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hakr100

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 1, 2011
967
113
East Coast
So, the charging port on my 2018 11" iPAD pro went teats up and the unit cannot be charged. Checked it with three chargers and four different cables. Sent it to Apple for repair under AppleCare. Wonder what the usual turnaround time is, not including shipping and...buddy at a BestBuy store told me Apple doesn't really fix your unit and send it back...it puts your unit in a pile and sends you back a good "refurb" unit. Your original unit does get repaired and is shipped out later to someone who needs a refurb unit. Is this the case?
 

AutomaticApple

Suspended
Nov 28, 2018
7,401
3,378
Massachusetts
So, the charging port on my 2018 11" iPAD pro went teats up and the unit cannot be charged. Checked it with three chargers and four different cables. Sent it to Apple for repair under AppleCare. Wonder what the usual turnaround time is, not including shipping and...buddy at a BestBuy store told me Apple doesn't really fix your unit and send it back...it puts your unit in a pile and sends you back a good "refurb" unit. Your original unit does get repaired and is shipped out later to someone who needs a refurb unit. Is this the case?
How else would they be able to transfer all of your data and accounts over?
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,921
13,273
So, the charging port on my 2018 11" iPAD pro went teats up and the unit cannot be charged. Checked it with three chargers and four different cables. Sent it to Apple for repair under AppleCare. Wonder what the usual turnaround time is, not including shipping and...buddy at a BestBuy store told me Apple doesn't really fix your unit and send it back...it puts your unit in a pile and sends you back a good "refurb" unit. Your original unit does get repaired and is shipped out later to someone who needs a refurb unit. Is this the case?

Your friend is right. They don't repair it, they just replace with either new or refurb unit (whichever one they have on hand). That's why they tell you to backup before sending in for repair.

The only in-store repairs they do is battery and screen replacement for iPhones. Any other types of repairs, they just replace your device.

If you have AppleCare+, you should have requested for Express Replacement Service. Basically they send you a new device right away and you have to send your old device within 10 days of receiving the replacement. They just put a hold on your credit card for the full price of the replacement but they release it when they receive the old one back.
 

hakr100

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 1, 2011
967
113
East Coast
How else would they be able to transfer all of your data and accounts over?
I managed to remember to do my weekly iPad backup two days before the charging port failed, so I assume I should be able to "restore" the device after I receive whatever Apple sends me. I hope. :)
 
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Tsepz

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2013
4,888
4,698
Johannesburg, South Africa
I managed to remember to do my weekly iPad backup two days before the charging port failed, so I assume I should be able to "restore" the device after I receive whatever Apple sends me. I hope. :)
You should be fine then, good thing you did that backup, you should be able to just restore your old iPad on to the new one, thats what I did when my Xs Max got stolen earlier this year, I just restored its data to the brand new 11 Pro Max my insurance replaced it with and I was right back pretty much almost exactly to where I was when the Xs Max got stolen, with the exception of what was not backed up the week of the device being stolen.
 

hakr100

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 1, 2011
967
113
East Coast
Hope so. I use my iPad mainly to websurf when I don't have access to my desktop or laptop. I have a lot of apps on the iPad, but I hardly use any of them. The failed charging port was the first issue I've had with any of the three iPads I've owned over the years. Dunno why the port failed...I treat the iPad with kid gloves and it lives inside a sturdy case.
 

hakr100

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 1, 2011
967
113
East Coast
Update:
Screen Shot 2020-12-29 at 7.09.33 PM.jpg
Replaced, not repaired! :)
 

hakr100

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 1, 2011
967
113
East Coast
Hey, these days I'm happy when anything good happens! I wonder if I will get a new or refurbished unit, and whether it will be a 2018 model, the one I had, or one of the latest. One can hope for the best and be surprised if it happens!
 
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Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
35,685
52,559
In a van down by the river
Hey, these days I'm happy when anything good happens! I wonder if I will get a new or refurbished unit, and whether it will be a 2018 model, the one I had, or one of the latest. One can hope for the best and be surprised if it happens!
Seeing how there are plenty of 2018 models still available, you will get a refurb. It will look and act brand new.
 
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BeatCrazy

macrumors 603
Jul 20, 2011
5,127
4,507
Hey, these days I'm happy when anything good happens! I wonder if I will get a new or refurbished unit, and whether it will be a 2018 model, the one I had, or one of the latest. One can hope for the best and be surprised if it happens!
It will be an identically specd 2018. Refurbished.
 

BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,032
That works for me. From what I have read, Apple refurbs are as "Good as New."
Yep. I've had 3? devices replaced by "refurb" and they were definitely good as new - fresh batteries, couldn't tell them from a brand new one - went on to last years.

Thanks for posting your experience. As another 2018 iPad Pro 11 user - I am happy to see Apple keeping their customers happy. :)
 

hakr100

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 1, 2011
967
113
East Coast
Glad to report the "replacement unit" showed up yesterday, delivered as specified by FEDEX. Opened up the box and there's no way I can tell whether I got a "brand new" unit or a refurbished unit. It sure looks brand-spanking-new! :)
 
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