iPad Air Repair — North Providence RI

About this repair

The first-generation iPad Air pairs a 9.7-inch non-laminated Retina LCD with Apple's 64-bit A7 chip, so the cracked outer glass digitizer is a distinct layer we can replace without scrapping the LCD behind it. Because this is one of Apple's thinnest early tablets at about 7.5mm, we use controlled heat and slow prying to release the aged bezel adhesive without cracking the slim glass or nicking the digitizer ribbon cables tucked beneath the panel. The 1st-gen Air has a plain home button with no Touch ID, which keeps its button and Lightning-port repairs more straightforward than on later Air models.

• QUARTZ

Is the original iPad Air repaired the same way as the iPad Air 2?

No. The 1st-gen iPad Air has a non-laminated screen with a separate glass digitizer, while the Air 2 fused the glass and LCD together; that means glass-only repair is still possible on your original Air.

Does the first iPad Air have Touch ID?

No. The 1st-generation iPad Air uses a plain home button with no fingerprint sensor — Touch ID didn't reach the iPad line until the Air 2 — so home-button work on your Air is simpler.

My old iPad Air won't hold a charge — is it worth fixing?

Often yes. The 1st-gen Air's glued-in battery degrades after years of use, and replacing it along with cleaning the Lightning port can bring the A7-powered tablet back to daily use.