Two weeks after the product’s release users have started to complain about its poor build quality.

Some owners complained that their new iPad audibly creaked when used outside of a protective case.

The Tame Apple Press’s response was to pretend it was not happening and insist that this didn’t happen with the review samples. This makes us question how they do reviews on Apple products if they don’t notice creaking frames. Then a Reddit thread has popped up with a number of complaints it started to reveal how superficial the reviews had been.

"I ordered and received two blue iPad Air 2022 today and I’m a bit shocked," wrote user mezzox3312. "The aluminium backplate is a lot thinner than on the iPad 4 which I also have. You can almost feel the battery through the plate when you hold the device. Both iPads have the same feeling and are making creaking noises when you hold them."

"Picked one up yesterday and noticed this too. Part exchanged it today for the 11” Pro. The questionable build quality of the Air 5 has me taken aback. Whenever I picked the device up or changed how I was holding it, the back of the enclosure would creak. Same thing with the in-store models I tried out earlier," another user wrote.

The post was followed-up by another user, PalmTree888, who also uploaded a video to YouTube Shorts of a new iPad having the same problem.

Several others also posted that their new iPad Air models felt flimsier than the 2020 variant.

The Tame Apple Press’s official response is the flimsy “these users must have had a bad batch, and this did not happen to us” excuse. Although, how do reviews not spot that the aluminium back plate is thinner and needs to be held in place by an external case?

Hothardware said that the noises are caused by the thinner backplate although in a desperate need to say something positive about the scandal the magazine said the major selling point of the tablet was the M1 chip which is not harmed by the issue (hooray). "It should be noted that none of the reports say this affects functionality in any way. There are no screen issues mentioned, and the tablet is not crashing or anything of the sort.”

Maybe it is time to get a rubber band to hold it all together or buy a cheap Chinese tablet with the same build quality for a lot less cash.