Terry Jones wrote:
Just for the record... I had another email from Likewise today. They could not give me any more information on the mystery screen issue but also said it had poor battery health. I see that it says 73% on the attached sticker which for a 5+ year old device is exactly what would be expected. Given Apple knows the age of the unit from the serial number when providing the initial estimate I would have expected this to be taken into account. All in all this does not give me any more confidence in this process and I'm surprised Apple would use an organisation that is so 'opaque' in their dealings. Oh well, lesson learned!
Battery condition shouldn't, of itself, alter the trade-in value.
Devices that are traded-in are assessed for damage or issues that will ultimately impact the refurbishment process. Viable devices are refurbished/renewed with at least a new battery before they are released as repair-replacements, or sold as a refurbished device by Apple or its Apple Authorised Retailers.
Serious defects, such as those that will ultimately require a screen replacement to meet Apple's strict QA requirements, can eliminate any potential trade-in value. As the screen is the single most expensive component of the iPad, having to replace this item can make the refurbishment process financially unviable - leaving only some component assemblies (e.g., camera module) being harvestable as service-replacement components.
Screen defects might not be immediately apparent unless you know what you're looking for, but once you see them, they're difficult to "un-see". The description of "display issue" is vague - and covers a multitude of potential problems.
There are two common screen issues that you may or may not have noticed - one or either of which being more commonly associated with some models of iPad...
With exception of more recent models of iPad Pro with miniLED backlighting, or an OLED display panel - all iPad LCD screens are edge-lit by multiple LEDs distributed around the periphery of the screen. The screen has an integral backlight diffuser that evenly distributes the screen backlighting across the panel - providing consistent illumination.
If one or more of the LEDs fail, this can cause the screen to be noticeably dimmer in some regions - this defect being detected when the screen is displaying a uniform blank screen - usually white or another colour. This test identifies both inconsistencies in screen backlighting and dead pixels - both of which are considered flaws requiring screen replacement.
Another issue, common with specific models of iPad (such as the iPad Pro 10.5" and subsequent closely related model of iPad Air), is that of slightly brighter areas of screen backlighting - most usually present along the central band of the screen extending from about an inch above the physical Home button. This defect is understood to be due to partial de-lamination of the backlight diffuser - that develops over time. The brighter areas correspond directly with areas of the main logic board that run considerably hotter than other areas.
Again, this defect becomes obvious when tested with a bright white blank screen - although once seen, the defect is easily visible in use with a bright background.
In conclusion, while none of this information can change the assessment that you have received, it may provide some insight into the issues or defects that may have been identified with your trade-in.
