New reports are revealing that Apple may be on the brink of permanently extending the repair coverage for the Ipad Pro Smart Keyboard accessory. The claim allegedly comes from an Internal Memo obtained by 9to5mac stating that the warranty may be extending by an additional two years.
Reported issues
Several users have reportedly been encountering different problems with the keyboard accessory over the past few months. The issues range from connectivity problems, sensor failures, and sticky keys, among others. Apple has of course been made very much aware of these issues, which is likely the reason why it has decided to alter its servicing policy for the specific accessory.
Apple's standard warranty
As of the moment, all of Apple's product fall under their default one-year limited warranty. The warranty covers most hardware failures and "certain functional issues," which Apple will repair or replace without much fuss. However, a majority of the Smart Keyboards that have been sold are over the one-year warranty, which is a big issue for consumers who spent up to $170 on the accessory.
According to the internal memo that was recently obtained, employees were informed that the specific accessory may be covered for an additional two years upon the expiration of the original one-year warranty.
Repair and replacement
Apple has historically had a short turnover time when it comes to repairing certain accessories and products.
This has mostly been due to its practice of outright replacing the entire unit with either a brand new device or a refurbished one instead of repairing the defective product in question. A vast majority of the users who experienced problems with their Apple Watches, which were plagued by broken screens due to battery swell, had either received brand new units or refurbished ones.
This means that users with defective iPad Pro Smart Keyboards would likely also be receiving an entirely different unit instead of having their accessory repaired. This would, of course, depend on the specific customer care center and on the stocks currently available to them. According to the memo, those who have already had a replacement will be eligible for a full refund under the new program as well.
The program is also revealed to cover all 12.9-inch iPad Pro Smart Keyboards released in late 2015 and 9.7-inch Smart Keyboards released in early 2016. Users should check with their nearest Apple Customer Care centers to verify if their device is eligible.
