iMac Pro Apple REFUSED to Fix our iMac Pro - Linus Tech Tips

[j4m13]

I just wanted to bring it to peoples attention to watch this video from LTT.
They are looking for people who can help them out finding replacement parts.

Its tactics like this that really put me off personally. This can happy to anyone at anytime.

 

[Truefan31]

Gotta say that’s pretty bad. They should hopefully get up to speed with support

 

[h9826790]

For this kind of service / support, it's scary to treat the iMac Pro as a real workstation.

 

[klazmandoo]

Not surprising at all. It's just another giant middlefinger towards pro users like MacPro and the new Macbook Pro was.

 

[Mac32]

Incredible. It's important to mention that Linus wanted to pay for the repair (not on warrenty), but Apple flat out denies. And if any Apple licensed third-party repair shop fixed it, they could end up loosing their Apple license. That's $5000 straight out of the window. What is going on with Apple?

 

[Truefan31]

I wonder if apple will address this at all. LTT has a pretty big following.....

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

Note that taken apart highlight. Why void the warranty?

 

[bruinsrme]

I’m not sure if I would have expected Apple to fix it if I took it apart and broke it.

 

[quagmire]

There has to be more to the story and/or something being lost in translation. I get the third-party repair aspect. It's typical Apple trying to control everything. But the Apple Store unable to get the parts? I don't think Apple is necessarily denying service. Was the parts needed in short supply and the store just didn't want to keep the computer taking up valuable space and wanted them to take the computer back until they could get the parts? Which the store failed to communicate that with them?

I understand the complications in keeping enough parts on hand right after a product launch. To circle back to his car analogy, my dad bought a E46 330xi back in 2001 and it was one of the first models of the LCI's to hit the US. Well two weeks after picking the car up, a deer jumped out and he hit it. He had to wait over a month to get the parts because the refresh of the E46 was still so new the parts had to come from Germany because they didn't have them in the US yet. Sticking with cars, even if the car has been out for awhile there could always be constraints on certain parts that could also delay things. I doubt it is getting a part right after a launch issue because the iMac Pro has been on the market for months now. It could be an issue of the parts being on constraint though.

I don't doubt these guys are frustrated. I would be too. But I have to believe there is some kind of communication failure going on here.

 

[BlargKing]

Seems ridiculous to me. If they're willing to pay for the parts and service, why should Apple give a care if it was taken apart?

I broke the fan on my old ASUS laptop years ago, ASUS had no problem repairing it for me as long as I paid for it.

If I try repairing something on my car and end up blowing the engine, pretty sure an auto repair shop will gladly take my money for a new engine and the labor costs.

Leave it to Apple to build a 5000$ disposable computer.

 

[Fried Chicken]

This is amazing.

Maybe quagmire is right, maybe something is getting lost in translation.
I know California has laws against this, and I'm sure other jurisdictions do too; you have to provide support for products for at least 5 years after they are discontinued.

 

[quagmire]

Seems ridiculous to me. If they're willing to pay for the parts and service, why should Apple give a care if it was taken apart?

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anywhere where the service was being denied due to them opening the computer themselves. It was denied simply due to Apple not getting the store the parts needed.

 

[fathergll]

But the Apple Store unable to get the parts? I don't think Apple is necessarily denying service. Was the parts needed in short supply and the store just didn't want to keep the computer taking up valuable space and wanted them to take the computer back until they could get the parts? Which the store failed to communicate that with them?

If they won't send parts or give an estimated time then I would say Apple is denying service.

It simply sounds like because 'HQ' would not send the parts they completed the order as 'APPLE DECLINED REPAIR-INT' and told him to pick it up.

 

[BlargKing]

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anywhere where the service was being denied due to them opening the computer themselves. It was denied simply due to Apple not getting the store the parts needed.

Ah, must have misinterpreted that then. I got the impression from the video that Apple wasn't happy they took it apart themselves.

Still though, not having enough parts to fix an expensive workstation type machine seems like a pretty big oversight on Apple's part.

 

[tomscott1988]

And all this talk of the iMac pro is upgradable by an Apple approved dealer! What BS!

Another reason why the iMac pro is not the pro machine pros need! No support it’s absolutely laughable!

It’s a 5k paperweight waiting to happen!

It’s actully quite shocking how far Apple have fallen in this respect, literally the go to for pro creatives now this throws incredible doubt for a huge amount of people.

This also explains why Apple has had to build a team to figure out what the hell a pro machine is because no support when you paying 5k to start on a machine is literally the last thing you want!

Let’s be fair that’s a big piece of glass and I’m sure it’s not hard to break.

I was considering buying one but fat chance of that now.

Windows is looking more and more favourable as the days go by.

 

[Regime2008]

I thought Apple had the best product support, and they have employees called Geniuses? This is beyond acceptable. Props to Linus for pointing this out to the public.

 

[Brookzy]

So much misunderstanding here, including in the video.

The reason IS simply that Apple will not service a product that the user has opened themselves. Even if you just opened it to have a look round, it's considered by Apple to be a product that has been serviced by a third party, and so they won't touch it.

It's not that they can't repair it, it is that they won't.

And yes this is ridiculous and in some places illegal, but that is Apple's policy and they were following the policy.

It is nothing to do with not being able to get the parts due to shortages. It is simply that the Apple Store could not order the parts for a product that has been cracked open by a third party - it is ineligible for service.

No doubt Linus will have a new specced out iMac Pro sat on his doorstep tomorrow morning courtesy of Apple PR, but don't expect this policy to change in the future for you or I - Apple have no interest in touching things that someone else has been inside for as long as they can get away with it.

If, for example, they dropped it on the floor and smashed the screen that way - it would then be eligible for service. Maybe he should go back and say he did that...

 

[fathergll]

So much misunderstanding here, including in the video.

The reason IS simply that Apple will not service a product that the user has opened themselves. Even if you just opened it to have a look round, it's considered by Apple to be a product that has been serviced by a third party, and so they won't touch it.

It's not that they can't repair it, it is that they won't.

And yes this is ridiculous and in some places illegal, but that is Apple's policy and they were following the policy.

It is nothing to do with not being able to get the parts due to shortages. It is simply that the Apple Store could not order the parts for a product that has been cracked open by a third party - it is ineligible for service.

No doubt Linus will have a new specced out iMac Pro sat on his doorstep tomorrow morning courtesy of Apple PR, but don't expect this policy to change in the future for you or I - Apple have no interest in touching things that someone else has been inside for as long as they can get away with it.

If, for example, they dropped it on the floor and smashed the screen that way - it would then be eligible for service. Maybe he should go back and say he did that...

Do you have a source? I just checked the Linustech tip thread and two people claiming to be working for AASP say different than what you just wrote.

"Apple no longer cares if you've caused damage to the device by opening it up, basically we check with you if you caused damage, then remove any modifications you attempted and charge you as much as needed to replace anything damaged. Most stores avoid getting certified for new machines right away as it is time consuming, expensive and usually does not have a very good pay off -- lots of $$ up front, not much $$ generated."

"Hello, I work for a AASP in the United States, and not only do I have the certifications for the iMac Pro but can get parts for these units. The only thing I can think of is that Canada just isn’t there yet with these certifications and parts. I would recommend sending it to a place you trust in the US. I would highly recommend a AASP as it would keep warranty after the repair is done. If it gets fixed with the wrong display or fake display it will void all help Apple can give you."



https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/917597-suggestions-for-our-imac-pro-repair/?page=6

 

[Brookzy]

Do you have a source? I just checked the Linustech tip thread and two people claiming to be working for AASP say different than what you just wrote.

"Apple no longer cares if you've caused damage to the device by opening it up, basically we check with you if you caused damage, then remove any modifications you attempted and charge you as much as needed to replace anything damaged. Most stores avoid getting certified for new machines right away as it is time consuming, expensive and usually does not have a very good pay off -- lots of $$ up front, not much $$ generated."

"Hello, I work for a AASP in the United States, and not only do I have the certifications for the iMac Pro but can get parts for these units. The only thing I can think of is that Canada just isn’t there yet with these certifications and parts. I would recommend sending it to a place you trust in the US. I would highly recommend a AASP as it would keep warranty after the repair is done. If it gets fixed with the wrong display or fake display it will void all help Apple can give you."



https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/917597-suggestions-for-our-imac-pro-repair/?page=6

The second quote doesn't say different to what I wrote:

If it gets fixed with the wrong display or fake display it will void all help Apple can give you.

LTT opened up the iMac Pro and put aftermarket RAM in. By this guy's own theory it's then "void of all help Apple can give you."

As to certifications... this is an AASP concern, not an Apple Store concern. If no-one is certified in the store it will be sent to the service centre where of course someone will be able to fix it.

This is completely mis-represented and AASPs seem to be getting confused between how they work and how Apple works internally.

EDIT: And another thing to add - if Apple genuinely is out of parts (rare!) they replace the whole unit for the same price as the quoted repair.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

There has to be more to the story and/or something being lost in translation. I get the third-party repair aspect. It's typical Apple trying to control everything. But the Apple Store unable to get the parts? I don't think Apple is necessarily denying service. Was the parts needed in short supply and the store just didn't want to keep the computer taking up valuable space and wanted them to take the computer back until they could get the parts? Which the store failed to communicate that with them?

I understand the complications in keeping enough parts on hand right after a product launch. To circle back to his car analogy, my dad bought a E46 330xi back in 2001 and it was one of the first models of the LCI's to hit the US. Well two weeks after picking the car up, a deer jumped out and he hit it. He had to wait over a month to get the parts because the refresh of the E46 was still so new the parts had to come from Germany because they didn't have them in the US yet. Sticking with cars, even if the car has been out for awhile there could always be constraints on certain parts that could also delay things. I doubt it is getting a part right after a launch issue because the iMac Pro has been on the market for months now. It could be an issue of the parts being on constraint though.

I don't doubt these guys are frustrated. I would be too. But I have to believe there is some kind of communication failure going on here.

I agree, and the car analogy is something people like to do with computers, but it sometimes falls apart. MOST cars can be repaired anywhere, often with non-OEM parts. But that's not true for ALL brands of cars. Some European imports can't be fixed anywhere, especially the luxury brands. The iMP is not an everyday, high-volume machine, and it is pretty new to the market. It's not a "take anywhere" computer and get it fixed overnight.

Also, I wonder how much of the policy is out of concern that if they repair the broken component, there could be other issues since the buyer took the entire machine apart. What would happen if they replaced the display, only to have the customer come back complaining of other internal issues that possibly they caused? I guess that can be avoided by saying "yes, we'll fix the display, but because you took the machine apart and we have no idea what other damage you may have caused, the warranty is void."

 

[fathergll]

The second quote doesn't say different to what I wrote:

What about the first quote? "Apple no longer cares if you've caused damage to the device by opening it up, basically we check with you if you caused damage, then remove any modifications you attempted and charge you as much as needed to replace anything damaged. "

LTT opened up the iMac Pro and put aftermarket RAM in. By this guy's own theory it's then "void of all help Apple can give you."

But thats not what he said. I understand you are using his own theory to draw a conclusion leading back to Linus attempting to install RAM but he only mentioned the monitor. Apple didn't deny service because of putting in aftermarket RAM according to the video.

 

[btrach144]

On one side, they knowingly took apart the iMac Pro (voiding warranty) but on the other end, 3rd party repair shops should have access to the parts as necessary for these rare incidents so that customers can pay for out of warranty repairs.

 

[Brookzy]

What about the first quote? "Apple no longer cares if you've caused damage to the device by opening it up, basically we check with you if you caused damage, then remove any modifications you attempted and charge you as much as needed to replace anything damaged. "

I addressed the first quote... whoever wrote it is in the frame of mind that Apple is an AASP. They're not, and they don't work like one.

But thats not what he said. I understand you are using his own theory to draw a conclusion leading back to Linus attempting to install RAM but he only mentioned the monitor. Apple didn't deny service because of putting in aftermarket RAM according to the video.

I see - but it is hard to imagine that Apple would be displeased at a third party monitor replacement but fine with a RAM replacement when the RAM replacement fundamentally involves removing the monitor.

On one side, they knowingly took apart the iMac Pro (voiding warranty) but on the other end, 3rd party repair shops should have access to the parts as necessary for these rare incidents so that customers can pay for out of warranty repairs.

Agreed, and legislation in this regard seems to be gaining traction.

 

[darksithpro]

This is gonna be really bad PR for Apple. LTT YouTube is one of the largest online.

 

[Brookzy]

This is gonna be really bad PR for Apple. LTT YouTube is one of the largest online.

Apple could cure cancer and 99% of his subscribers would still hate them...