Swollen iPad Air battery caused cracked digi screen?

Thanks, 71, for your reply.

I'm not concerned about having 'destroyed any evidence' as I don't need to prove anything. We are fortunate in the UK in having consumer protection, so the 1.5 year old iPad will certainly be covered against the battery failure at least (and hats off to Apple for being upfront about UK law on their website).

All Apple need to do is look inside my son's iPad to see the evidence writ large. Very large. By more than an extra 3.5mm.

I have taken some measurements. The gap between the top of the 'normal' half of the battery and the top 'ledge' of the case where the digi screen sits is ~3.7mm - bags of room for a ~2mm-thick LCD screen.

The gap between the swollen half of the battery and this same top ledge is ~0.16mm.

Try squeezing a 2mm LCD screen into a 0.16mm space.

So, Apple will undoubtedly offer to cover the battery replacement as it's a known issue and the iPad is only 1.5 years old. I am equally confident I can persuade them to acknowledge that the pressure from the faulty battery - which had increased in size by a further ~3.5mm and which squished a roomy space designed for a 2mm screen into a black hole of approx 0.16mm - must have caused considerable upwards pressure against the digi screen.

I cannot prove that the swollen battery caused the screen to crack, but I don't have to. All I need to do is present the information above for Apple to explain how it didn't.

Thanks all.

Happy to provide an update more quickly than I'd imagined! And it's full marks to Apple.

I called them up and, whilst a swelling battery in an iPad is very uncommon, they fully accepted that it could have led to the cracked screen due to the upward force on the LCD screen.

There was no argument, barely any discussion - they recognised the likelihood of this chain of events straight away - and are sending out a paid-for pack to collect and repair the machine free of charge.

I am genuinely impressed.

Patently not true, Brian, as they are authorising the repair without question. As they should - tho' I am impressed they did so without quibble.

I do understand what you are saying, but this is a pretty clear situation; the screen cracked without any obvious cause, and the machine was outside the 'normal' warranty. Had I known from the off that a swelling battery had been the cause, then I would obviously have contacted Apple right away and I know they'd have sorted it all under the UK's consumer laws.

However, as I could only conclude that my son had done something to the machine so it wouldn't be covered, I decided to carry out a replacement myself - only then discovering the true cause.

Apple are doing the right thing here. To be blunt, I would have taken this 'all the way' if needed; I'd have asked them to repair it, paid for the repair - adding "paid under protest" on the invoice, and then sued them using 'moneyclaim.gov'. I have no doubt whatsoever that I'd have won.

But, as I say, Apple very much impressed me today - they accepted this issue with good grace and courtesy saving me a shed-load of bother 🙂.

Tee-hee, Philly.

A further update - we have a replacement iPad, and son is delighted.

It wasn't as straight forward as we'd hoped, however. Seems like the fellow we first spoke to (including an on-line 'chat') - and who assured me it would be sorted - shouldn't have approved the repair as I'd removed the screen (so, it's as Brian above has said). When the tech department then received the screenless iPad, they went up in arms and emailed me to say 'Non!'.

It took a bit of persuading - including that of actually beginning the legal process invoking Consumer Law - before they finally checked my initial communications with them which confirmed I'd explained from the start that I'd removed the screen, and why. They therefore accepted that they should honour the first guy's decision - even tho' they maintain it's wrong...

Anyway, it's all sorted now, and I have learnt that the thing to do - regardless of whether the cause of the fault is obvious or not - is to visit a Genius Bar. Had I done that, they'd have sussed the issue right away and I'd have saved myself a lot of grief.

Phew :-)

You're welcome, 71.