iPad Screen Replacement

[st13phil]

My wife has managed to comprehensively smash the glass screen on her Gen 4 iPad

Fortunately, the damage seems to be limited to the glass as the underlying LCD is still fine and the device is otherwise working ok. So...

Having watched the various "how to" videos on replacing the glass I've decided life is too short to spend with a heat gun and various plastic pry tools persuading shards of glass to part company with the body of the device, so I'm looking for a reliable repair company to do the job at a sensible price, rather than the extortionate Apple flat-fee repair at £276

I've done the usual web trawl and turned up a number of possibilities, but most of the reviews range from "don't touch them with a bargepole" to "they stole by iPad/iPhone and are refusing to comply with a Court Order for compensation".

Can anyone recommend, based upon personal experience, someone reliable to do the job?

 

[grober]

Google gave me this??
https://www.foneangels.co.uk/repairs/ipad/?***id=CNC8kvSiitICFYyRGwodpsgKoQ

 

[st13phil]

Thanks Graeme, but they're one of those I mentioned. See comments on twitter. Would you send a device to them based on that lot?

 

[Abcan]

I've replaced a few myself and it is a pain. One thing I recommend is if you can find someone to do it is get an OEM screen/digitiser (I always use the company below) I've replaced a few for friends that had theirs done at various places and and all were very unresponsive to touch with the digitisers used that weren't OEM.

https://www.appleipodparts.com/mobile/Category.aspx?id=1835&page=2

 

[buster651]

https://www.ipaqrepair.co.uk
from thier website
There are several ways to get in touch with iTech Repair. The quickest is to just pick up the phone, you can reach us Monday to Friday 9am till 5pm on 0845 474 4728. You can also use the contact form below to send us a message. Or alternatively drop in to our Repair Centre at Unit 33, King Street Buildings, Enderby, Leicester, LE19 4NT.

ive used them and they gave first class service

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

If you have an Applesparks outlet near you then they are well recommended. Anything after a gen 6 is a manufacturer fix though with the finger print unlock, I've smashed my iPhone 6 and waiting for an appointment is tiring. Due an upgrade soon so it's not too bad

 

[grober]

What I would like to know is a realistic "failure to repair" rate. Its my guess that a certain percentage of these will be unrepairable due the initial damage or simply variability on how the unit was first put together making some of them more difficult to take appart. There are obvious factors which will improve success rate such as using the right repair components and the experience/skill of the repairer, but even then I would not expect a 100% success rate. My guess is the more expensive repairers allow for that in their repair charge thus effectively removing " failure to repair" as it would appear to the customer. The cheaper outfits leave that risk with the customer . This based on a friend who repairs TV LCD back screen illumination. Although highly skilled he is currently running at something like a 50% success rate on the relatively small number he has repaired. This means the risk of failure to repair is such that its really uneconomical at a price where risk is effectively eliminated for the customer-- his usual recommendation - buy a new TV.

 

[Vintage Racer]

I did the same to my wife's ipad and after all the hassle of trying to get it repaired, decided it was easier and far less hassle to buy a new one.......life's too short!

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

^my Iphone 4 and 5 I had screens and digitisers replaced nearly twenty times in total, both felt like brand new phones on each repair

 

[st13phil]

Thanks guys, and especially Abcan and ash59fifty-uk. A quick bit of googling turns up that appleipodparts.com Applesparks and Sparkangels seem to be all part of the same company with a good reputation - and they supply / use genuine parts.

As Kettering / Wellingborough aren't that far from me I'll give them a call and see if I can get a walk in appointment.

Thanks again

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Thanks guys, and especially Abcan and ash59fifty-uk. A quick bit of googling turns up that appleipodparts.com Applesparks and Sparkangels seem to be all part of the same company with a good reputation - and they supply / use genuine parts. As Kettering / Wellingborough aren't that far from me I'll give them a call and see if I can get a walk in appointment. Thanks again

Yes they've just merged/changed the names recently as I remember getting the email

I've personally used the Wellingborough branch for all mine, I do also have a friend that can fix them with genuine parts who lives in the street behind it but you would probably prefer the shop doing it with guarantee etc

There's a pub dead opposite it and a subway next door so you'll be occupied. That's about as exciting as Wellingborough gets I'm afraid

 

[BTB 500]

^my Iphone 4 and 5 I had screens and digitisers replaced nearly twenty times in total

I put tempered glass screen protectors on my phones and have yet to damage a screen. Mrs BTB managed to dislodge a small pry bar in my workshop which fell about four feet onto my phone ... point first. Looked like the screen was destroyed but in fact it was just the protector and the screen was unmarked

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

I put tempered glass screen protectors on my phones and have yet to damage a screen. Mrs BTB managed to dislodge a small pry bar in my workshop which fell about four feet onto my phone ... point first. Looked like the screen was destroyed but in fact it was just the protector and the screen was unmarked

After I finished uni I worked in the Hotpoint warehouse driving lift trucks for a while. I'd have my phone between my legs on the seat. We'd be getting on and off every few seconds when picking, and countless times I'd forgotten where the phone was so it'd slide off onto the concrete floor each time I got off the truck

 

[c955]

After I finished uni I worked in the Hotpoint warehouse driving lift trucks for a while. I'd have my phone between my legs on the seat. We'd be getting on and off every few seconds when picking, and countless times I'd forgotten where the phone was so it'd slide off onto the concrete floor each time I got off the truck

You sound like a quick learner

 

[Darrell]

I've got an iPad mini and iPhones 5&7 all with the super duper screen protectors on. So far so good.

 

[jfhuk]

One thing to be aware of is that if your iPhone or iPad has a finger print detector built in to the home button, your forced to get Apple to repair it, if you break the screen. The detector is locked to the phone or iPad and independents can't synchronise it if it has to be replaced with the broken screen.

 

[Darrell]

One thing to be aware of is that if your iPhone or iPad has a finger print detector built in to the home button, your forced to get Apple to repair it, if you break the screen. The detector is locked to the phone or iPad and independents can't synchronise it if it has to be replaced with the broken screen.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[clk320x]

Thanks for the tip.

Apple charge £270 to do this...

I believe what was said above isn't true regarding the fingerprint sensor... I've known people to have it done it at aftermarket shops and have no problems with the Touch ID. This is as our old home button (which houses the touch sensor) is transplanted into the new screen

I believe the thing that is being referred to is regarding the 'error 53' episode that occurred where Apple were disabling devices repaired at third party shops due to aftermarket Touch ID sensors being a security risk. However this has been cancelled and no longer being done so you shouldn't have any issues.

However if I were you I'd get it done at the Apple Store, and purchase Apple care so next time you won't be faced with such a steep bill.

Also get a tempered glass screen protector, I have it on all my devices it should save your screen

 

[clk320x]

I've replaced a few myself and it is a pain. One thing I recommend is if you can find someone to do it is get an OEM screen/digitiser (I always use the company below) I've replaced a few for friends that had theirs done at various places and and all were very unresponsive to touch with the digitisers used that weren't OEM.

https://www.appleipodparts.com/mobile/Category.aspx?id=1835&page=2

Any third party company outside of Apple, or Apple approved service centres do not have access to genuine Apple Parts no matter what they may say. Apple sell parts and spares to no-one.

 

[st13phil]

Just to close this one out, the shop in Wellingborough doesn't accept units for repair by post, so I used their sister company SparkAngels who charged £55 + £7 for return delivery. The turnaround was 4 working days including delivery, and the iPad is now back in pristine shape