iFixit Releases Tablet Repairability List, Puts Most Apple Tablets Near the Bottom

They should have another rating to the right, showing how likely these devices will need repairing.

I can't imagine any scenario in which I would want to attempt to fix or repair my iPad.

AppleCare pushes the score to 10 for me.

Well, iFixit makes money out of repairs. They are approaching the point where they are not able to repair them for less than what Apple charges. Of course they will be furious. I do find it hilarious though how they complain about difficulties of battery change on the rMBP and yet Apple will do it for you for $200.

Who cares...

Who cares...

Who cares...

Everyone that wants to repair their own hardware out of warranty, hardware technicians...

If you don't see the purpose in iFixit's materials, then you're not in their target audience. Although they are trying to expand that audience.

They should have another rating to the right, showing how likely these devices will need repairing.

The iPad is as likely to fail as any other tablet. Apple's batteries, displays and logic boards aren't made from anything special or with any special processes. I took delivery of two brand new iPads about an hour ago, both dead on arrival. Seeing faulty batteries, wireless hardware, SIM slots and charging circuits among others is not uncommon.

If you want a computer you can fix and so on, you'll need something fairly big that you can see into, with enough room to turn a screw and pull out wires and so on, and then put things together. In other words, a big beige tower. Well, get one. Try to imagine an iPad that's easy to fix. It's about twice as big, it has screws and stuff all over. It weighs another twelve pounds. It would cost a lot more. Sadly, iFixit misses the point.

The iPhone 4S was put together with screws and was much smaller. Very similar internal hardware, but with a smaller screen and battery. The earliest iPads used low profile clips to secure the display assembly to the internal frame. Although the first generation was thicker, it was the battery and display assembly that contributed to the majority of the thickness differences.

Besides, I think iFixit gets the point extremely well. If you're the kind of person that wants to disassemble or service a unit, runs a service business or one that takes repairability into mind at purchase time then iFixit's analysis is spot on. They're much more accurate and easy to follow than Apple's own guides, at least.

iFixit is a repairers resource. Unless you're a repairer or someone that takes an interest at the insides of devices for one reason or another, you won't find what they do to be useful.

If you want a computer you can fix and so on, you'll need something fairly big that you can see into, with enough room to turn a screw and pull out wires and so on, and then put things together. In other words, a big beige tower. Well, get one. Try to imagine an iPad that's easy to fix. It's about twice as big, it has screws and stuff all over. It weighs another twelve pounds. It would cost a lot more. Sadly, iFixit misses the point.

The "Report" should be called the "Products we can't make money from selling spare parts, so they suck" Report. I love iFixIt and also regret the days when I could repair and upgrade my machines is all but over. It's the end of an era. I'm moving on with the next. iFixIt should too and find a new niche to fill lest their next report will be a Chapter 7 filing.

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Depends on who's using it. My almost three year old brother shattered the glass of the iPad 2 within 3 months of use. The tablet is still functional though.

So while the internals of the iPad are very unlikely to fail, the glass is easy to break, and will require repair. In fact I think it's very common occurrence with tablets in general.

Most iPad users are not 3 y.o., and adults that let their 3 y.o. play with them should have the brains to put it in a child proof case... they do make those. 3 y.o. are known for tossing things around on a whim which is why everything Fisher Price is heavy duty plastic.

Most older kids and adults users don't end up with shattered iPads.

The comments here are so predictable. Apple has a vested interest in people NOT repairing their products. I hope I don't need to explain that concept.

But don't give me some crap about an easily-repairable product would also be an ugly product. Apple could have put some small philips screws on the back of the ipad and made it easier to open. They could have figured out a way to make the battery replaceable. But they chose not to, because they don't want you fixing their stuff. They want you buying a new one. And it sickens me how many people just swallow that tripe.

I'm trying to imagine a tablet that would score a perfect 10 from iFixit. It would probably be an ugly, thick, plastic device with thumb buttons that would release the front from the back to give you access to the innards which would be connected in a Lego style.

Consumer electronics are getting to the point where repairing them is not financially viable, nor really wanted for the vast majority of consumers. Yes, for laptops, etc - repairing them is still necessary, but on a £400 device? Especially when Apple offer a flat rate repair service, who can be bothered repairing them. For example, if I smashed my phone. I could take it to Apple, and have them replace the display for £80 on the spot. Or, I could buy a display for £30, some screwdrivers for £5, wait a week for them to get here, and take it apart myself, bearing the risk that if I broke anything else whilst in there, I'm £500 out of pocket.

Consumers couldn't care less about repairability - they want something that looks good, and works. Repairability = screws + clips = ugly and bulkier. If you want that thin iPad/laptop - you need to sacrifice the stuff nobody really cares about.

And like somebody has said - iFixit are just bitching because they're using an outdated business model. They moan like **** about the retina MacBook Pro's battery because they can't sell you a non-OEM Chinese copy - but never seem to mention that Apple will replace the battery, then separate and dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way for £150 ish. Which considering the price of the machine, and the process involved, is a bloody good deal IMO.

Maybe iFixit need to stop moaning and come up with an innovative way to save their business - if you're going to target the minority of consumers, you can't moan when the companies who form the backbone of your business stop targeting this minority. Also, let's not act like this new. 20 years ago, would iFixit have sold CRT tubes to the public for old iMacs?