iPad Air glass break

Same issue here.

$700 iPad air

40ish days after purchase (bought November 1st)

One single crack across screen.

Previously owned 3 iPads without issues.

After saving up for months, I excitedly purchased the IPad Air on Nov. 1st. I have owned two previous model iPads; both are still working great and now being used by my parents. I was extremely disappointed that after a little over 1 month of light to normal use, the iPad Air had a crack in the corner by the home button. It was NOT dropped, mishandled, thrown around, handled by children, etc... The glass pretty much just cracked spontaneously.

I live in a rural area--not close to an Apple Store (except online). Any suggestions on how to get it repaired under warranty if taking it to an Apple Store is not an option? Help!!

after only 3 days of using my ipad air 128gb the screen cracked as well... i put it on the table, went to bed and next morning there were 2 very fine cracks all over the screen... this is a def a manufactoring/ design issue. will bring my ipad back to the store next week and they will better exchange it...

They will exchange it if:

1) These are hairline cracks.. No point of impact and no damage around the frame.

2) None of the Liquid Contact Indicators (LCI) are tripped.

3) You are still within your 1 year warranty (which I assume you are).

Same issue happened to me, swapped it out with a brand new one.

I remember watching my iPad 2 slip from my briefcase, fall 3 feet and hit hard tile. The aluminum had a nice ding but the iPad was otherwise in good shape. In fact, I've never cracked the glass on my iphone 3, 4 or 5.

Just let my iPad slip from my hands while reclining on the couch. It 'fell' perhaps 6_inches and landed on laminate wood flooring laid over padding. I picked it up and saw that it had a 'scratch'. But wait! That's a no scratch... That's a bleeping 7 inch, hairline crack! 20 minutes later and and a second 6 inch crack appeared heading the opposite way.

Both cracks start in the middle of the 'long' side. One incident doesn't allow conclusions, but I wonder if the change in form factor created an unexpected increase in flexing?

Have the same problem. Bought the ipad air on Sunday Dec 22. My daughter took it out of its case on Dec 30. And it was cracked right across the home button. Can't believe that something that cost $500 is made with such poor quality. She had it less than 2 weeks. Now I have to pay $300 to get it replaced. This will be our last Apple product. So upset and disappointed in Apple. This thing broke from no fault of ours.

It may be that the employees have a guide to determine if the crack is a flaw in manufacturing, or caused by bending or dropping the iPad. If small cracks spider out from the home button, it wasn't dropped.

I'm no expert and the photo isn't great, but I would look at the damage to your iPad and think it were bent or dropped at that corner. It just doesn't look like the cracks I've seen due to flawed glass.

Only you know if your iPad was well protected or not, Apple guys just have to guess by the evidence.

I am a nut about screen protectors and cases! No way I carry $700 sheet of glass in a bag without packing it carefully in a good case.

Melissa1968,

You shouldn't pay a dime. Your iPad is obviously defective and they can tell. See above post from Michael00

Request a appointment via the Genius Bar and explain how the issue occured.

Unless there is a point of impact or obvious signs of abuse they should replace it free of charge (I didn't even have to argue with the store rep, he just stated that hairline cracks were covered under warranty if there was no signs of abuse, etc).

To note, you need to actually take it to an Apple store. I was quoted the same $300 over live chat before I decided to take it to a store to have it looked at.

Went to Apple store today. Faith in Apple has been restored. They replaced it free of charge. Employee never even brought up charging me for it. Covered under original warranty for defects. HAPPY customer again.

Same thing here waited for the ipad air got it put it in otterbox case noticed a line thought it was hair had gotten on screen. No such luck screen cracked!!! Ipad 2 never been in case no cracks!! imagine that!! Well of course apple have their little light that detecte damage you know nothing about so they dont have to pay!! Ipad air was less than 13 days old!! I think class action may be coming down the pipe for so many broken front glass screens on ipad air. Love apple products have 5 now. this is first issue will be the last. I am a local package delivery guy I see about 80 -120 people/customer a day. I shared my wonderful experience with at least 10 of those today i'll try to tell 15 tomorrow. I look at it as a trade off. I'll give them $500 worth of free publicity. I even took pictures of ipad and made copies and left them in break room, warning don't make a mistake by the ipad 2!! Not the eggshell ipad air!!

Lizdance: A closer case is a situation like mine. I admit that I 'dropped' my iPad. At the same time, the fall was an absolute maximum of 12", was actually more of a slide and was onto a 'soft' wood floor. (I describe it as soft because it's fake wood over a shock absorbent pad.) The fall left no mark on the aluminum bezel but yielded two hairline cracks of 6 and 7 inches respectively. The question is whether such 'abuse' should be reasonably anticipated by manuafacturer and consumer alike.

Here, Apple may be a victim of its own success. As I stated previously, I once dropped an iPad2 2-3' onto ceramic tile. The result was a noticeable dent in the bezel but nothing else. I've dropped iPhones from 3' in the past. So when I drop a iPad Air less than a foot and crack the screen without damaging the bezel, it's a bit of a shock.

Anyway, I have an appointment in 2 hours. We'll see.

I was straight up with the Apple staff. I had a 20x pic of the crack site and bezel. It was replaced without much comment or inquiry.

After he had decided to replace the iPad, my curiousity was still buzzing. I asked the tech what he thought. Did *he* see any kind of damage suggesting I'd abused the iPad? Did he have any guess as to what happened. The only guess I got was that it was some type of pressure crack.

Long story short... do I think Apple should have replaced the iPad. Yes. Am I surprised they did? Yes. Somewhat. Am I continually surprised by Apple. yup. and pleased.

Congrulation you're obviously the first person to ever do this in the history of Apple

Now if you look at many of the other wonderful stories; such as Melissa here and instead of ranting and raving how you're going to talk down and bad about apple, then go to their stores like a reasonable and level headed adult I know that you are. Explain your frustrations clearly and without biting anyone's head, and state what you would like as a resolution and have this thread saved as a just encase and you can possibly get out free

Remember; Customer service has Service, and Customer...if you're a great customer a rep will do their best to help

Same here. Pressure crack.

For example, if you set something heavy on the iPad that put pressure on a specific area, it can cause a crack. Or if you kept it in a backpack and a book exherted pressure uniformily on on side, it could cause a hairline crack.

I am not surprised that they replaced your iPad. The last thing they need are unhappy customers complaining about hairline cracks scarring off potential buyers. Plus think of the profit margin. Probably cheaper to just replace the iPad 2-4 times in a 1 year period than have an unhappy customer complaining.

My question is, after the 1 year warranty expires, then what[I would have bought the extended warranty if I knew that cracks would be an issue. Having 3-4 previous iPads, i never had a issue, figured i would get the same quality product)? If we get a hairline crack, we pay 300$?

Also to note, the iPad air does have thinner glass than previous iPads. Having purchased all previous iPads (and one of which was dropped numerous times and never had and damage [Same type of case]) i find it rather annoying that i have to handle this one so carefully.