Apple is fixing certain iPad Air models for free

Apple has been receiving complaints from owners of the third-generation iPad Air. Apparently, there is an issue that causes the display to turn white permanently after flickering a few times. Even if you've never owned an iPad Air, you know that seeing the screen turn white is not a good sign, especially if it never returns to its normal state. But if your iPad Air is so afflicted, fear not. Apple is offering to repair it for free.

The free repairs are available to owners of third-generation iPad Air models manufactured between March 2019 and October 2019. The device was released on March 18th of last year and is equipped with a 10.5-inch LCD display carrying a resolution of 2224 x 1668. Under the hood, you'll find the A12 Bionic SoC, the chip that powers the 2018 iPhone models, with 3GB of memory and up to 256GB of storage. The tablet sports an 8MP camera on the back and a 7MP FaceTime camera in front; an 8134mAh capacity battery keeps the lights on. This tablet features Touch ID and is equipped with a 3.5mm earphone jack.

Apple informed iPad Air owners through a post on its support page that says, "Apple has determined that, under certain circumstances, the screen on a limited number of iPad Air (3rd generation) devices may go blank permanently. A brief flicker or flash may appear before the screen goes blank. Affected devices were manufactured between March 2019 and October 2019. Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service eligible devices, free of charge. Note: No other iPad models are part of this program."

If your third-generation iPad Air is showing what appears to be the inside of a giant snowball, you have different options. You can find an authorized Apple service provider, make an appointment to bring the tablet to a nearby Apple Store, or speak with Apple Support to arrange for your iPad Air to be mailed to Apple for repair. Despite the product's name, the tablet does not fly on its own! You can choose one of these three options by clicking on this link; sign in with your Apple ID and follow the directions.

While the iPad remains the most popular tablet in the world, a position it has been since the day it first launched, the overall market for the product has been languishing. Unlike smartphones, consumers don't feel the need to upgrade their tablet every two or three years; with phone screens continuing to grow in size, many consumers feel that there is no need to own a tablet. However, Apple has seen iPad revenue grow year-over-year during two out of its last three quarters. And because of the coronavirus, tablets are a big hit in China as companies force their employees to work out of their homes. Children in the country are being streamed their daily school lessons at home as a way to avoid getting infected by the virus.

At the end of this month, Apple is expected to return to the tablet market with a pair of new iPad Pro models. We should see Apple equip the new slates with the same 11-inch and 12.9-inch LCD panels found on the 2018 iPad Pro units. The A13X Bionic, Apple's most powerful chip at the moment, will drive the slates which will come with 4GB of memory and up to 1TB of storage. The biggest change will be found on the back with the inclusion of the same triple camera setup used on the iPhone 11 Pro phones; this will include a 12MP Wide camera, a 12MP Ultra-wide camera, and a 12MP telescopic camera. A Time of Flight (ToF) depth sensor might also be included.