Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
But your current one still works, no? Why not keep using it and wait the week?
Well that was the plan lol. Literally the first thing I said “Hi do you have any iMac 27” blah blah in stock”
The reply was “no but we can get one in about a week”

My reply was “ok the machine I bought off you a few months ago has a bug behind the screen, as it’s only a few months old, can I have a replacement please, I can wait the week whilst you get hold of another one”. They said not a chance. Hence why I went down the refund route.
 
Op has a answer for everything it seems.
I had a iMac screen replaced 2 years out of warranty once, didn’t even ask just mentioned it had died when I rang about a iPhone.
Apple service is terrible. 😊
 
Hi,

latest iMac 27” and has it for about 3/4 months. Didn’t buy it direct from Apple. It literally has a bug underneath the screen. God knows how it’s got there as it’s in my bedroom and has been from day 1. Called the place I bought it and they are refusing to refund. I’ve told them that it’s only a few months old and legally under 6 months, the onus is on them to prove it wasn’t faulty from day 1. Also told them that I’m led to believe that the iMac screen is fused together from the factory so it must have been there or an egg there when it was made.
What can I do??

View attachment 1804251
I had the exact same thing happen with my late 2015 27" iMac a while back. Though thankfully it was about 3/4 years old at the time so I could see the funny side. Had it been as new as yours I probably wouldn't have taken it quite so well..! 😢

The good news is that in my case the issue resolved itself after a few days, or perhaps a week or so, I can't quite remember the timescale... and the little blighter hasn't been seen again!

I'm guessing that it died and fell to the bottom and out of sight. The computer's still in use and seems to have made a full recovery from the nasty bug! (No surgery, quarantine or vaccinations required! 😜)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frustratedperson
To all saying Apples lawyer, there is no need, this is standard policy, if they find any sign of insects, smoke, cat pee etc. it is immediately classified as a bio hazard, bagged and returned to the customer, this is considered for the employees safety and to prevent genius room infestations etc.
Had it happened in the first 24 hours, you’d have a shot at exchange/refund… maybe, 3 months, not likely. I wouldn’t call them and have this documented, as you have no case against them with the time that has gone by. Leave it alone for now, hopefully it will die somewhere out of sight, if not, get a 3rd party tech to clean it out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maconplasma
Me and my old man have a 3k iMac each. He has one wedged about 10mm up from the bottom. I havent read the entire thread but
I would argue the iMac screen should be factory sealed (we all know it isn’t) and should not be ruined by a tiny insect.
 
Basically just said “go to Apple”.
If you read the guide to the act, your dispute will be with the seller for faulty items and must be raised as soon as you are aware. However with an open case, if the 27" has the same vents as the 21, I don't think you will get far, what happens if you get a replacement and another fly found it was in?

Edit. My error, seems this has happened a few times and screen is sealed? However dispute is still with the vendor apparently.
 
Last edited:
Hey OP, that happened to me, literally, on my LCD TV. Also, I think it is the same insect species. My advice? Do your best for that bug to not die. If it dies on the middle of the screen (like it happened to mine, i pressed the screen in hopes to frighten it and make it go away, I killed it instead). Once it’s dead, it will be on the point it died FOR EVER. Your only hope is to let him live enough to find a spot to get out or, at least, die away from the screen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: apparatchik
Just take it to an Apple store and have them take the screen apart, take out the offending bug, and seal it back together. Unless you want to wait six months to get it replaced entirely..??
 
If I’m right, the display, backlight, prismatic/fresnel layer and backing are bonded together. The glass front is replaceable. But not by users. You need to “cut” open the display, there is a double sided foam tape That hold it together. If you have the display out there are several cables between logicboard and display. Once these have been disconnected you can see the screws around the display holding the glass plate and the bonded display together. There is a tiny gap between them. Good luck dismantling that.
Perhaps dry air or suction might get it out.

But if the fruit fly dies in there you are out of luck, it will stay there for eternity and annoy you to within an inch of your life because they usually will decay a bit and get smooshy, dry and get stuck.

Worst thing, fruit flies have a lifespan of 40-50 days under optimal curcumstances. Living in a display isn’t optimal for a fruit fly. You might just have days to lure it out :)
 
Just take it to an Apple store and have them take the screen apart, take out the offending bug, and seal it back together. Unless you want to wait six months to get it replaced entirely..??
Read the previous posts. They cannot touch it with an insect. It’s a biohazard and a legal liability to the other customers macs. This is a policy fact, not speculation.
 
Read the previous posts. They cannot touch it with an insect. It’s a biohazard and a legal liability to the other customers macs. This is a policy fact, not speculation.
so, why not take it to any OTHER hardware store if you don’t have AppleCare anyway? I doubt legal liability is a legit claim since they’re not the ones that put that bug in in the first place. Biohazard I can’t understand, but I wouldn’t expect them to replace my entire machine in the event a bug crawled into it — that’s silly. What they can do is pay for it to be removed. Sucks, but that’s how it goes sometimes.
 
Maybe not there from factory but not impossible that the seal between the screen and glass wasn’t manufactured correctly. Either way I’m not happy. To keep this now. Not about being rude, it’s about wanting value for money and £2500 for 3 months ownership is ridiculous.
If, and I say if, it was not manufactured correctly, it’s under warranty. I have other questions 1) was it really new, buyer said not from Apple, 2) any non-certified repairs involved?

I have never seen or heard of this from a factory sealed device from any manufacture. The glass and coatings have to be sealed and bonded, insects can’t get in. In the rare event it was captured inside during manufacture - coverered under warranty
 
so, why not take it to any OTHER hardware store if you don’t have AppleCare anyway? I doubt legal liability is a legit claim since they’re not the ones that put that bug in in the first place. Biohazard I can’t understand, but I wouldn’t expect them to replace my entire machine in the event a bug crawled into it — that’s silly. What they can do is pay for it to be removed. Sucks, but that’s how it goes sometimes.
Sure take it to another company, not apple. The liability is, if they clean a bug out of a mac and by some chance bugs get into the genius room and get into existing computers that are in for a repair, they have a big problem on their hands aka a legal liability. Apple does not take chances like this. If a Mac is opened and found to have bugs, it is immediately closed up, bagged up, the customer is called and asked to pick it up un repaired, that is the policy. Ps I’m not debating or speculating this, it’s a fact 🤔 ya know how the bug somehow go into that computer outside of apple? Well that doesn’t happen in genius rooms and this is exactly why it doesn’t happen, they have a policy in place.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maconplasma
I don’t know about legal positions but obviously Apple should be sorting this.

Insects are not rare and it’s not something a user can reasonably control like exposure to liquid. If they can get in and damage a £2500 device in this way then Apple should have a plan to fix it.

If they cannot repair it due to some biohazard nonsense then they should replace the device.

Building a product in such a way that a tiny insect can break it like this without a reasonable method to repair is Apple’s fault, not the customer paying £2500.

P.S. I would try the light solution to attract it out or I would try 1 or many Hoovers at some of the ports etc. to see if you can suck it out.
 
I don’t know about legal positions but obviously Apple should be sorting this.

Insects are not rare and it’s not something a user can reasonably control like exposure to liquid. If they can get in and damage a £2500 device in this way then Apple should have a plan to fix it.

If they cannot repair it due to some biohazard nonsense then they should replace the device.

Building a product in such a way that a tiny insect can break it like this without a reasonable method to repair is Apple’s fault, not the customer paying £2500.

P.S. I would try the light solution to attract it out or I would try 1 or many Hoovers at some of the ports etc. to see if you can suck it out.
The only sorting that needs to be done is the environment the computer was in after sale. That’s not apples problem to fix. If you have your computer around bug and smoke and it is damaged as a result, that’s on you, not apple. They don’t ship like that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maconplasma
The only sorting that needs to be done is the environment the computer was in after sale. That’s not apples problem to fix. If you have your computer around bug and smoke and it is damaged as a result, that’s on you, not apple. They don’t ship like that.
You’re entitled to your opinion but it’s a bit bizarre to mention smoke like it’s the same as insects. A smokey environment can be easily and reasonably avoided by the user, much like liquid as I mentioned.

A single insect cannot be reasonably avoided. The trick is to make your £2500 machine so that a single insect cannot cause this damage, or failing that you provide a reasonable plan to sort it if it does happen.

I’d be embarrassed if I made something and it was brought down by a fruit fly and I didn’t have any simple way to fix it, although I wouldn’t have the gall to charge £2500 for something so fragile.
 
The only sorting that needs to be done is the environment the computer was in after sale. That’s not apples problem to fix. If you have your computer around bug and smoke and it is damaged as a result, that’s on you, not apple. They don’t ship like that.
There are plenty of third party options that can and will safely open the mac, see the extent of what is going on and can clean it. In this case probably 1 little bug, easy fix for a 3rd party shop, once that is done, apple will honor any issues that may arise that are covered under its limited manufacturers warranty. Now they do have plus coverage for damage, but you need to have the coverage and
You’re entitled to your opinion but it’s a bit bizarre to mention smoke like it’s the same as insects. A smokey environment can be easily and reasonably avoided by the user, much like liquid as I mentioned.

A single insect cannot be reasonably avoided. The trick is to make your £2500 machine so that a single insect cannot cause this damage, or failing that you provide a reasonable plan to sort it if it does happen.

I’d be embarrassed if I made something and it was brought down by a fruit fly and I didn’t have any simple way to fix it, although I wouldn’t have the gall to charge £2500 for something so fragile.
There is only one person with an opinion on this matter and it’s not me, what I am saying is an actual fact. And who said the machine was brought down? It got a bug in it, because it was exposed to bugs, it’s not air tight, it has to have vents. There are exterminators that can remedy bugs in a home. This is an unlucky situation, the bug will most likely die and fall out of sight. But if you go to apple for help with the matter, well I have outlined how it is handled, wether you choose to accept this factual information, that’s up to you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maconplasma
There are plenty of third party options that can and will safely open the mac, see the extent of what is going on and can clean it. In this case probably 1 little bug, easy fix for a 3rd party shop, once that is done, apple will honor any issues that may arise that are covered under its limited manufacturers warranty. Now they do have plus coverage for damage, but you need to have the coverage and

There is only one person with an opinion on this matter and it’s not me, what I am saying is an actual fact. And who said the machine was brought down? It got a bug in it, because it was exposed to bugs, it’s not air tight, it has to have vents. There are exterminators that can remedy bugs in a home. This is an unlucky situation, the bug will most likely die and fall out of sight. But if you go to apple for help with the matter, well I have outlined how it is handled, wether you choose to accept this factual information, that’s up to you.
Are you speaking as a Genius employee with first hand knowledge of Apple policy in this specific regard?
 
There are plenty of third party options that can and will safely open the mac, see the extent of what is going on and can clean it. In this case probably 1 little bug, easy fix for a 3rd party shop, once that is done, apple will honor any issues that may arise that are covered under its limited manufacturers warranty. Now they do have plus coverage for damage, but you need to have the coverage and

There is only one person with an opinion on this matter and it’s not me, what I am saying is an actual fact. And who said the machine was brought down? It got a bug in it, because it was exposed to bugs, it’s not air tight, it has to have vents. There are exterminators that can remedy bugs in a home. This is an unlucky situation, the bug will most likely die and fall out of sight. But if you go to apple for help with the matter, well I have outlined how it is handled, wether you choose to accept this factual information, that’s up to you.

My apologies if you’re not expressing an opinion. To be clear, I am expressing an opinion and my opinion is the manufacturer should repair the device if it is broken by a fruit fly.

Recommending exterminators was silly, though.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Maconplasma
A smokey environment can be easily and reasonably avoided by the user,

Not if you are downwind of a major forest fire. Which is pretty much everyone in Canada right now.

Screen Shot 2021-07-10 at 4.44.47 PM.png
 
Last edited:
Not if you are downwind of a major forest fire.

Very true! Or in Pompeii in 79. I wonder if the Apple II would survive?

But yeah, it comes under major natural disaster, which obviously is a situation no one can control at all. So, insurance.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: poked
The only sorting that needs to be done is the environment the computer was in after sale. That’s not apples problem to fix. If you have your computer around bug and smoke and it is damaged as a result, that’s on you, not apple. They don’t ship like that.
The same environment that my last 7/8 computers have been in for years without a single issue. The same environment that has had far cheaper computers, with no flies behind screens etc.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.