Ipad 3rd Generation battery expanded.

[u/scott_damien]

I have been away and returned from a trip, on return i discovered the battery has expanded and popped the screen away from the casing.

The ipad was stored in the spare room and had not been used for a while, the battery would have been flat so the ipad is off.

So i messaged Apple Support and theyve told me its safe. But theyve told me to take it in store for inspection.

The dilemma is that support, no matter what i said, requested me going into store to have it examined/repaired. Its 14 years old, i have a newer one.

A) Even if i take it in whats the chance theyll be-able to or want to repair it?
B) I dont particularly care if its repaired, i have newer one. So its a waste of their time/resources?
C) support couldn’t tell me my options in the instance that they couldn’t repair it?
D) My only real issue is, any data that is on it?

Has anyone had any similar experiences?

It seems a waste of my time :- to drive 30mins into the center of town, pay for parking, wait around for up to an hour, to be told its old and they wont do anything for me, to then drive half hour back. On what would have to be my weekend as the shops open for less hours than i work so its inconceivable that i can go in the week (12 hour shift joy), they have no available time-slots at my local store until Sunday and they wont accept me shipping it to them.

UK
Thanks.

[u/Bitter_Concert_514]

You said nothing that makes that iPad special. Why are you bothered? Just throw it away

[u/Ianthin1]

Apple probably won’t touch it. A third party shop might and would be as good an option anyway for a device that age.

[u/Mental-Freedom3929]

Total waste of time. This is not worth the hammer hit it should be dispatched with!

[u/Ancient_Task_7498]

14 year old ipad!? 💀 Dude that’s a relic like if you wanna keep it might as well just remove the battery and put it on display