Apple’s New iPad Scores Two Out Of Ten For Repairability


Schools are a notoriously challenging environment for technology. Aside from the potential issues that arise from devices being dropped and mistreated, there are the risks of damage from liquids in the science lab, dirt and water out in the gardens many schools now have and misdirected balls from the playground. And that means the repairability of devices factors into the buying decisions when school IT departments choose tech.

iFixIt has completed their teardown of the new iPad, released last week, revealing some good news but some challenges when it comes to repairing Apple’s latest tablet.

The good news

iFixIt said the display and digitiser glass on the iPad 6 aren’t fused. This means, in the event of a drop, they can be replaced sparely if only one is damaged.

That can help bring down the cost of a screen repair if your school IT department is into DIY fixes or if you choose a third-party repairer.

They also note that the new iPad has a larger battery than expected.

The bad news

The iPad 6’s battery is held down with a bunch of glue. This is in contrast to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro which uses more convenient adhesive strips that be easily pulled apart and replaced.

When an iPad is approaching it’s second or third year of heavy use, a battery replacement can be an inexpensive way to add another couple of years to the device’s useful life. But that option is all but dead to owners of the iPad 6.

Here’s iFixIt’s summary:

zero waterproofing + a non-replaceable charging port + zero upgradability + glue throughout = repair nightmare.

On the back of that, they gave the iPad 6 a repairability score of just two out of ten.

Here’s the full teardown.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2018/04/apples-new-ipad-scores-two-out-of-ten-for-repairability/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/04/ipad-6-teardown-410×231.jpg” title=”Apple’s New iPad Scores Two Out Of Ten For Repairability” excerpt=”Schools are a notoriously challenging environment for technology. Aside from the potential issues that arise from devices being dropped and mistreated, there are the risks of damage from liquids in the science lab, dirt and water out in the gardens many schools now have and misdirected balls from the playground. And that means the repairability of devices factors into the buying decisions when school IT departments choose tech.

iFixIt has completed their teardown of the new iPad, released last week, revealing some good news but some challenges when it comes to repairing Apple’s latest tablet.”]


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