People who own a fourth-generation iPad and bring it in for service at authorized service providers and Apple Stores might not get it back; instead, they may get an iPad Air 2. This is because the tech giant reportedly has no stock left for the now-discontinued fourth-generation iPad and will soon be replacing it with the newer iPad Air 2.
Why is Apple giving away the iPad Air 2?
9to5Mac claims that customers who need to replace their fourth-gen iPad could get a newer, more powerful iPad Air 2 as a substitute from authorized service providers and Apple Stores. The fourth-gen iPad was originally launched in 2012, and in 2014, it was replaced with the iPad Air 2.
“Starting March 30th, iPad 4th generation whole unit repairs may be substituted to iPad Air 2,” reads an internal Apple memo obtained by 9to5Mac.
However, according to AppleInsider, all units coming in for repairs may not be eligible for replacement. It all depends on the store manger’s discretion.
According to the memo obtained by 9to5Mac, the Cupertino-based company has asked its staff to inform consumers about the colors and capacities of the replacement units as well. The iPad Air 2 introduced a new gold color option with 128GB of storage and also 32GB models, but the 64GB and 16GB models were discontinued. Thus, users may get a slight upgrade in storage in addition to getting newer internals on the device.
If you are one of the lucky ones who happen to have one of the older iPads that requires repair and you have AppleCare, you might get an amazing upgrade. However, it would be better if you buy one of the newer iPads the tech company released last month if you are paying for the replacement.
Preparing for the new updated iPad
In March, the tech company released a new cheaper 9.7-inch version of the iPad to replace the iPad Air 2. But it will keep shipping the iPad Air 2 until supplies of the fourth-generation iPad run out, notes TechTimes.
The newer device is targeted at mid-stream users and has a low retail price of $329. With the latest launch, the company aims to rebrand the iPad Air line, which will now be simply called the iPad. The specs of the device stay the same, with the only big difference being the A8X chipset. The newer 9.7-inch iPad device is powered by a more powerful A9 chipset.
The base model of the iPad comes equipped with 32GB of onboard storage and Wi-Fi connectivity. For $459, the buyer can get cellular connectivity on top of Wi-Fi as well. The $459 model is aimed at users who want to upgrade their old iPad models with a somewhat less expensive device.
Recently, Apple updated both the cellular and Wi-Fi-only models of the iPad Mini 4 and the iPad Air 2. Both now are available with the base 32GB of storage but cost $529 and $399, respectively. The tech giant has also reduced the prices of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro for the 128GB and 256GB storage variants, notes BGR.