Reports are coming in that Apple is replacing a broken "iPad 4" with an "iPad Air 2" for the price of only the service repair. The policy, though, is not universal but it is allowed in cases where there are not more service stock available.

According to a report from MacRumors, an internal memo distributed by Apple last week stated that starting March 30, "iPad 4" units that are coming in for repairs can now be substituted for an "iPad Air 2." The 4th generation iPad has already been in circulation for almost five years, as the device was released in November 2012.

This means that people who have broken "iPad 4s" can now have their tablets replaced with an "iPad Air 2" that are readily available in the market. However, this policy is not considered universal, according to AppleInsider.

The move to replace the broken units at the cost of the service repair is at the discretion of the store managers. It is the store manager's decision on whether broken "iPad 4s" will be replaced with an in-stock "iPad 4," "iPad Air," "iPad Air 2," or even the "2017 iPad" in some cases.

This decision likely hinges on the availability of service stock in the stores and the report said that there are still enough supplies of "iPad 4" in 20 Apple Retail stores. But sources inside the stores say their service units only arrive in "fits and spurts" after they are depleted, meaning only a few units get to them once all their supplies are already gone.

This policy is not something new, as Apple has been known to upgrade customer's order or service replacement to avoid having them wait too long for a new stock to arrive. The company has been doing this for at least 20 years now. Check out the video below for people who want to know how to repair their "iPad 4."