Apple made laptops in the mid / late 1990s with "clock spring" flex cables wrapped around a hinge. They broke then. Even cars have the same problem with steering wheel clock spring harnesses, leading to air bags not functioning, et al. Note to Apple: copper cold works and becomes brittle. Twisting a circular cross section is better than bending a foil.
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'Flexgate': 2016 and Newer MacBook Pro Users Report Display Issues Due to Fragile Flex Cables
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While I disagree with Apple's decision to directly bond these Flex-Strips to the display unit, I do not think that the use of Flex-Strips vs. conventional wires is necessarily a bad design.
Every single dot matrix and inkjet printer has a Flex-Strip carrying the signals to the MOVING print head assembly. These cables flex back and forth every single time the print-head moves across the page. That design has proven successful for decades. There is something wrong here (my guess would be too small of a bend-radius; or perhaps just a defective batch of Flex-Strips).
Since this problem doesn't manifest itself immediately, all Apple could do was trust the "number of cycles" that the Flex-Strip manufacturer stated. That also doesn't rule out a defective part from the supplier.
The 2016 - 2018 design needs to be put out to pasture. Pronto.
As evidenced by this thread, some MB owners avoid opening (or closing) their laptops nowadays.
wow. the MacBook Pro's under it's current iteration have looked like nothing but a complete and utter dissapointment.
Issues:
1: Soldered Storage
2: Keyboard issues (apparently 2018 models are starting to get reports now too of them having issues)
3: Display ribbon (this article)
4: thermal throttling making their highest end CPU's slow down to the point they're slower than the lower end options
I think Apple pushed a little too far on the "thin" over function, to the point that they willingly sacrificed long term quality. Especially in a class of device that didn't need to be "as thin as possible". a workstation laptop doesn't need to be thin above all else. Apple essentially has 3 Ultrabooks in their product lineup and nothing else right now. And each of those have some significant tradeoffs and issues. From the MBA camera quality (at least so far this is the only complaint I've seen), to terrible keyboards that have known issues.
Apple needs to step back, look at what made their previous computers sell so well and get back to that.
But I think it's pretty safe to say at this point that the 2016+ MBpro's are generally a failure of a product given the history of issues.
(and all above doesn't even take into account the premium price point that you pay to avoid problems like this)
Issues:
1: Soldered Storage
2: Keyboard issues (apparently 2018 models are starting to get reports now too of them having issues)
3: Display ribbon (this article)
4: thermal throttling making their highest end CPU's slow down to the point they're slower than the lower end options
I think Apple pushed a little too far on the "thin" over function, to the point that they willingly sacrificed long term quality. Especially in a class of device that didn't need to be "as thin as possible". a workstation laptop doesn't need to be thin above all else. Apple essentially has 3 Ultrabooks in their product lineup and nothing else right now. And each of those have some significant tradeoffs and issues. From the MBA camera quality (at least so far this is the only complaint I've seen), to terrible keyboards that have known issues.
Apple needs to step back, look at what made their previous computers sell so well and get back to that.
But I think it's pretty safe to say at this point that the 2016+ MBpro's are generally a failure of a product given the history of issues.
(and all above doesn't even take into account the premium price point that you pay to avoid problems like this)
A large portion of Apple's service segment comes from Apple Care+. A new way to push revenue.
Tim Cook saw that Jobs was successful by reducing ports and making things slimmer. So he has just carried on without thinking of the consequences.
Printer heads typically only move sideways and that movement can be predicted by using a cable that does not need to bend anywhere near as much as one built into a display hinge. The printer cable is usually also thicker to begin with.
The 2016 MBP design is just **** in so many ways. It's deliberately designed to not be easy to repair and for no benefit whatsoever. I am very interested to see how the proposed EU "right to repair" laws will effect design of machines like these.
One more thing to add to the list of the new MBPs.....and people will still forgive and apologize for Apple.
Nah they're not being greedy at all. They're looking out for our own best interest. Apple knows best.
But hey, at least it's perfectly straight and the corners align perfectly.
More than you can say about the crooked iPads. So that's something.
Nah they're not being greedy at all. They're looking out for our own best interest. Apple knows best.
But hey, at least it's perfectly straight and the corners align perfectly.
More than you can say about the crooked iPads. So that's something.
well I always follow posts here but never thought to become a member, what I said it coming form all these bad releases hardware and software past few years and his way to handle and deal with it, it feels like he forgot what Steve used to do and make apple to its best to release best product they can, that's why I feel mad on Tim.
This is a big problem in the iPad too. I had 2 different 2017 iPad pros that had flex cable problems. The touchscreen becomes unresponsive but is fixed if you grip the iPad and apply a little bit of twisting force to it, so I'm certain its a physical flex cable issue. I saw this in 2 different 2017 iPad pros and I'm seeing it now in my 2018. These are disposable devices and I would never own one without being covered by AppleCare plus.
Apple is supposedly selling premium machines for premium price. It should coms with AC+ for 2-3 years at least standard expect for accidental demages. Knowing that your premium machine will fail within a couple of years after X openings and closings of the lid is outrageous. Charging customers 600$ for broken flex cable is outrageous, especially when other brands sell you a brand new laptop with equal spec for this same price. Apple should sell products designed to last years after the expiery of the standard warranty. This is especially true if the ram and the ssd are soldered to the logic board and the whole display unit is a single (expensive) piece. Puting a fragile flexible cable on the hinge of the display when you pretend to be specialized in manufacturing premium laptops for the last 3 decades is beyond stupidity. So no, I wont contract and pay a few hundreds of dollars more for an extented warraty on my new laptop for which I already paid a premium price to Apple. I will be better buying a brand new Acer every 12 months for the same money.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the last generation of MacBook Pros. The new generation though seems to be plagued with issues. I've had the sticky key issue, and one third of my space bar no longer works. Never mind the fact that typing on the new ones is so. bloody. loud. Don't have a problem with the ports, but what was so broken about the previous keyboard they put this piece of crap in. So far no light issues, but I do have the extended warranty.
FYI Apple, people are getting fatter not thinner. They can lift 5 pounds of MacBook or 2 pounds of watch. So, don't try to make it thinner and thinner. We don't need a solution to the problem that we don't have. Just make it work like it used to be. But who am I kidding now. 
I think some people at Apple need to stop flexing cables and start flexing brains.
Knowing that Apple has 200+ bilions of dollars of cash and securites stacked in their basement, they should be able to do it. If not, better liquidate the business and start selling only premium silicon cases and watch straps. Apple designs these machines to brake within a couple of years or they are absolutely incompetent in designing and manfucaturing laptops. There is no other option here.
I started having issues with my 2017 MacBook Pro two weeks after the warranty expired and Apple wanted £600 pounds for a screen replacement...
Tim getting a lot of money for a company. That's the only thing which matter, nobody gives a crap about customers. This strategy could hurt Apple in long term, but he will be retired with his huge pile of money by then.
MacBook Pro 2016 without touchbar here.
Stage light first recognized after 2 years of normal usage at home.
MacBook was effected by the keyboard issues too. First i waited 6 month until Apple came up with the repair program after i had long discussions via mail and phone with the Apple support, and than apple needed three attempts to solve the keyboard problems.
First attempt didn´t solve the issue, second damaged USB-C-Port, third solved the keyboard problem.
Now stage light... Hate the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Recommendation: buy a MacBook Pro 2014 or 2015 before the design change took place.
Stage light first recognized after 2 years of normal usage at home.
MacBook was effected by the keyboard issues too. First i waited 6 month until Apple came up with the repair program after i had long discussions via mail and phone with the Apple support, and than apple needed three attempts to solve the keyboard problems.
First attempt didn´t solve the issue, second damaged USB-C-Port, third solved the keyboard problem.
Now stage light... Hate the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Recommendation: buy a MacBook Pro 2014 or 2015 before the design change took place.
