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Apple Screwing Over Users with "Repairs"

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SomeDudeAsking

macrumors 65816
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Nov 23, 2010
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The case of Apple's mystery screw
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9205659/The_case_of_Apple_s_mystery_screw

If you want to remove the outer casing on your iPhone 4 to replace the battery or a broken screen, it won't be easy anymore. In the past, you could use a Phillip screwdriver to remove two tiny screws at the base of the phone and then simply slide off the back cover.

But Apple is replacing the outer screw with a mysterious tamper-resistant screw across its most popular product lines, reports iFixit, a Web site that provides free repair manuals and advice forums mostly aimed at Apple products. Apple calls them "Pentalobular" screws.

New MacBook Pros, iPhone 4s and MacBook Airs will have the Pentalobular screw, making it harder for do-it-yourselfers to make repairs. What about existing products in the field? Pentalobular screws might find their way into them, too.

"Apple's latest policy will make your blood boil," says Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit. "If you take your iPhone 4 into Apple for any kind of service, they will sabotage it by replacing your Phillips screws with the new, tamper-resistant screws. We've spoken with the Apple Store geniuses tasked with carrying out this policy, and they are ashamed of the practice."

Apple Stores now carry a large supply of the Pentalobular screws, and Apple technicians have been ordered to replace the Phillip screws with Pentalobular screws in every device they service, according to Wiens. Apparently, you won't get your Phillip screws back.

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This isn't the first time Apple has used screws to gain an advantage. Apple had been using 5-point Torx screws for its MacBook Pros, not standard 6-point Torx screws."We did a little bit of research and found out that this particular screw has been patented," Wiens says. "It is illegal to import screwdrivers that can open this screw into the U.S. unless you buy it through Apple's sales channels. Apple sells the screwdriver for $40." (Wiens doesn't know if the Pentalobular screws have been patented.)
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For shame, Apple. You have now turned into Microsoft.
 
Not sure why you are upset. After all it is Apple's product and they can use whatever screw they see fit in it.
 
edk99 said:
Not sure why you are upset. After all it is Apple's product and they can use whatever screw they see fit in it.
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If they're doing it to MacBooks or iPhones that have already been purchased then they're screwing with property that doesn't belong to them. If you brought your car to the dealership for repairs and they put a locking lugnut on your rims that only they could get off that would be totally cool with you right?
 
It's hardly screwing over users. They're just making it more difficult for you to open and mess with your phone, they can design it any way they wish? If you're commited you can still manage to find the proper screwdriver for a cost.
 
Big difference between using apple only screws in a phone not yet sold and changing one that no longer belongs to apple.

Not cool, If I bring mine in I'll be sure to ask them to refrain from locking up my case for me.
 
Goldinboy17 said:
It's hardly screwing over users. They're just making it more difficult for you to open and mess with your phone, they can design it any way they wish? If you're commited you can still manage to find the proper screwdriver for a cost.
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This thread needs to be merged with the other, but I think the bigger issue here is that they are doing it to consumers products that have already been purchased and built with the old screws, but are replacing them with these new screws when brought in for repairs. This is comparable to the car analogy given a few posts above.

Stein357 said:
They're just trying to protect their property from being open and tampered with to cut down warranty costs.
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Their property? So you're saying Apple, not you (the person who paid for it), owns your iPhone?
 
So tell them at the store that you don't want them to change out the screws. If you say, i own this phone, do NOT change out my screws then they cant do anything about it. They cant force you to change similarly how they. Can't force you to download the latest update.
 
mikelegacy said:
So tell them at the store that you don't want them to change out the screws. If you say, i own this phone, do NOT change out my screws then they cant do anything about it. They cant force you to change similarly how they. Can't force you to download the latest update.
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The issue is that a lot of times, the "in store repair" is nothing more than a swap out for a refurbished iPhone from the back (rarely do they actually repair the actual device you brought in, unless it's a basic back glass replacement). This replacement is very likely to have the new screws.
 
You could call it a warranty lock. They easily could put a filling into the notch and if its broken of the screw your guaranty is void. Simple as that.
 
mikelegacy said:
So tell them at the store that you don't want them to change out the screws. If you say, i own this phone, do NOT change out my screws then they cant do anything about it.
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Except when you take it in for repair, you sign a lengthy form authorizing the repair (I just took my MBP in last week). I'm sure embedded in there somewhere it says that you're authorizing them to replace any parts they deem necessary. This includes screws.
 
Coming next month, the AppleDriver. Takes care of those pesky screws that are hard to open on your iPhone and other Apple devices. And for only $499.99. :D:D:D

For real though, this is what Apple did to all the jailbreakers. They started releasing more frequent upadets to IOS, even if there were only very minor updates to the software. They did this to mess with people who were always jailbreaking their iPhones. This is sort of the same thing with the screws. Apple gets concerned when the inerworkings of their iPhone and other Apple devices find their way onto the Internet. So, they change the screws and make it more difficult for people to break open their gadgets and post part numbers, etc...on the net.

Not saying I agree one way or the other. But I do find this very Apple.
 
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