Apple Mac T-2 chip to stop unauthorized repairs

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Excerpt:

“Well, stop the presses. Turns out, ‘Apple makes your MacBook inoperative if you get it fixed at local repair shops’ isn’t quite true—not yet, lab testing has found that independent (and DIY) repair is alive and well. But it is under threat.”

https://ifixit.org/blog/11673/t2-mac-repairs-test/

Excerpt:

“The T2 chip, which acts as a co-processor, is the secret to many of Apple’s newest and most advanced features. However, its introduction into more computers and the likelihood that it becomes commonplace in every Mac going forward has renewed concerns that Apple is trying to further lock down its devices from third-party repair services.”

https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/12/18077166/apple-macbook-air-mac-mini-t2-chip-security-repair-replacement-tool

Walled garden walls getting higher?

HF

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Nathan Parker, Elly, Microfix, BobbyB

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This sort of thing is going to give a boost to Linux. One of the things I like about Linux is that it is totally free of this sort of thing. The thing hindering its widespread adoption is that it is not yet a “turnkey” system. If someone like Dell, HP, or some other major computer vendor begins selling new computers with Linux installed and ready-to-use at a reasonable price, then Apple will have hurt themselves by doing this. But because Linux is not yet at that point, Apple, the ultimate “turnkey” system, won’t be hurt at all by this action.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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HiFlyer

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Well there’s a feature that aired on the TV up here a few weeks back: https://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/complete-control-apple-accused-of-overpricing-restricting-device-repairs-1.4859099 i’ll do the spoiler thing and save you ploughing through all the clips and basically in a nutshell the Repair Guy found it was a bent pin easily bent back to correct shape, and declared he would probably have done it for free as opposed to Apple’s gouging.
Ah a dying breed an honest wise and adept repair Business. Certainly one for keeping and doing future/repeat Business with.

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HiFlyer, Elly, Microfix

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“Right to repair” should be a good thing. The curtailing of the ability of people to do their own repairs on their machines or of taking them to independent technicians to do that for them is important. Maybe (not holding my breath, but all is possible…) that could begin to move forward, now that some new people have been elected to Congress (as usual after mid-terms) that had not been there for years already and have, in the process, become to some extent compromised through palsy deals with lobbyists, and have been keeping in the freezer projects of legislation related to those and other issues stemming from many corporations’ overreach (such as contractually enforced obligation to resort to arbitration for any and all disputes with those companies — the arbitrators being chosen, of course, by the companies). Everything is possible. But even if the above were true, still it will be necessary for the public to push hard on their representatives to make sure they do what is needed.

As to the Macs, specifically: I have a MacBook Pro ca. 2015 that does not have the blessed T2 chip, and having the case practically glued together, there is no way I am going to even attempt to fix it. I might take it to an Authorized Apple repair shop, but most likely to the nearest Apple place (a fairly long drive from my home, but still doable.) Or else just send it for recycling, and buy something else, depending on the nature of the problem. I do keep everything I care about backed up regularly on external storage, so that would also be doable. Now, what I will buy to replace a defenestrated Mac… Well, we’ll see.

And, of course, I still have my trusty old Windows 7 PC, to keep up with email and find things, and answers, on the Web. When its supported life runs out, I might turn it into a Linux PC.

Also, for the moment at least, all I have seen in those blogs of the posted links is speculation and talk about what Apple might be up to. So I think this is something to keep in mind, but not to take too seriously, as in doing so there is a danger of drifting into conspiracy theorizing that is, at best, a waste of time. I’ll keep an eye on this, but am not going to fret about it.

 

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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