Have the issues / bugs been resoved yet (hardware and OS)?

[argon]

Shortly after the iPad Air began selling there were complaints (issues) regarding off-color screens (yellow band at left side, sometime also pink on the right side) and connectivity issues (most often [?] when accessing a couple of specific web sites). I've been waiting in the wings for these to be resolved. If these concerns have now disappeared, I'd love to have a serial number which would establish in manufacturing time the point after which it would be really safe to buy an iPad Air now. I really want to minimize my chances of receiving a dud right out of the box; been there, done that (with previous iPod purchase, a real PITA). Thanks.

 

[s2mikey]

First off, most of these problems were limited to a small number of users. On forums it appears to be widespread because forums are a place to get issues solved, not talk about how great everything is working. I would go ahead and buy one with confidence and just know that apple has a return policy should it come to that. I bet you'll be fine though. Most of the devices are perfectly fine. I don't believe there was ever a range of serial numbers published though. It seems to be random.

I bought my Air three days after release and it's been perfect. No screen issues, no safari crashing, nothing.

Go for it.

 

[Diane B]

I got my Air first day and transferred everything via icloud from my 3 (which went to my husband and i transferred his from an iPad One). I'm a photographer so fussy about color and find the Air screen just great--no tint, nothing. I've heard nothing so about screen issues from friends who bought the Air either. So, I'd say forget that.

I have a LOT of data, photos, etc on my 168 Air. I use mine to actually create things and do occasionally have a minor crash but rarely-- and a quick reset solves it quickly. I bought the Ipad One the first week it came out, bought the Three the first day and can honestly say the Air is the tablet/iPad I've wanted since I learned early on that it could be used for more than just "consuming" (though it works great for that too). My very powerful PC sits quiet a lot these days LOL.

 

[markbnh1]

I hate to contradict others on this thread but the software issues with iOS 7 have not yet been resolved. The iPad Air as well as older models to a lesser extent still crash way too often for a $600-$900 device. Resets, reinstalls, and exchanges have no effect on the issues. There are hundreds if not thousands of posts about this on the Apple forums and various blog sites. We are all hoping that iOS 7.1 will fix or reduce the problems. Those of you with "perfect" iPads must have another device...lol. Here is a screenshot of my current diagnostic log. Please note. 1-4 low memory crashes per day. This is usually from opening a Safari tab or scrolling a page! Nothing too intense. I'm lucky and merely get booted back to the home screen. Others get the Apple logo reboot. Good luck!

Sent from my iPad Air using iPF

 

[s2mikey]

I hate to contradict others on this thread but the software issues with iOS 7 have not yet been resolved. The iPad Air as well as older models to a lesser extent still crash way too often for a $600-$900 device. Resets, reinstalls, and exchanges have no effect on the issues. There are hundreds if not thousands of posts about this on the Apple forums and various blog sites. We are all hoping that iOS 7.1 will fix or reduce the problems. Those of you with "perfect" iPads must have another device...lol. Here is a screenshot of my current diagnostic log. Please note. 1-4 low memory crashes per day. This is usually from opening a Safari tab or scrolling a page! Nothing too intense. I'm lucky and merely get booted back to the home screen. Others get the Apple logo reboot. Good luck! Sent from my iPad Air using iPF

Totally feel the pain of those affected. There is an issue here for sure but it doesn't affect everyone or at least doesn't affect everyone equally. Safari and iOS 7 seem to be the main culprits. This is fixable though and I'm sure it will be with the next update. There are a lot of posts about it but there are also millions and millions of users that are not complaining. I'm just pointing out that the Air is a solid device for most and waiting to buy one isn't necessary, IMO.

 

[col.bris]

I have to agree millions of iPad airs and other models have been sold world wide and yes there is a minor number of bugs as you say that should be resolved in the next update which is due shortly but in saying that there is no valid reason not to purchase the iPad air or any other iPad. One only needs to read the threads of complaints to find it is a handful of users complaining many whom repeat on multiple forums. In our store we have sold hundreds of iPads since iOS 7 was released and not one user has had an issue and trust me they come to us first or at least ph our support line which I monitor. Android tablets however have had serious complaints and in one model alone the return rate is more than 50% ( cheap tablets). Several Samsung and ASUS tablets sold suffered from shutdown or freezing which in 14 cases was resolved by resetting the device 4 others were DOA and replaced. The percentage of android tablets sold was about 25% of the total tablets. The worst issue was $450 to $600 (entry level here) windows 8 computers mainly Acer that suffered hard drive disk issues or just would not work. Complaints about windows 8 were heard every day. The bottom line is the Apple iPad's are without question the most stable and reliable tablets available regardless of minor software issues so I suggest just go ahead and buy the iPad air don't stress out about what you hear or read but instead enjoy the experience,

 

[vespa5]

Shortly after the iPad Air began selling there were complaints (issues) regarding off-color screens (yellow band at left side, sometime also pink on the right side)...... I really want to minimize my chances of receiving a dud right out of the box

I was cursed with the "yellow tinted screen" for my first purchase of an iPad Air. It actually took 3 exchanges with my local Best Buy to get a 'sweet' iPad Air with no screen issues. I would expect these quality assurance issues with ASUS products (their Nexus 7 may be a hot commodity, I prefer it over the iPad Mini, but boy do they have quality issues), but not so much with Apple. What's weird is they come in batches. If you know of one person who bought a "yellow tinted" iPad Air, ask them which store they bought it from. There's a good chance that store has a 'batch' of yellow tinted iPad Airs in their inventory.

As for minimizing your chances of receiving a dud right our of the box, that's just the way it goes sometimes regardless of which company you choose to buy from. You would think that Tim Cook, who was the former Chief Operating Officer of Apple, would keep an eye over things like this (yellow tint and Wifi issues) in the company's production line a lot better

 

[AQ_OC]

Shortly after the iPad Air began selling there were complaints (issues) regarding off-color screens (yellow band at left side, sometime also pink on the right side) and connectivity issues (most often [?] when accessing a couple of specific web sites). I've been waiting in the wings for these to be resolved. If these concerns have now disappeared, I'd love to have a serial number which would establish in manufacturing time the point after which it would be really safe to buy an iPad Air now. I really want to minimize my chances of receiving a dud right out of the box; been there, done that (with previous iPod purchase, a real PITA). Thanks.

Some of the issues you mention have been fixed, but some not. Mine, an iPad Mini with Retina Display, doesn't crash much, but it did reboot just today. However, I find for the most part it is highly usable. I note too that I have 3 other devices running iOS 7.0.4 and they all seem to work well 95% of the time. I don't think you will ever hear of a serial no beyond which it is ok to buy because these are mostly software bugs in iOS 7.0.4. One hopes that the bugs will mostly get solved in 7.1 which we are expected to appear soon. You can just wait for that to see. But I'd not every suggest to expect no bugs. And it might prove through that they 64-bit iOS 7 should have had more RAM, too, but I think it will take a while before that becomes clear. With a buggy release of iOS 7, I don't think we have enough info to draw any firm conclusions on that matter now.

 

[markbnh1]

Some of the issues you mention have been fixed, but some not. Mine, an iPad Mini with Retina Display, doesn't crash much, but it did reboot just today. However, I find for the most part it is highly usable. I note too that I have 3 other devices running iOS 7.0.4 and they all seem to work well 95% of the time. I don't think you will ever hear of a serial no beyond which it is ok to buy because these are mostly software bugs in iOS 7.0.4. One hopes that the bugs will mostly get solved in 7.1 which we are expected to appear soon. You can just wait for that to see. But I'd not every suggest to expect no bugs. And it might prove through that they 64-bit iOS 7 should have had more RAM, too, but I think it will take a while before that becomes clear. With a buggy release of iOS 7, I don't think we have enough info to draw any firm conclusions on that matter now.

Thanks for giving us your perspective. That's about what I was trying to say, maybe in a less negative way. I still love my iPad Air and it is usable most of the time. Maybe a software update will make it even better.

Sent from my iPad Air using iPF

 

[willerz2]

I hate to contradict others on this thread but the software issues with iOS 7 have not yet been resolved. The iPad Air as well as older models to a lesser extent still crash way too often for a $600-$900 device. Resets, reinstalls, and exchanges have no effect on the issues. There are hundreds if not thousands of posts about this on the Apple forums and various blog sites. We are all hoping that iOS 7.1 will fix or reduce the problems. Those of you with "perfect" iPads must have another device...lol. Here is a screenshot of my current diagnostic log. Please note. 1-4 low memory crashes per day. This is usually from opening a Safari tab or scrolling a page! Nothing too intense. I'm lucky and merely get booted back to the home screen. Others get the Apple logo reboot. Good luck!

Sent from my iPad Air using iPF

Memory crashes are a standard part of iOS. iOS (unlike other mobile OS) has a built-in resource manager. If you receive a memory crash, that means that you were excessively depleting your RAM, and that iOS had to reallocate more resources prematurely or at a faster rate than the supposed normal clock rate. If you're receiving multiple memory crashes, that means you're using your iPad often, or, if you're jailbroken, you may have a memory leak.

For iOS, the more memory that's being used, the better. Unused RAM is wasted RAM in iOS standards.

 

[argon]

Thanks for all the responses. I really do want an Apple iPad Air, mostly for use by my wife who is a greater tech noob than me. As an aside, we recently bought a couple of pay-as-you-go Tracfones -- we rarely make calls -- and they had Smartphones (Huawei Gory, H868C). They're OK, but I cannot get around the Android OS and apps very well, especially the browser -- I feel like I'm trapped (stuck) in an old Zork-like game; will try and break out tonight. And so, so many ads to sell you something!

Anyway, we're looking forward to buying an iPad Air. I am able to use the local military PX and plan to buy it there, although if I find a problem, it will be unlikely that they will be able to swap it out as they do not stock the quantity that a large retailer might carry. Buying at an Apple store would be the safest route, but my purchase at the PX would be tax-free; $80 is $80 (est. tax on the 128 GB Wi-Fi + Cell model). I would not mind driving down to Austin to one of the Apple stores there if I knew they would (at least consider) making an on-the-spot trade/replacement if I did have a bonified problem with my purchase (not my past experience with an iPod purchase a few years ago). I appreciate all the advice and your perspectives/first-hand reports.


PS - (later tonight) -- I stopped by the PX and they had one Wi-Fi + Cell. The PX lady (not an Apple employee) said it was an AT&T version asked what carrier I had, and I replied "none" yet. I said that I thought you could swap out the SIM for a different carrier, and she said that a couple of carriers have "software" incompatibilities. I said 'thanks' and left. From my reading here, the iPad Air does not have carrier compatibility issues.... Well, paying the tax at a real Apple store may be worth it simply for the expertise.

 

[s2mikey]

Thanks for all the responses. I really do want an Apple iPad Air, mostly for use by my wife who is a greater tech noob than me. As an aside, we recently bought a couple of pay-as-you-go Tracfones -- we rarely make calls -- and they had Smartphones (Huawei Gory, H868C). They're OK, but I cannot get around the Android OS and apps very well, especially the browser -- I feel like I'm trapped (stuck) in an old Zork-like game; will try and break out tonight. And so, so many ads to sell you something! Anyway, we're looking forward to buying an iPad Air. I am able to use the local military PX and plan to buy it there, although if I find a problem, it will be unlikely that they will be able to swap it out as they do not stock the quantity that a large retailer might carry. Buying at an Apple store would be the safest route, but my purchase at the PX would be tax-free; $80 is $80 (est. tax on the 128 GB Wi-Fi + Cell model). I would not mind driving down to Austin to one of the Apple stores there if I knew they would (at least consider) making an on-the-spot trade/replacement if I did have a bonified problem with my purchase (not my past experience with an iPod purchase a few years ago). I appreciate all the advice and your perspectives/first-hand reports. PS - (later tonight) -- I stopped by the PX and they had one Wi-Fi + Cell. The PX lady (not an Apple employee) said it was an AT&T version asked what carrier I had, and I replied "none" yet. I said that I thought you could swap out the SIM for a different carrier, and she said that a couple of carriers have "software" incompatibilities. I said 'thanks' and left. From my reading here, the iPad Air does not have carrier compatibility issues.... Well, paying the tax at a real Apple store may be worth it simply for the expertise.

I'm pretty sure you can change carriers and SIM cards on any cellular iPad model. I have the AT&T model and do like it. Fast service and screaming LTE should I choose to use it. I think you'll be fine with the iPad Air, BTW. Go for it!

 

[AQ_OC]

Thanks for all the responses. I really do want an Apple iPad Air, mostly for use by my wife who is a greater tech noob than me. As an aside, we recently bought a couple of pay-as-you-go Tracfones -- we rarely make calls -- and they had Smartphones (Huawei Gory, H868C). They're OK, but I cannot get around the Android OS and apps very well, especially the browser -- I feel like I'm trapped (stuck) in an old Zork-like game; will try and break out tonight. And so, so many ads to sell you something!

Anyway, we're looking forward to buying an iPad Air. I am able to use the local military PX and plan to buy it there, although if I find a problem, it will be unlikely that they will be able to swap it out as they do not stock the quantity that a large retailer might carry. Buying at an Apple store would be the safest route, but my purchase at the PX would be tax-free; $80 is $80 (est. tax on the 128 GB Wi-Fi + Cell model). I would not mind driving down to Austin to one of the Apple stores there if I knew they would (at least consider) making an on-the-spot trade/replacement if I did have a bonified problem with my purchase (not my past experience with an iPod purchase a few years ago). I appreciate all the advice and your perspectives/first-hand reports.


PS - (later tonight) -- I stopped by the PX and they had one Wi-Fi + Cell. The PX lady (not an Apple employee) said it was an AT&T version asked what carrier I had, and I replied "none" yet. I said that I thought you could swap out the SIM for a different carrier, and she said that a couple of carriers have "software" incompatibilities. I said 'thanks' and left. From my reading here, the iPad Air does not have carrier compatibility issues.... Well, paying the tax at a real Apple store may be worth it simply for the expertise.

You can certainly open your device and play around with it for a while at the Apple Store. You can ask for setup advice. It is not foolproof, but if there are any hardware problems you can certainly ask for a swap at that time. I honestly think the problems are iOS7 related, not hardware related, but I obviously cannot prove that. iOS7 was a BIT change in OS for Apple and it is quite normal for bugs to exist, though most Apple users are spoiled by near-bug free operation up through iOS 6. Anyone who has dealt with Windows from the beginning knows the real meaning of BUGS and iOS7 is nothing compared to the untold nightmares that occurred in history for those people.

I assume you want the cellular model so you can have Nav support, right? Since you're not a smartphone user, I'm wondering how much you want to pay extra for a cellular model. I always buy those, however, because I want that GPS chip.

 

[zstairlessone]

http://www.apple.com/ipad-air/specs/

iPad Air specs. Appears to have the ability to work with any carrier, unlike earlier models that were carrier specific.

 

[willerz2]

Apple - iPad Air - Technical Specifications

iPad Air specs. Appears to have the ability to work with any carrier, unlike earlier models that were carrier specific.

This. Starting with the iPad 3, devices are no longer GSM/CDMA differentiated, and they come "unlocked" if you can call it that as there're no carrier restrictions. The iPad Air shouldn't have any restrictions. My friend swaps between his AT&T SIM with my corporate Verizon SIM sometimes (I have unlimited data courtesy of my workplace) and it works fine. It's just a plug and play and you're good to roll.