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Apple Seemingly Unable To Recover Data From 2018 MacBook Pro With Touch Bar When Logic Board Fails (macrumors.com)
An anonymous reader shares a report: In 2016, when Apple introduced the first MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models, the repair experts at iFixit discovered the notebooks have non-removable SSDs, soldered to the logic board, prompting concerns that data recovery would not be possible if the logic board failed. Fortunately, that wasn't the case. Apple has a special tool for 2016 and 2017 models of the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar that allows Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers to recover user data when the logic board fails, but the SSD is still intact. [...] But, unfortunately, it appears the tool will not work with the latest models.
Last week, iFixit completed a teardown of the 2018 MacBook Pro, discovering that Apple has removed the data recovery connector from the logic board on both 13-inch and 15-inch models with the Touch Bar, suggesting that the Customer Data Migration Tool can no longer be connected. MacRumors contacted multiple reliable sources at Apple Authorized Service Providers to learn more, and based on the information we obtained, it does appear that the tool is incompatible with 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models. Multiple sources claim that data cannot be recovered if the logic board has failed on a 2018 MacBook Pro. If the notebook is still functioning, data can be transferred to another Mac by booting the system in Target Disk Mode, and using Migration Assistant, which is the standard process that relies on Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Last week, iFixit completed a teardown of the 2018 MacBook Pro, discovering that Apple has removed the data recovery connector from the logic board on both 13-inch and 15-inch models with the Touch Bar, suggesting that the Customer Data Migration Tool can no longer be connected. MacRumors contacted multiple reliable sources at Apple Authorized Service Providers to learn more, and based on the information we obtained, it does appear that the tool is incompatible with 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models. Multiple sources claim that data cannot be recovered if the logic board has failed on a 2018 MacBook Pro. If the notebook is still functioning, data can be transferred to another Mac by booting the system in Target Disk Mode, and using Migration Assistant, which is the standard process that relies on Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Back up frequently, and always.
I store all my data in the Cloud where it is safe.
(Even if encrypted, as long as the user knows the appropriate passphrases.)
Unless the passphrase is made more secure by having it only gain access to the key through a secure enclave chip (so that you can't brute force the password). That chip is on the touch bar in these models.
I agree that sacrificing repairability to make a computer slimmer is a terrible idea, but it's 2018. If you're not encrypting a portable device then you shouldn't leave the house with it.
Actually, the issue has nothing to do with the fact that you can't remove the drive. The article spells out the actual cause of the issue: hardware encryption.
The data recovery port was likely removed because 2018 MacBook Pro models feature Apple's custom T2 chip, which provides hardware encryption for the SSD storage, like the iMac Pro, our sources said.
I.e. They removed the port because the port was useless in light of their change to using hardware encrypted drives. Even if the drive wasn't soldered in, even if you could remove the drive and plug it in elsewhere, it wouldn't help. This falls into the category of "it's a feature, not a bug" sort of issues, since this was an intentional change on their part to increase the security of the devices—something it does rather well—but it comes at the cost of data recovery in situations where the hardware fails.
Hopefully, the pros buying these models are aware of the importance of regular, frequent backups and already have a backup plan in place and tested, especially since this sort of feature is becoming the norm across more and more Apple (and non-Apple) products these days (e.g. all iPhones and iPads have been hardware encrypted for years, two of the most popular Macs now have it enabled by default, numerous Android phones have it enabled out of the box, and the list goes on and on). There are, of course, stories about people losing access to their data after their devices get mangled, but for the most part, hardware encryption is widely hailed as being a good thing, particularly among the technically literate crowd, so it's a bit disappointing to see a /. summary focus on the downside without explaining the "why?" behind it.