Not so lucky...
I'm confident that they'll replace it...if it were a 2. But being it's orig, they may not have any in stock locally to offer to replace it for free like so many of our board members...myself included.
Hope you have awesome luck and they're able to fix you up.
@jncbankston - Are you in TN? What store do you frequent?
Forgive me for the rant, but here is what happened to me...
:RANT ON:
I broke the screen on my 32G WiFi iPad 2 recently and needed to get it serviced or replaced. I went to the Nashville location Apple store and inquired about my options. The first person that helped me told me straight up that I would have to be a new one at a 50% discount. There were NO other options. No mail in repair service, absolutely no hint at a replacement for free (which I did not know about until this forum
).
They basically want $299.00 for a broken digitizer?!? Everything on the device still functions perfectly, even the digitizer that is cracked!
When I asked about the reason for a lack of repair options - he told me that no one was qualified to replace it in the store and went on to 'hurry' me up by stating that if I would just buy the NEW one he could have me out the door in 15 minutes or less, because they had 15 minute windows that they had appointments in!!!! Who cares that I was an unhappy customer, who was already grief stricken over the loss of his iPad. He might as well said, "Just buy a new one buddy, and GTFO. Isn't it obvious that you are wasting my time with these mundane questions. Your fifteen minutes are up."
I pressed on with questions of options that existed beyond the scope of the Apple store. Maybe this person could at least direct me to a helpful website or local business that heralds this cause... WRONG again. He did mention that you could have someone else replace the screen for you but they would be using "BLACK MARKET" parts to fix your iPad with, and how they would not be right!?! Seriously. An Apple rep stating that is ridiculous. At least train your employees not to include SCARE tactics in any of their speech. You can say aftermarket or OEM, but not 'black market'... I was blown away by this. I asked for a manager.
Ten to fifteen minutes later, a manager approaches me. Seriously. I waited for more than ten minutes. So much for the fifteen minute window and expedient service. Employees at the Genius bar were coming up to ask me if I had been helped already. Nice of them to notice how long I was sitting unattended. When I was finally approached by the manager, he apologized for how long it took, and proceeded to ask me what was wrong. I told him of my dilemma - not mentioning the statements of the previous employee. I didn't want the conversation to start poorly. I wanted to see what options he would offer.
I explained to him that the cost of replacement, in my eyes, did not match the cost of damage done to the device. The manager went on to affirm my belief and tell me that he understood, but whatever the reason, there were no qualified people in the store to help with the screen, and that the easiest way to get going again was to purchase the new iPad at 50% off. At this time he went off somewhere to confirm the cost with his employee. Seven minutes later he comes back to tell me that the price was $299. I already knew that. I told him that myself.
Why make me wait, and how come that information is not readily accessible to the manager, of all people?
At this point I tell him that I just can't afford a new iPad. I really did not have enough cash to cover it, and I inquired again about other possibilities. His sympathetic statement was, "Well, you could put tape over the screen so that you could still use it... some of our employees have done that to theirs... or maybe you could go buy a SCREEN PROTECTOR to put over the broken glass to hold it in place." Seriously. A screen protector? He also told me that I could get one replaced online or by someone else like Best Buy. He then went into detail about how it would not be the same, and the glass would be thicker, and not as nice - pointing at the bevel on the iPad 2 as he is implying the Frankenstein that my iPad will become if I use any other option than replacement. "It will 'probably' work just fine, but I do recommend the replacement instead." Thanks.
Well, as I fretted over the money to replace the iPad, I watched as two people were handed a brand new iPhone FOR FREE to replace the one they had broken. It was replaced with only ONE day left on his warranty (I know this because the Genius Bar rep made a big deal of the fact there was only one day left). Lucky him. Did I mention that mine was under warranty, and everthing worked perfectly, with the exception of a cracked digitizer... I thought so.
The manager offered nothing to my cause, adding that Apple Care replacement would be the same cost. Seriously. I purchase Apple Care and don't even get a cheaper rate when I need a common repair? WTF? At this point I grabbed my iPad and left the store in frustration.
:RANT OFF:
So does anyone know of a replacement digitizer that is acceptable? These guys have got me freaked out about sending it off to have it fixed!
Any ideas on what I could do? Should I call Apple directly and tell them about these shenanigans?
--Depressed
