Apple Launches Repair Program for Blank Screen Issue Affecting Third-Generation iPad Air

Apple today launched a repair program for third-generation iPad Air models that are affected by a bug that can cause the screen to go suddenly and permanently blank.

ipadairgold

Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank.

Apple says that affected devices were manufactured between March 2019 and October 2019, and that any iPad experiencing this issue will be repaired by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider free of charge.

Customers who have an iPad Air with a screen that's gone blank should find an Apple Authorized Service Provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail location, or contact Apple support to arrange a mail-in service through the Apple Repair Center.

The new repair program covers affected third-generation ‌iPad Air‌ models for two years after the first retail sale of the unit.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

scupking Avatar
40 months ago
Yet Apple wouldn't do this with the white spot issue on the pro 10.5 and a lot more people had issues with that.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magicschoolbus Avatar
40 months ago
Would be nice to get my 10.5 covered under warranty for the cancerous bright spots all over my display.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Clark Avatar
40 months ago
My dad has a 3rd gen and hasn't experienced this issue. It's nice to see Apple take responsibility for it and not try to sweep it under the rug.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheShadowKnows! Avatar
40 months ago
"Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank."

Ahhh... there it is.
"a small number" ,"a limited number", "a tiny, tiny, tiny, (almost microscopic) number" of [insert model] ... /s

Just a personal thought:
Clarity, unambiguity are seldom, if ever, a part of Apple's corporate dialect.
So stupid because, at the end, clarity and truthfulness only purifies and increases customer trust.

Some fast notes (I was curious):
[LIST=1]
* The iPaid Air 3 (3rd. generation) was sold starting mid-March 2019.
* This potential flaw involves, most likely than not, all iPad 3's bought in 2019 (manufactured up to, and including, October 2019)
* Apple sells, conservatively, on average, about 10M iPads per-quarter.
* Even if 1:3 Pads bought in 2019 are iPad 3's -- a conservative estimate -- this covers about 10M units.
* And, the graphics core of iPads 3 is an Apple 4-core graphics processor -- all in-house. This is Why? they know.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spinedoc77 Avatar
40 months ago
Just went through with this on my mom's shiny new ipad air. Did a full reset/restore through itunes and I knew it was bad because the text voiceover worked but screen was dead. Apple replaced it no questions asked, hopefully the new one won't have the issue down the line.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Patriks7 Avatar
40 months ago
What about a repair program for the 10.5" iPad Pro and the unresponsive screen?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2023 Event Taking Place June 5 to 9

Wednesday March 29, 2023 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Low-Energy Chip to Allow Solid-State Buttons to Work When Device is Off or Out of Battery

Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums. CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
CarPlay Phone Call

General Motors to Phase Out Apple CarPlay Starting This Year in EV Transition

Friday March 31, 2023 8:43 am PDT by
General Motors (GM) will phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles starting this year, shifting to a built-in infotainment system co-developed with Google (via Reuters). GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC in the United States. It will stop offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, which goes on sale this summer. The company plans ...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Rumored to Feature Multi-Use Action Button Instead of Mute Switch

Wednesday March 29, 2023 7:28 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year. The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Now Available for Your iPhone With These 8 New Features

Friday March 31, 2023 8:55 am PDT by
Following six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 was released to the public this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and changes added with iOS 16.4,...
iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Three New iOS Features Coming to Your iPhone Following Apple Music Classical

Thursday March 30, 2023 7:13 am PDT by
With the Apple Music Classical app and an Apple Pay Later early access program now available, the list of previously-announced iOS features that have yet to launch is beginning to shrink. However, there are still a few features we are waiting for. Below, we have recapped three more iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, including an Apple Card savings account for Daily Cash,...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Kuo: Apple Mixed-Reality Headset May Not Appear at WWDC as Mass Production Pushed Back Yet Again

Thursday March 30, 2023 4:50 am PDT by
Apple has again pushed back mass production of its mixed-reality headset and the device may not appear at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane In a tweet, Kuo explained that Apple "isn't very optimistic" about whether the headset will be able to create an "iPhone moment." As a result,...