I used to repair iPads but I noticed a pattern. I was losing money and time. iPads are fantastic devices. I am even considering getting an iPad Pro at some point. However, they are a nightmare to repair.
I know that on April 1st I posted a joke blog post about no longer repairing Mac Computers. But this is not a joke.
Fragile parts
While I can do the repairs. I have the skill sets and the equipment there are too many things that can go wrong with the repair. Both the LCD and the Glass are very fragile. More than once have I cracked a display because something slipped or an unperceivable burr on the edge of the metal case was enough for the glass to crack while closing up the device. Making it so I’m now performing the repair at a loss because I was the one who damaged the display.
Nobody ever backs up their iPad
I just wish people would back up their devices. Most people just do not think about it. by the time someone brings me the iPad for repair it is already too late. If something goes wrong it is hard for some people to understand that there is a good chance the data was not retrievable before they even considered calling me for a repair. While I am good at setting expectations it is still not a good conversation to have.
They take forever to repair
Have you ever shattered glass on a table? You always seem to find shards when you least expect it. Now add industrial adhesive and sensitive electronics. Most of the time I charge two hours for the repair one just to clean up all the glass and make sure that everything is perfect. The other hour is to make sure that the glass and the new adhesive go on without it falling apart again. One problem … it never takes two hours … more like three or four. I charge for the correct time it takes it would be too expensive to repair.
I can still fix software issues
While I’m not going to be touching the hardware issues on an iPad the software is a totally different story. I have all kinds of software tricks to fix and an iPad that is acting a bit buggy.