Apple Launches USB-C Charge Cable Replacement Program for Retina MacBook

[Thunderhawks]

I never liked that laptop.

Agreed, checked this one out at the local Apple store and it really irks me when Apple kills port after port.
(So, yes that MacBook is not for me nor will I recommend it to anybody)

What they do not get is that for many many years there still will be peripherals around that one has to connect to.
The world is not totally wireless (yet) and the point of a small laptop computer is that you can take it and use it anywhere where one finds USB cabled printers, scanners etc..

PS: I have no horse in any copying race, so doesn't matter who copies whom , as log as we get good products. Eventually all technologies converge just because it's possible.

 

[Razeus]

Another QC issue from Apple? You don't say.

 

[VulchR]

You seem to remember a time that never existed. Apple products had faults since Apple was created. I remember issues with early PowerBooks, first generation iPod cables, MacBook case cracking etc.

For a company with the production volumes that Apple has it is a given and unavoidable that faults creep into consumer ready products. It seems to occur more with Apple because they are under a magnifying glass, but none of their competitors are any better at QC or the resolution of issues than Apple is. Their service is second to none.

In the past I would have agreed with you. I have a PowerBook 180 that still boots and works. However, Having bought Apple products for a very long time (I once word-processed on a Lisa), the quality control has declined. I gather that Apple, like many companies, struggled to get the required level of quality control from their Chinese suppliers. I think maybe Apple have taken their eye off the ball recently for non-iPhone devices. Even if Apple's reputation is based mostly on the iPhone, it damages their brand when they make a hash of other devices in the Apple ecosystem. I just want Apple to return to its quality-control obsession.

 

[kingtj]

Yeah, I'm one of the early buyers of one, so pretty sure my USB-C charging cables are affected by this recall. (Haven't had any issues with them yet, however.)

I actually bought it to be a guinea pig tester of it in our workplace. (Figured we'd start getting some requests for them, for new hires or upgrades - since so many love the Air for how thin and light it is.)

Bottom line? This is Apple's version of an "Ultrabook" or "Netbook", really. With the little USB-C to USB-C/USB/HDMI video connector, you at least have the basic flexibility to attach it to an external display and/or a regular USB device like an optical drive while still charging it from the wall. It's not great, but better than nothing.

I use mine all the time with one of these adapters attached to a USB 3 universal docking station. That lets me use it with all of my usual desktop accessories (including 2 displays), just like I would any other Mac portable at my desk.

But yeah, for the price, I don't recommend it for 95% of people. I find the keyboard annoying to type on, and it's under-powered, CPU-wise. (Look at a Dell XPS 13, by comparison. Mobile Core i7 Intel processors in those and they're very similar in size.)

Agreed, checked this one out at the local Apple store and it really irks me when Apple kills port after port.
(So, yes that MacBook is not for me nor will I recommend it to anybody)

What they do not get is that for many many years there still will be peripherals around that one has to connect to.
The world is not totally wireless (yet) and the point of a small laptop computer is that you can take it and use it anywhere where one finds USB cabled printers, scanners etc..

PS: I have no horse in any copying race, so doesn't matter who copies whom , as log as we get good products. Eventually all technologies converge just because it's possible.

 

[AdonisSMU]

I hate to pile on the criticism, but either the recalls are increasing or coverage of the criticism is increasing. Not sure which it is. The products I've bought are fine, but it's a little odd that things like this are happening. How do you mess up a simple cable so badly that it needs to be recalled? Or maybe it's a case of Tim Cook feeling like the right thing to do is to recall as opposed to denying problems and just dealing with them as customers raise them.

No one had built a USBC cable before Apple. It's possible.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Every Apple product? Really. Let's see my Apple TV 4, iPhone 6S+, iPad Air and retina MacBook Pro have all had recalls. Oh, wait...

Yeah, the iPhone 6+ had a recall right out of the gate with a dodgy camera ... stand-by, the year is young.

And now, Apple iOS has a date "bug" that affects EVERYTHING.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Less often?
Especially Apple's cables have been garbage for years now.

The only one in recent memory I experienced problems with was the PowerBook.

A design flaw is much different than a quality control flaw. It's actually worse.

 

[jonnysods]

It's crazy how frequently these services Apple have initiated in the past year...

USB C charger
Mac Pro graphics cards
MacBook Pro retina screens and video issues
Burnt MagSafe chargers

I'm sure there's more to this list - just can't think of any more off the top of my head. Would not be surprised if more and more extension programs were released for recently released products.

2008 and 2011 macbook pro video card issues - I both of those models and both of the cards went in them...

 

[oliversl]

You had 1 port, 1 cable and 1 job …

 

[peterdevries]

In the past I would have agreed with you. I have a PowerBook 180 that still boots and works. However, Having bought Apple products for a very long time (I once word-processed on a Lisa), the quality control has declined. I gather that Apple, like many companies, struggled to get the required level of quality control from their Chinese suppliers. I think maybe Apple have taken their eye off the ball recently for non-iPhone devices. Even if Apple's reputation is based mostly on the iPhone, it damages their brand when they make a hash of other devices in the Apple ecosystem. I just want Apple to return to its quality-control obsession.

I think they are doing quite well. I have never had any real issues with any of the products I bought the past 20 years. The only issues I had was some cables fraying, some cracks in my iPhone 3G and a time capsule that died after warranty ran out. All of my problems were solved without me paying a dime, even when the warranty was out.

Now if I compare this to my work laptops or work smartphones then I can only conclude that I must be very lucky in choosing always that Apple product that must have been QCed twice, or that my IT service guy hates me and gives me lemons whenever I get an upgrade. Not representative I know, but the people around me that switched to Apple have similar experiences.

 

[Taz Mangus]

And now, Apple iOS has a date "bug" that affects EVERYTHING.

You mean if you go into your date and time settings and manually change the date to Jan 1, 1970? Yea, that sounds like a wide spread problem

 

[Cwolk]

Why would they not print serial number on the first batch anyway

 

[happyslayer]

It took a little work, but I found the (very) light gray print on my cable. I do have one of the "bad" ones. (Though it works fine and has since I got it last April.) Regardless, I went ahead and contacted Apple support via chat on their website. He or she checked my MacBook 12" serial number and said I was eligible for a replacement. He/She offered to setup a Genius Bar appointment but then said they could just mail me one. I should have it in 5-7 days. Very easy process and the person was very friendly. Yay Apple support.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

And they took care of it, as expected.

What was totally unexpected is that they aren't charging users for it (they'll just tack the cost onto the next model's price).

As long as this doesn't use the superior MagSafe connector, I will never consider buying a 12" MacBook.

You're probably better off. Apple is crap lately. "Designed in Crapertino. Made in a Chinese Sweatshop" actually comes on the box now.

Seriously, Apple can't seem to do a damn thing right anymore. They used to "just work" and now we're used to them just sucking.

Maybe if Apple reduced their profits it a little bit by moving operations back to the USA with fairly paid skilled workers, their quality control level would improve. Apple is awash in profits. They could easily afford to do this and it would improve their brand name and reputation. But ah, they started paying dividends on stock and that means the stock holders would grab what's left of Tim's kiwis and squeeze until he moved everything right back to China. Gotta maximize profits and do what Carl Icahn says!

 

[JackANSI]

Well...When GM recalls ABS parts, I got a letter from GM indicating that my car is affected. Does Apple do that? First of all, I would not have know the recall program. Second, I have go check by myself...

But you know what? Doing that cost Apple money. Apple is all for money grabbing, they will not spend single cent for unnecessary things, like email affect customer

GM is required by law to send that letter, Apple is not.


Anyway:
I'd bet pennies to pesos that the new cable ends up having the exact same problem, just after they can deny a replacement for being out of warranty.

Apple is probably the sleaziest company that almost everyone loves. Some people defend it to all ends and yet ignore the reality of the flaws. No, people don't make up flaws just to hate on Apple you halfwits. You're just a pea brained consumer, ignorant to see them as such. Just like Apple wants.

 

[GFLPraxis]

Apparently you've never seen a USB-C cord.

Arn updated the article after my post. The original one showed Lightning.

It is not a lightning cable. Look again, no pins.

It's been updated since I posted.

 

[\-V-/]

Arn updated the article after my post. The original one showed Lightning.

Don't bring your logical explanations in here!

 

[Norbs12]

One cable. One cable with one port. Easiest laptop ever made, and they messed it up.

I rolled my eyes at you REALLY hard. It a new standard that almost no one used until apple started using it. Doesn't matter if it's 10 cables or 10 ports. New stuff has bugs occasionally which is why it's called "bleed edge". Apple is owning up to it without lawsuits, that is the important part.

 

[PalNova]

I don't see any "Designed by Apple in...." stamping on my USB-C cord for my Macbook. Anyone else?

Yes, mine doesn't have one either and is from the time period.

 

[Henk Poley]

Anybody knows if this also sometimes caused electrical malfunction of the MacBook?

For mine the charging port and sound board was replaced under warranty. But I thought it was sort of an odd failure. Also the machine kept chiming the charging-now-tone after the repair (with the old cable, that's since been replaced).