What has happened to my iPad? Static lines edition.

January 19, 2016 10:23 PM

Some weeks ago my iPad 3 screen became full of static lines with a 2 inch wide darker section of static lines. It first occurred when I knocked the (Apple) smart cover off. Returning the smart cover fixed it. Then it happened a second time, a third and now it is completely static. Any programs running underneath were still operating until I did a reset.

Research suggests there is a polarity issue with the smart cover and the iPad but I have had both since late 2012 with no dramas. There is very little info on the web about this problem and my local mac person has never heard of it. When the problem first occurred, the cover had to be slid on, rather than directly attached, for it to return to working order. Now no amount of sliding the cover will fix the issue. Has anyone else come across this problem or have a solution suggestion?

posted by Thella to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

When you say "local Mac person" do you mean someone at your local Apple store? Because if not, this is definitely something to show to the Genius Bar, primarily because it's so unusual/uncommon. Tell them you recognize that their first response may be to tell you to get a new iPad but that you'd really appreciate them taking a closer look since it's weird and happened out of the blue.
posted by Hermione Granger at 10:48 PM on January 19, 2016

Response by poster: Local mac person means local apple store (x 2) A genius bar is over 400km away.
posted by Thella at 10:59 PM on January 19, 2016

I'm not sure I'm following when you say, "local mac person means local apple store", but then state "a genius bar is over 400km away." Doesn't Apple store = Genius Bar? Or are there some Apple stores without Genius Bars?
posted by lock sock and barrel at 6:34 AM on January 20, 2016

lock sock and barrel: There's a number of independent Apple resellers in a lot of places. Apple's retail push has impacted some, but where there isn't an Apple Store, there's usually a reseller.

Thella The lines sound like your screen's connection to the logic board is coming undone. This could be for a number of reasons. Have you noticed anything else amiss? Is the screen separating from the back?

Either way, iFixIt says it'll be a pain in the ass to get it open and take a look, so I think a replacement is probably in order.
posted by SansPoint at 9:07 AM on January 20, 2016

Best answer: I think you have a problem with the magnetic switch in your iPad which is designed to switch your screen on and off when your Smart Cover is taken on and off,

Check out the first video on this page; the video directly addresses the polarity issue you mentioned, but also shows the interactions between the magnet in your cover and the magnetic switch in the iPad 3, and their locations.

When you knocked the cover off your iPad the suddenness of the force either pulled the switch out of position or damaged it, or both.

And now, the switch cannot fully close even when the magnet is removed, and you get the staticy lines.

I feel confident that replacing the switch will solve your problem, but I suspect getting the iPad apart and back together again with a new switch in place is difficult, and I would only trust an Apple employee to do it.

There's a very good case to be made that your problem happened as a result of a design flaw in the iPad 3, since accidentally knocking the cover off must be a fairly common occurrence, and should not cause a problem like this, but I wouldn't count on Apple being too receptive to it.
posted by jamjam at 9:50 AM on January 20, 2016