I'm on my 3rd ipad 2. Returned the first two and decided to keep the 3rd one for now. All three has light leakage. I'm going to wait a few months...tired of going back to the apple store. I called apple supoprt to get a case ID and report the issue. What amazes me is the being transfered to a senior tech and the tech wanting me to reset and restore the unit. I told her it's not a software issue but a hardware issue.... I played along....what a waste of time!
Are you bothered that you will receive a refurb after your 14-day return period? I ask with all sincerity as that is where I was.. returned my iPad 2 but now have the itch to try again or go iPad 1 and wait on iPad 3 with the extra $.
Same problem with most ppl here. Had 5 area of leaking on 1st iPad2, exchanged, 2nd one has 7 spots leaking with mix color of yellow and white >.<
At the end of day, there is no reason to live with defect unit. If its free, its a different story. But if you have to spend your own hard earn money on it, there is no reason to settle for less no matter how many other ppl are "waiting at door at 4:30am" still.
I would of kept mine if its very minor but its very obvious. I would suggest everyone return theirs so apple know we are serious and well informed customers who will not settle with defects just because its apple products. If you keep it more than 14 days and get service replacemenet later (what they call it when replace defect unit under warranty), you will get referb units. Thats what I was told by apple store employee past 2 times I was there and thats what apple usually do. Some have questioned about it, it might be diffierent if you are out of states. Perhaps Europe has different law? But here in states, that is the way apple operates. So if you want to exhange for new one. Return now and buy it back in couple of month if its fixed. If not fixed, well, buy one if you can live with it or wait for iPad 3 =)
Dawg... Yes, hence the refund. Getting a refurb after dropping £400+ on a defective unit to begin with would be the icing on the cake and would just about do it for my relationship with Apple.
Just exchanged my 2 defective iPad 2 units for 2 new iPad 1 units. The guy at BestBuy thought I was nuts, and said I should sell them online, i'd make a ton of money off them. Ha. Yea till the buyer sees the flaws..... Not to mention I could NOT get one of them to restore!! Naw, just an exchange. I'm good. I'll wait now till the 3 comes out, or maybe an updated 2.
In the UK, the longer you leave a transaction, the more implicit your acceptance of it and the steeper the hill to climb if you ever wish to recieve a new item, working fully.
The absolute best advice I would offer is return now and repurchase in the future, assuming Apple manage to resolve this mess.
Waiting simply will lower the chance of a new, boxed replacement. You can be pretty sure your replacement will be from a previous inventory the longer you wait it out.
Just got back from a genius bar appointment. My iPad 2 has slight to moderate bleeding. Genius said that Apple knows of the problem and I had two choices. Get it replaced with another one that would likely be as bad or worse. Or, and this is what I went for, a written guarantee that at any time (in the first year of ownership), for ANY reason I can return this one for a new one. He suggested trying back in a couple of months.
I can live with that.
Message was edited by: erikfsn: part in parentheses
David's +Cult of Mac+ advice is not to do nothing. It's to document, contact Apple, get a case number and wait until the problems seems to have been addressed. I don't know about the UK, but here if you return an Apple product for repair/replacement you only return the device. Then you get back your repaired device or a replacement (usually with your data restored to it). This is entirely different from exchanging a device.
If you absolutely want a new perfectly working iPad 2, then yes take it back get a refund. Wait for news that all is well and buy a new one at that time. If, however, you want to use your iPad 2 now, David's advice is better than the endless merry-go-round of exchanges.
As an aside: There's a lot of talk in this thread about
reconditioned devices as if this were something deplorable. I assume that this is because we tend to think
reconditioned means second rate and it will come covered with someone else's finger prints. This is not the case with Apple. I've been buying Apple products for years and frankly, when available, I prefer reconditioned products. Apple reconditioned products are like new. They are not seconds. There are no flaws. No wear. No tear. The only difference between new and reconditioned is the outer packaging. Apple cannot sell reconditioned products as new, but they might as well - they are indistinguishable from the new.
The issue is buy new expect new, not buy new, get refurbed.
I for one could not be bothered with the resultant merry-go-round. When I saw the state of my first 1pad2 64gb and then the others in the store, I simply asked for my money back.
