Apple May Replace Your Broken Fourth-Gen iPad With an iPad Air 2 Where Necessary - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple May Replace Your Broken Fourth-Gen iPad With an iPad Air 2 Where Necessary

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers now have the option of replacing a customer's broken fourth-generation iPad with an iPad Air 2, according to an internal memo distributed by Apple last week.

ipad 4 to ipad air 2
An excerpt of the memo obtained by MacRumors:

Starting March 30, iPad 4th generation whole unit repairs may be substituted to iPad Air 2 models. Apple's repair and order management tool will indicate for each repair if a substitution will take place. Please note the substitute part’s color and capacity to ensure the customer understands what their replacement iPad whole unit will be.

The fourth-generation iPad was released in November 2012, so when a customer needs a replacement model, it's likely easier now for Apple to just give them a newer and more widely available iPad Air 2 in most cases.

Not every broken fourth-generation iPad will be replaced with an iPad Air 2. The decision will ultimately be decided on a case-by-case basis, likely depending upon availability of each tablet in the affected customer's region.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

astropad kit main feature

MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPad Air and Revamped Rock Paper Pencil Kit From Astropad

Friday September 4, 2026 10:41 am PDT by
For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an M4 iPad Air, an Apple Pencil Pro, and an Astropad Rock Paper Pencil kit to use with it. The $49.99 Rock Paper Pencil is a screen protector and Apple Pencil tip combo that makes writing on your iPad feel like writing on a piece of paper instead of a slippery glass display. It's a...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...
HomePod minis on gradient feature 1 1

Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:04 am PDT by
Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...

Top Rated Comments

thisisnotmyname Avatar
123 months ago
so... do they also replace old accessories that may be useless due to a different form factor?
how do I continuously underestimate the forum's ability to find the negative in absolutely everything?
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
123 months ago
so... do they also replace old accessories that may be useless due to a different form factor?
Of course not, you should be grateful to have a new reason to buy new accessories.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
123 months ago
how do I continuously underestimate the forum's ability to find the negative in absolutely everything?
Given that businesses buy these things, it's a real issue if you have things like kiosk stands, cash register mounts, a mount and certification for your Boeing 767... It can easily cost more than the actual device. This is why real enterprise hardware companies like Dell and HP guarantee parts availability for 5 years after last sale date.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
123 months ago
Where's my hammer?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
123 months ago
What about the forgotten 3rd gen?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Abazigal Avatar
123 months ago
Are any fourth gen iPads even still under warrantee??
Unlikely. So after paying for the repair, you don't really save all that much compared to just getting a refurbished iPad Air 2. Better than nothing, but I also can't imagine anyone wanting to pay that much to repair such an old device (a 4-year old device!) vs just spending the money on brand new device.

It's really more for convenience to Apple than anything else.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Jump in China Ahead of iPhone Duo Launch
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Jump in China Ahead of iPhone Duo Launch
7 minutes ago
Apple TV Still Down for Some Users Following Apple Services Outage
Apple TV Still Down for Some Users Following Apple Services Outage
52 minutes ago
PSA: Apple Mail on Mac May Stop Syncing Microsoft 365 Accounts Today
PSA: Apple Mail on Mac May Stop Syncing Microsoft 365 Accounts Today
1 hour ago
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
12 hours ago
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
13 hours ago
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
17 hours ago
Apple Event on October 13?
Apple Event on October 13?
18 hours ago
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
20 hours ago
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
20 hours ago
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
21 hours ago
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
22 hours ago
Apple Still Plans to Release a New Full-Sized HomePod
Apple Still Plans to Release a New Full-Sized HomePod
23 hours ago
Apple Working to Expand HomeKit
Apple Working to Expand HomeKit
1 day ago
Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design
Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design
1 day ago
Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13
Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13
1 day ago
Apple Pay Now Available in India With Axis Bank Cards
Apple Pay Now Available in India With Axis Bank Cards
2 days ago
OpenAI Launches Always-On 'Dots' Agents to Rival Meta's Muse
OpenAI Launches Always-On 'Dots' Agents to Rival Meta's Muse
2 days ago
AirPods 5 Teardown: Batteries Removable, Case Still Tough
AirPods 5 Teardown: Batteries Removable, Case Still Tough
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Owners Complain of Speaker Crackling or Popping
iPhone 18 Pro Owners Complain of Speaker Crackling or Popping
2 days ago
You Can 'Get Ready' for iPhone Duo Pre-Orders on October 12
You Can 'Get Ready' for iPhone Duo Pre-Orders on October 12
2 days ago
Apple Pay Reportedly Launching in India Today
Apple Pay Reportedly Launching in India Today
2 days ago
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
2 days ago
Apple Shares New Guide for Using iOS 27 Parental Controls
Apple Shares New Guide for Using iOS 27 Parental Controls
2 days ago
Apple Creator Studio and Final Cut Camera Get New Features
Apple Creator Studio and Final Cut Camera Get New Features
2 days ago
Apple Explains Why It Removed ICE Tracking Apps Last Year
Apple Explains Why It Removed ICE Tracking Apps Last Year
2 days ago
Amazon Expands $779.99 Apple Watch Ultra 4 Deal to More Models
Amazon Expands $779.99 Apple Watch Ultra 4 Deal to More Models
2 days ago
Switch Siri AI for ChatGPT on Your Mac
Switch Siri AI for ChatGPT on Your Mac
2 days ago
Apple Says Emergency SOS via Satellite Now Available in Norway
Apple Says Emergency SOS via Satellite Now Available in Norway
2 days ago
AppleCare Guide: Is it Worth Paying For?
AppleCare Guide: Is it Worth Paying For?
2 days ago
Apple Reportedly Planned to Replace 5,000 Support Employees With AI
Apple Reportedly Planned to Replace 5,000 Support Employees With AI
2 days ago

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors