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Apple Is Fighting A Secret War To Keep You From Repairing Your Phone (huffingtonpost.com)

Posted by msmash on from the apple-vs-right-to-repair dept.

It's no secret that Apple makes a ton of money by charging 'astronomical' fee for replacing and fixing display and other components of iPhone and iPad (as well as Mac line). For instance, the company charges $599 for replacing the display on the iPad Pro tablet. Which sounds insane when you realize that you can almost certainly purchase a new iPad Pro under $700. And this is what most people do. A Huffington Post article notes that this behavior has contributed significantly in "generating heaps of e-waste." Citing many advocates, the publication claims that Apple has "opposed legislation that could help curb it." From the report: The Huffington Post spoke with politicians in two states who support such legislation, and confirmed through government filings that Apple has lobbied on the issue. Four states -- Minnesota, Nebraska, Massachusetts and New York -- have considered adopting "right to repair" amendments, which would update existing laws regarding the sale of electronic equipment. Amending these laws would make it easier to fix your devices and would help reduce "e-waste," a catch-all term for any electronic detritus. The New York State Senate and Assembly could approve one of these amendments next week. This would help unofficial repair shops get the information they need to fix your iPad, ideally driving down repair costs and encouraging you to squeeze more life out of your old devices -- thus cutting down on the e-waste generated by our voracious appetites for new gadgets. Apple asserts that it helps recycle millions of pounds of electronics equipment every year. But it won't support right to repair amendments.One would ask what is preventing a user from getting their device repaired by unofficial service person? In addition to the security implication, you also run a risk of getting your device bricked by Apple. To recall, the iPhone maker was found bricking the handsets that had been repaired by third-party vendors earlier this year.

47 of 364 comments (clear)

  1. The solution is simple by Stormwatch · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The solution is simple: do not be stupid enough to buy anything from Apple in the first place.

    --
    Circumcision is child abuse.
    1. Re:The solution is simple by codeAlDente · · Score: 5, Funny

      Not that simple. You can't just suddenly wish a bunch of people smarter. That won't stop the pileup of toxic waste.

      --
      He once inserted random mutations into his code, just so he could have the experience of debugging.
    2. Re:The solution is simple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Or, bring your Apple device to this guy for repair. (I am in no way affiliated with him, just stumbled across his youtube channel recently and he seems to know what he's doing.)

    3. Re:The solution is simple by macs4all · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Fuck them for buying into Apple's bullshit. They deserve whatever pile of shit they get from Apple.

      Do you really think it is any easier to replace the Display and Digitizer on ANY modern mobile device?

      They are ALL essentially Unserviceable Units (BTW, that's the reason that "Ux" is the designator for ICs on many schematics. It stands for "Unservicable Unit". In other words, there is nothing inside that an average person can fix/replace.

      Face it, the days of replacing the Tubes in your TV set are GONE. Hell, with this complex of a device, the days of Component-Level replacement by even most Service Techs are GONE.

      Ain't just Apple.

      And the reason that Apple opposes this kind of legislation is that it will be TOTALLY unworkable in a practical sense. Even when laptops were 3 inches thick, replacing anything that wasn't on the bottom-layer (top when turned upside-down) was COMPLETELY outside of 99.99998% of average owners, and even outside of the comfort-zone of many experienced Service Techs.

      Now that EVERYBODY makes their laptops as thin as possible, the construction techniques to make those designs possible are simply not amenable to repair.

    4. Re:The solution is simple by macs4all · · Score: 2

      The upside of buying Apple is that they appear to provide software updates more frequently and for a longer time after the initial release.

      And that's important; because their stuff tends to last longer than most other brands, too.

      Which, BTW, GREATLY reduces the amount of WASTE in the first-place, and GREATLY reduces the number of Customers IMPACTED by limited serviceability.

    5. Re: The solution is simple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Typing this on a Samsung where I replaced the digitizer and screen myself with the aid of youtube video. It was easy. Apple, not so much. They literally booby trap their phones. Samsung screws were all the same length, apple's could have been, but they didn't, so if you lost Track of which screw went where, the screw would push through the screen, breaking it.

      So yeah, Samsung easier than apple.

    6. Re:The solution is simple by ogdenk · · Score: 2

      And a car analogy..... that would be like Ford bricking your car for using a non-OEM water pump or non-Ford spark plugs. Don't support this kind of stupidity.

    7. Re:The solution is simple by thoughtlover · · Score: 2

      Two words to explain why Apple does what they do...

      Planned obsolescence.

      The guy in that video even made a video called "Apple uses spite to force planned obsolescence. Watch $750 tier 4 repair"

      Apple solders in the base RAM chip in a place it's not readily-accessible. They glue their slim, aluminum laptops together. The fact that they don't even give their users repair manuals stinks. I accidentally broke a wireless keyboard because I didn't know of a connector's location and ..well, no repair parts I can easily buy. Off to the landfuckingfill.

      I used to be an ardent supporter of Apple. Since the iPhone, they just suck.

      --
      No sig for you! Come back one year!
    8. Re:The solution is simple by macs4all · · Score: 4, Interesting

      And a car analogy..... that would be like Ford bricking your car for using a non-OEM water pump or non-Ford spark plugs. Don't support this kind of stupidity.

      What? That proprietary, purpose-built parts have to be replaced with like, the same proprietary, purpose-built parts?

      Apple didn't "Brick" iPhones out of a want to prevent aftermarket repair, you ninny! It was an Anti-Theft-Circumvention feature. Seriously. So someone couldn't steal/sieze your phone and then UNLOCK it by simply replacing the Fingerprint Sensor (which retains the Fingerprint data INSIDE OF ITSELF) with another one "Trained" to the THIEF'S Fingerprint.

      Actually, pretty cool that they thought it through that far, and yet everyone thinks all they are trying to do is thwart third-party repair.

      But, as long as you don't have a damaged Home Button, as shown at Step 19 and forward in this iFixit Repair Tutorial, you can fairly easily move it from anold display to a new one, keeping the "pairing" of the SoC and the Fingerprint Sensor intact.

      Since Display and Battery replacements are hands-down the most "popular" of mobile-device repairs (pretty much everything else is WAY beyond most user's repair skills in ANY mobile device), I'd say that Apple products are in-line with other manufacturers, as far as "repairability" goes.

    9. Re:The solution is simple by tlhIngan · · Score: 2

      Face it, the days of replacing the Tubes in your TV set are GONE. Hell, with this complex of a device, the days of Component-Level replacement by even most Service Techs are GONE.

      Ain't just Apple.

      And the reason that Apple opposes this kind of legislation is that it will be TOTALLY unworkable in a practical sense. Even when laptops were 3 inches thick, replacing anything that wasn't on the bottom-layer (top when turned upside-down) was COMPLETELY outside of 99.99998% of average owners, and even outside of the comfort-zone of many experienced Service Techs.

      First off, electronics are cheap. Replacing tubes in your TV was essential back in the day - your tube TV (the one with lots of tubes, not just a CRT) would break down every few dozen hours or so as a tube burned out. Thankfully, there wasn't that much programming on so it wasn't a major issue. Also, that tube TV cost a year's salary or more. Imagine the uproar you'd have today if people bought $30,000 devices that lasted a mere 24 hours of use before it needed service! So yeah, you replaced the tubes because you had to. These were also the days where you were rich to have a TV, nevermind more than one.

      Nowadays, a TV's a week's worth of wages or so. We'd be up in arms if they broke down within 24 hours, but they're so cheap, repair is like Linux - it's cheap only if your time is worthless. Sending out a technician to diagnose it at $200/hr means the cheapest of TVs will be replaced before the technician gets to your door. For a reasonably sized TV, that really gives you a few hours before it's "not economically viable" (i.e., replacing is cheaper).

      And electronics are filled with lots of fiddly small parts that Joe Average will lack the tools, skill and knowledge to fix. Don't have a fine screwdriver? A knife works, right? I mean, the knife slipped and sliced a bit of the cable off, but it's all good, right? There's nothing worse than having to fix someone else's "repair".

      iFixit can bleat all they want, but I want them to offer a REAL WARRANTY service. As in if you buy the part, find you can't install it, ship it all back to them and they'll install it for you. Or if you break it, they can fix it. It Ain't Gonna Happen. Why? Because iFixit knows just as well they'd go out of business if they were forced to service what they sell. Third party repair is just fine, if you know what you're doing. Problem is, the vast majority don't, and it's too easy to hang a shingle out and say "we can fix it".

      So yeah, warranty fraud. Big thing - ask any manufacturer or retailer around - you'll have customers bring in sopping wet stuff dropping water all over your return counter and they'll straight up say "it was never in water". And no, it was sunny outside. You're going to find anti-tamper stuff all over things today just because people do rip stuff open - either to see how it works or something and then fail to put it back together again and claim it came like that. Despite the fragments of the "warranty void if broken" sticker scattered everywhere. Another reason why iFixit will only SELL parts and NOT sell repair services - because they know they're going to deal with this issue sooner or later, and it will kill them. They're too small to be able to absorb much warranty fraud, and yet they will be the big target for they are advocating people fix stuff that they may not be capable of doing, and if it iwas iFixit instead of Apple, iFixit would shut their doors in a nanosecond.

      Oh, and where are all the tube TVs today? Vast majority are at the landfill, replaced with much less serviceable but far more reliable solid-state electronics powering the CRTs. Sure there are a few in collector's hands, but that's it.

    10. Re:The solution is simple by macs4all · · Score: 2

      Look, I have had a similar career path as you, being an embedded developer for mostly industrial real-time control and measurement products for about 30 years. And believe you, me, if legislation like this was actually enforceable, I'd be right there with the torches and pitchforks...

      But all of the hyperbole fails, due to the simple fact that The longstanding doctrine of First Sale should make it impossible to pass, or if passed, enforce, any such legislation regarding what you can or cannot do with equipment you have purchased, period.

      "Right To Repair" is therefore yet another example of "feel-good" legislation that is, in the end, a complete and utter nullity. The only "power" that an OEM has after someone has purchased their goods is the most-reasonable power to deny WARRANTY repair to those customers who have attempted to modify, or in some cases, repair, their own devices. After the warranty period, that power completely vanishes. Period. Full Stop.

      But know this: Breathless hyperbole aside, there is absolutely nothing and no one that can PREVENT, much less CRIMINALIZE, any damned thing that anyone wants to do with something they PURCHASED (bomb making activities excluded). A couple of hundred years of statutory and case law will see to that.

      OTOH, if legislation like this passes, the economic and even design-flexibility impact on OEMs could be significant, and that's why the push back from OEMs (like Apple). Let's consider a hard drive. Under legislation like this, that little sticker on the drive that says "Warranty void If Seal Missing Or Broken" would likely have to go, and the drive mfrs. Would likely have to replace UNDER WARRANTY the drive that someone just decided to open up in a non-clean room environment. Oh, and the OEM likely wouldn't even be allowed to design the product with custom fasteners, or use adhesives, because those would be seen as "anti-repairability" tactics. Is that fair to the OEM? That's not hyperbole; that's the all-too-likely consequences.

      In fact, taken to a not-too impossible extreme, such legislation could even be used deny an OEM the ability to design a product with those evil, un-repairable SMT components. Afterall, what average consumer has an SMT rework station. So if you can't repair it with a 100W Wen soldering Gun, then the design is "anti-consumer", right? Think it can't happen? Wait until the EU gets wind of this! Any engineer that lived-through the recent RoHS "directives" KNOWS how stuff like this can blow-off a year or more of what should be new-product development time, cost a BUNCH of money, and ultimately result in a product with higher failure rates and inferior reliability for YEARS, as entire industries have to relearn and retool components and processes.

      By the way, Apple's stance on doing things to your own equipment has always been the most-reasonable "as long as you don't break anything while you're in there, we don't void warranties." There has NEVER been an Apple product with a "warranty seal", and I doubt there will ever be. Think about that.

      One last thing chafes me about TFS is the gratuitous inclusion of Apple's anti-theft feature with their fingerprint sensor "pairing" with the SoC on their mobile devices. As an engineer, you should recognize that That was actually pretty forward-thinking on Apple's part; because, otherwise, someone stealing your phone, or a LEO seizing your phone, only has to swap out the Sensor holding YOUR fingerprint data with one pre-programmed with THEIR fingerprint data, et VOILA! Instant and Total Security Circumvention. GREAT! Personally, I'm glad that Appke thought of that little contingency!

      But yet, that great anti-circumvention FEATURE is being WRONGLY painted as some sort of anti-consumer money-grab on the part of Teh Evil Applez!

  2. Not your father's Apple by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Its pretty sad when Apple was one of the first companies to embrace open architecture to see them become such denizens of closed, monolithic devices. The IBM PC probably would not have had expansion slots if they weren't competing against the fully open Apple 2, and the world today would be a much less interesting place for aspiring engineers.

    1. Re: Not your father's Apple by GoodNewsJimDotCom · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm probably not the only one who sees the irony in the 1984 commercial where Apple was to break up big brother, but now they're helping the government spy on everyone.

      --
      God spoke to me
    2. Re:Not your father's Apple by retroworks · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Actually, it's precisely what got Apple in trouble in the early 90s.

      IBM and Microsoft played nicely with Taiwanese and other white box manufactures, allowing common ATX parts and even reused components to lower the cost of the PC, while Apple refused to integrate. Foxconn and Android are about to give Apple some wicked deja vu.

      --
      Gently reply
    3. Re: Not your father's Apple by Solandri · · Score: 4, Informative
      What's especially ironic is what the guy on the big screen (representing Big Brother) in the commercial is saying:

      "Today we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives.

      "We have created for the first time in all history a garden of pure ideology, where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests of any contradictory true thoughts.

      "Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth.

      "We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause.

      "Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion."

      It was originally a jab at the IBM PC (IBM was trying to keep it proprietary - its BIOS had just been reverse engineered in 1982). But right now the computer ecosystem which best fits the "garden of one pure ideology, secure from pests" description is iOS.

  3. Secret? No. by GerryGilmore · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This has been their policy all along. From weird fasteners that require a special "Apple tool" to almost-impossible to obtain spare parts, there's never been any doubt about their intent - maximize AAPL profit at all cost! (To consumers, that is....)

    1. Re:Secret? No. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I don't understand -- I recently replaced the battery & display on an iPhone5 for less than $50 (it did take two people 3 hours & we lost a tiny screw). User-generated how-to-repair documentation is available free on YouTube, the display runs ~$25 (mine did have a bad pixel but it's only noticeable at boot) & the battery between $8~$20 on eBay.

  4. I used to think that. Then I used Apple products. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I used to think that. I was a diehard Linux user. I'd waste hours of my time building my own PCs. Then I tried a MacBook Pro at work, and I found out just how much I had been missing. It just plain worked. I didn't have to fiddle with any hardware. I didn't have to search Linux mailing lists in vain to find a driver or an obscure config setting just to get my system working. All I did was open the MacBook Pro's lid, entered my password, and I could get right to work. Not only was the UI superb, but underneath there was a solid UNIX base! It ran all of the software I used with Linux, and then a whole lot more. It's everything I wanted from Linux but that Linux never gave me: stability, robustness, a great UI, and all of this just working right away with no effort on my part. So you know what I did? I said "fuck it" to Linux, and to home-built PCs. I bought myself a Mac Mini. And you know what? It's the best purchase I've ever made! It has paid for itself many times over by saving me my own time. I don't have to fight with Linux or PC hardware any more. I don't have to figure out why systemd decided not to let my computer boot. I don't have to try to find a GNOME 3 theme that isn't total shit. I don't have to try to customize Xfce after fighting too much with GNOME 3. I don't have to figure out why PulseAudio is preventing my sound from working. I don't have to figure out why Firefox is slow. Now my computer works for me, instead of against me. Ditching Linux and PCs was the best thing I've ever done, and I wish I had done it years ago! I would have saved myself so much time and pain.

  5. Unfair comparison by AchilleTalon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "For instance, the company charges $599 for replacing the display on the iPad Pro tablet. Which sounds insane when you realize that you can almost certainly purchase a new iPad Pro under $700."

    Well, on a iPad, the display is everything. So, it is something to expect replacing the display will nearly top the price of the device itself. You pick the most expensive part to compare the brand new one price to the repair. That's not a fair comparison. Almost the rest of the iPad components worth nothing.

    --
    Achille Talon
    Hop!
    1. Re:Unfair comparison by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      The most expensive part was picked to highlight the ridiculous amount Apple charge for repair. Catch up slow boy.

      The bill of materials and manufacturing cost for an iPad Pro 128GB comes out at approx $370 (according to iHS who are normally spot on). The display component costs Apple $87. The display swap takes a competent technician 10 minutes to perform. So when you pay $599 to have your cracked display replaced you are paying Apple $850 PER HOUR to perform the work and Apple make $510 profit from replacing a cracked screen.

      Apple loves these repairs, thats why its trying so hard to prevent 3rd parties from repairing Apple made equipment. Apple actually makes more money repairing an iPad pro than it does from the original sale.

      9.7" 128GB iPad Pro Sale & Repair Costs
      Sale: Sells @ $749, Costs $370, Profit $379
      Screen Replacement: Sells @ $599, Costs $95 inc labour, Profit $504
      Home Button Replacement: Sells @ $419 ($379 repair cost + $40 Home Button), Costs $20 inc labour, Profit $399
      Other Repair: Minimum Fee of $379 + parts cost (except for batteries)

      Thats right the minimum Apple charges for a repair is $379 + P&P, coincidentally exactly the same amount it makes from the sale of a new item.

    2. Re:Unfair comparison by macs4all · · Score: 2

      The display swap takes a competent technician 10 minutes to perform.

      You're full of shit. And I have repaired MANY devices. From "put it on the bench" to "wipe your fingerprints off it and give it back" takes a minimum of 30-45 minutes. And that's if you've done that particular model several times before.

      And of course, ESTIMATED BOM costs have little to do with retail price.

      Wanna run that same estimate on a top-of-the-line Samsung phablet? You'll find a similar story. And how much will Sammy charge to non-warranty replace that display on an S7? Oh, wait: They simply WON'T.

      Now what?

  6. I just watched a video about this by steak · · Score: 2

    I'm subscribed to this guy's youtube channel and he just put up a video on the subject.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    Hopefully this idea catches on.

    --
    lose != loose
    1. Re:I just watched a video about this by klui · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Louis Rossmann has some great repair videos. If anyone is interested in how practical repairs of water-damaged computers are done check his channel out. He also collaborates with another person whose name escapes me at this time who does iPhone/iPad devices at https://www.youtube.com/channe....

      Like him or not, Linus Sebastian also collaborated with Louis on a video after a scathing response from Louis of a LinusTechTips video.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  7. Always litigate instead of boycott by Octorian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When any other company does something you don't like, you boycott their products. By giving business to their competitors instead of them, they (theoretically) take notice and change their ways to win your business back.

    But Apple seems to be a special case here... When Apple does something you don't like, you're allowed to:
    - Rant all over the Internet to gain public support
    - Sue Apple because of their practices
    - Push for regulations and/or legislation to limit their practices

    But the one thing you're *never* allowed to do, for some reason, is:
    - Actually stop buying Apple products

    1. Re:Always litigate instead of boycott by Woldscum · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have not knowingly purchased a SINGLE Sony product since the "CDs Rootkit" crap in 2005.

    2. Re:Always litigate instead of boycott by chispito · · Score: 2

      But the one thing you're *never* allowed to do, for some reason, is: - Actually stop buying Apple products

      Nonsense, plenty of people switch. Especially people who grow up, start families, and realize they're better off with a $100 phone and $500 worth of diapers than with an iPhone and poop all over the place.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    3. Re:Always litigate instead of boycott by nbritton · · Score: 3, Interesting

      But the one thing you're *never* allowed to do, for some reason, is:
      - Actually stop buying Apple products

      We keep buying Apple products because the competition sucks. I make my living as a Linux system engineer. Linux is great on the server, but in all honesty it is useless on the desktop because it has limited commercial application support. The whole purpose of an operating system is to run applications (that people want to use). In my opinion Mac OS X is the only viable *nix desktop on the market. It has support for Mac, Windows, and Linux applications. It runs everything I need, it looks pretty, and it just works right out of the box. The last thing that I want to do when I come home from work is fix another computer, I just want the stuff to work so I can live my life.

      Android is nice, but it has some serious problems. The biggest problem I see is fragmentation and lack of vendor support for updates. Again, I just want the device to work without me ever having to think about it. From a personal standpoint I also think the UI is ugly and kludgy. The bottom line is it just doesn't have the polish that I have come to expect from iOS devices.

      Since I covet Mac OS X and want devices that I don't have to screw with I have actively chosen to live within Apple's walled garden. Quite frankly I love it here, everything just works, their devices enable me to do the things that I want to do without getting in my way.

      Android (and Linux) will conquer the world eventually because it is an open platform with similar parallels to the IBM PC market. However, until they improve I'm sticking with Apple for my consumer products. I figure Apple has at least 10 years of smooth sailing before Android completely edges them out of the portable device market.

    4. Re: Always litigate instead of boycott by cyber-vandal · · Score: 2

      I've been quite a vocal critic of the Linux desktop lately but after being told I was wrong (and a shill and a moron, this being Slashdot) I recently decided to have a go at using the latest Ubuntu. I installed it and the process was a breeze. It recognised all my hardware and it seemed to work nicely.

      I'd read that Netflix was available via Chrome so I went to the Software Manager to look for Chrome. Due to religious reasons it wasn't available there but you could download the package directly from Google.

      I did that, doubleclicked the icon from Firefox and it opened the software manager. I clicked install and nothing happened. I clicked it again and nothing happened.

      This was a bit shit but I've used Ubuntu in the past so I dropped to the command line. Using dpkg -i it told me that there were two missing dependencies. I tried to install dependency 1 and it said it needed dependency 2. I tried to install dependency 2 and it said it needed dependency 1. At the same time there was a red warning on the taskbar saying something about my package database being corrupt!

      After about half an hour of fruitless internet searches I decided to list any packages related to Chrome in case Chromium was on there getting in my way. I found to my annoyance that dpkg had installed Chrome even though it was missing a couple of dependencies. I removed Chrome, installed the two dependencies manually and away I went. The package database corruption message also disappeared.

      I built a Windows machine recently. I had Chrome up and running within 5 minutes.

      If the main "consumer-friendly" Linux distro is capable of turning something so basic into a hassle then it's never going to be ready for the desktop of the average user. The lack of any kind of feedback from the Software Centre is very poor UI design and dpkg installing a package with unmet dependencies seems to be in contradiction to all the other package management systems I've used over the years.

  8. "Unauthorized" repair by Jamlad · · Score: 2
    Anecdote time.

    I spilt a glass of red wine on my 2011 17" Macbook Pro a few years ago. Annoyingly enough, it was the first, untouched glass. I was stone cold sober, but I digress. Luckily it had a silicon keyboard cover which caught most of it. Except for the one drop which ran down the LVDS cable and shorted across the cable pins on the board.

    It still booted, I could ssh in, there was just no video signal.

    I took it to the local "authorized" Apple repair dude. 'Nope. It's fucked. You need a new mobo. ~$1,000.' Fuck that.

    I chanced my arm and tried replacing the LVDS cable on the off-chance is was just a damaged cable. It wasn't. Using a little Google-fu I turned up a local "unauthorized" dude with a soldering iron. He quoted me $100 to take a look, and an estimate of $400 to try with no guarantee of success. He managed it with a few replaced transistors and diodes, and charged me $300 for the work with a three month warranty.

    Fuck Apple and their wasteful, profit maximizing behavior. If it weren't for the underpowered Radeon on this thing I'd easily keep it for another 5+ years.

    1. Re:"Unauthorized" repair by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 2

      There is a hero like that in every region, if you're willing to drive a long way. One of them can be found in Prescott, AZ, and he totally worth the 150-mile round trip when something goes wrong with an Apple in my town.

      One morning, the Q key mysteriously failed on my MacBook Pro. All I had to do was tell him that, and he could immediately diagnose a faulty battery. Apparently when a bad battery first starts to swell on this model, loss of the Q key due to slight, unnoticeable-to-the-naked-eye warping if the keyboard is the first symptom. I was able to get it replaced on a recall.

    2. Re:"Unauthorized" repair by macs4all · · Score: 2

      chanced my arm and tried replacing the LVDS cable on the off-chance is was just a damaged cable.

      WHY, if you have enough electronics knowledge to even know what an LVDS cable is, would you think that a drop of wine would affect a sealed CABLE?

      And Apple authorized service centers, like a LOT of repair services for a LOT of companies for a LOT of different products, are trained (and only AUTHORIZED) to do "Module-Level" rather than "Component Level" Repair. In fact, they likely don't even have complete schematics, which is VERY common with "high-tech" devices from ANYONE. So, It just isn't practical for most repair shops to start digging around trying to troubleshoot and replace 0201 SMT resistors and BGA ICs in a design for which there is precious little component-level information. Or would you rather they just started poking around, waiting for a scope-probe twitch-of-the-hand to short out a couple of signals, possibly causing even MORE damage?

      Same thing would happen if you took your Acer laptop to an authorized Acer Service Center (wherever THOSE are). Pretty much NO ONE does Component-Level repair on stuff more complex than a guitar amplifier (and even THAT is getting rarer and rarer).

      You were just lucky enough to find a "shadetree mechanic" that was willing to take a gamble with your money, and you lucked-out...

      But the REAL moral of the story is: Would you have had a different experience if it had been a Dell, HP, Panasonic, Acer, or Lenovo laptop that had taken a drink?

      The answer is 100% "No". And you know that. Or should.

      Quit ascribing "Evilness" to Apple, when the truth is, the design and robotic-fabrication skills of the ENTIRE industry has long-ago outstripped the corner repair-shop's ability to troubleshoot and repair at the component level.

      And THAT is EXACTLY why it is getting harder and harder to find electronic repair shops that want to do Component-Level ANYTHING. It just isn't practical in most cases.

      I know. I have worked as a bench tech at one of the last remaining repair shops in my major metropolitan home-town, and have watched everything from computers to stereo equipment to even musical equipment (including the lowly guitar amp) slowly become more and more complex, and less and less repairable on component-level, even by pretty damned-good techs (not even including myself in that category, next to what they can do).

      But you just keep on blaming Apple, because that is a popular thing to do on Slashdot.

  9. repair part costs by david.emery · · Score: 2

    The mechanical timer broke on my (gas) drier. The part cost $180, for a drier that probably cost $500-$600.

    The cost for the ABS (computer) module on my 2000 Nissan Frontier was $1.8k.

    Will we legislate 'reasonable prices' for repair parts? And who determines 'reasonable'? (Same argument goes for other aspects of 'repairability'.)

    1. Re:repair part costs by ledow · · Score: 2

      Both parts you specify are high-standard parts which, if they go wrong, can start fires or otherwise kill people. The safety of such parts - even after-market - is REQUIRED, not optional, and so the parts expense reflects that.

      As such, it's not a fair comparison by any stretch of the imagination.

      But we're talking about a bit of Gorilla Glass that, for other manufacturers, is about $60. Hey, why do you think "curved" glass is cool these days? The users? No, it's because it's almost impossible to replace with cheap solutions.

      I work in a school, we have hundreds of iPads. To buy, they cost GBP200. By the time we add cases, chargers, licences, etc. it costs us GBP250. Repairs from Apple for screens? GBP 150 and up. Or the guy down the road who owns a repair shop does them for us for GBP 90, will collect and deliver and rush-job when we need it.

      Apple aren't even TRYING to compete. Everyone raves about AppleCare and everything else, but honestly they can't get close. They literally just bin the device and give you a new one. I presume the binned ones are sold off as recons via third-parties, because I see a LOT of cheap recon iPads, which we can also get for GBP 130 each in Grade A condition. When the cost of a refurb iPad is less than the cost of a screen for one, there's something wrong.

      Apple don't care. People still buy their junk, and they don't have to provide support/repair/recon services. That's part of how they make so much money on a glorified tablet and smartphone that doesn't do anything that every other model on the market does.

    2. Re:repair part costs by Yvan256 · · Score: 2

      3D printers to the rescue?

  10. Re: I used to think that. Then I used Apple produc by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "Gave up the good fight and decided to lick the master's boots."

  11. Re:I used to think that. Then I used Apple product by yithar7153 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Or you could just buy an Intel-based Chromebook, which probably has the majority of its hardware supported OOTB on most Linux distributions, because ChromeOS is running a Linux kernel under the hood. It is possible they're using special drivers, but I find that unlikely, considering the number of people that have gotten Linux to work on Chromebooks. GalliumOS is proof of this.

  12. To recall? by newcastlejon · · Score: 4, Informative

    To recall, the iPhone maker was found bricking the handsets that had been repaired by third-party vendors earlier this year.

    Yes, I recall that. I also recall that it was because those third-party repairers were replacing parts of the crypto system without having the tools/expertise necessary to pair the parts they replaced with the ones they didn't. There are plenty of reasons to rant about Apple without misrepresentations like these.

    --
    If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
    1. Re: To recall? by Razed+By+TV · · Score: 2

      Thats a bit of spin to put on it. The iPhones were bricked after apple forced an update that occurred after the third party repairs.

  13. It's a religion by Kohath · · Score: 2

    What if you decided not to believe in the sinful nature of e-waste? Then you wouldn't have to feel guilty buying an item you want. You wouldn't have to worry that others around you were committing e-waste sins. People could go about their lives and be happy, without fearing the e-waste religious enforcers.

    Here's the thing: people recycle e-waste. Companies like Apple recycle e-waste. It's a problem that has been solved.

    You might want to reconsider some things and stop obsessing and moralizing about it. If you still want to believe in e-waste sins yourself, then feel free -- we still have freedom of religion here in most cases. But please stop being a problem for the rest of us.

    1. Re:It's a religion by mvdwege · · Score: 2

      Because not running a serious recycling plan and providing an incentive for customers to just throw away their iWaste is foisting of an externality on the customers. And the price for dealing with that externality eventually comes down on the entire public.

      Of course, if you're fine with socialising externalities so that corporations can keep more of their profits, that will be just fine. Us sane people would rather see the corporations actually pay for those externalities.

      --
      "I know I will be modded down for this": where's the option '-1, Asking for it'?
  14. Re:I used to think that. Then I used Apple product by Yvan256 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I just want my tech to work.

    This. One million times this.

  15. Re:I used to think that. Then I used Apple product by Socguy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It all just works, assuming that you only want to use it for whatever apple decides to allow you to do...

  16. Re:Jeezus! by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

    I am thinking it is written in the Indglish.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  17. Re:I used to think that. Then I used Apple product by Thanatiel · · Score: 2

    Exactly.

    On a trip around Japan, I had some hardware issue with an 64GB SD card that simply died on me.
    Since I bough two of these (original and backup) I tried to make a copy on a (new) third one.
    The plan was to use an iPad (4?) and the (expensive) thunderbolt sd-card adapter.
    I was able to read the pictures from the card, but to my surpise, it was not possible to write the pictures back on the backup. Read-only ? How braindead is that ? I took a mental note never buy an apple device myself, and managed to do what I wanted with the help of a Raspberry Pi (Total price, about the same of the useless adapter)

    And don't get me started with the convoluted way you need to go though to export pictures.

    --
    Irrelevant news and morons using moderation to mod down what they disagree on. 2018 resolution: so long.
  18. Re: I used to think that. Then I used Apple produ by macs4all · · Score: 2

    Some us see outside the cage of capitalism.

    And some of us just expect a free ride for everything.

    Welcome to the Entitlement Generation...

  19. and then released an updated that unbricked them. by Brannon · · Score: 3, Informative

    The update included additional security checks of the secure enclave (including the fingerprint sensor) and thus unintentionally bricked devices with third-party replaced fingerprint sensors.

    Apple released an update to unbrick those phones once they knew about the problem.

    But, yeah, if it makes you feel better to lie on the internet then please feel free.

  20. It's fine if you don't understand technology by Brannon · · Score: 2

    I just don't understand why you want to post to a tech blog if you don't understand tech. If you have trouble understanding this article then you can probably get the neighbors 9 year old to explain it to you:

    http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/18/apple-apologizes-and-updates-ios-to-restore-iphones-disabled-by-error-53/