Is this sort of false advertising?

[photoj2754]

So my nephew wanted to get a new laptop and was going to get the MacBook Air when he decided to go big and get a 15" retina MacBook Pro through the education store. This was what he ordered:


When he told me what he had bought I sent him a link about buying a Thunderbolt 2 dock since I figured with only two Thunderbolt 2 ports he would need one. Well he says no, he has all kinds of ports and after checking it out this is what he got from Apple:

I think he is happy with having all the ports and getting his free beats headphones but nowhere on the Apple site does it say that this is a 2015 model laptop. The other 15" models have the touch bar so we know they are current models. I just keep thinking this is fishy somehow but not sure and wanted to see what people thought or if we should contact Apple. It's funny because I have the 13" early 2015 MacBook Pro which I love and he was looking at but I really thought he had bought one of the newer models. Curious as to what people think.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Apple don't list products as '2017 MacBook Pro', '2015 MacBook Pro' etc. They list it as 'New' when it's umm new...

If you compare the models you can see they are different https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/r...-pro-2015-15&product2=macbook-pro-touchbar-15. You'll also see all the ports and other specifications of that particular machine.

Unsure what you're complain is here, is it that specifically it doesn't say '2015'? If so why would that matter, they've listed the specs and sold the machine as is; it's not false advertising to not list the year the product was designed in the title. Just as they don't list 2016-2017 etc. It is technically an older model but it is still sold and is still current, the one you buy is not a dusty old 2015 machine, it is one recently made and shipped (Or custom build if you order additions). That's why it gets a bit confusing to use design/release year in the title, they do however use this as the model identifier to make it easier for people to get help.

Not sure what Apple could do or what you would want, you can return it and get a TouchBar model if you wanted assuming it's within 2 weeks from order.

 

[photoj2754]

Not complaining. I did find the listing that said "Other models" just didn't notice the red "new". Just thought it was interesting that nowhere do they actually have anything that actually states you are buying a 2015 model. It does say two Thunderbolt 2 ports on the education page and unless you actually compare the models or are totally up on what Apple offers MacBook model-wise you might assume you are buying a 2017 machine. Like I said I have the exact same laptop and love it but just thought they should say it is a 2015 product. When you go to buy a car they always tell you what year it is.

 

[ilikewhey]

its funny how they make it obvious in the refurb but very very vague when purchasing new.

btw tell him he can get the same model+applecare 3 yr for alot cheaper on ebay

in fact if he wants the new one
https://slickdeals.net/f/10458660-a...-bar-i7-16gb-ram-256gb-ssd-1899-free-shipping

 

[jerryk]

When you got your 13" you could have selected the lower end model in 2015, which is actually the 2012 13" non-retina. Same thing.

 

[Nermal]

I don't see it as false advertising. It's still a current model, and it meets all the advertised specs.

 

[ZapNZs]

No, I do not think it is false advertising.

 

[jerwin]

I don't see it as false advertising. It's still a current model, and it meets all the advertised specs.

Apple's rather coy about that.

A 2015 Macbook Pro has a 2.2 Ghz 4 Core i7 4770HQ
A 2016 Macbook Pro has a 2.6 Ghz 4 Core i7 6700HQ

Yeah, you can sort of tell by process of elimination that it's not the latest model. But Apple hides things.

A Intel Iris Pro 5200 becomes "Iris Pro".
A Intel Iris 550 (found in the 13 inch model) becomes "Iris".

 

[idark77]

It is not a false advertising, there is no the "New" label but it is still in production.
In my opinion he bought a very good Apple MBP.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

I don't understand this thread. Is OP complaining that his nephew is happy with what he bought, or complaining that the newphew didn't buy what OP wanted him to buy?

 

[photoj2754]

I don't understand this thread. Is OP complaining that his nephew is happy with what he bought, or complaining that the newphew didn't buy what OP wanted him to buy?

So just want to say I'm not accusing Apple of false advertising or complaining about what he bought. But as others have said, it's vague and unless you actually go down and select compare models you would have no idea that you are getting a 2015 model. The confusion is on my part since the message he left me said "I got the bigger screen, the15" MacBook Pro. The newer one" I knew that Apple had dropped all the ports from the 2016-17 models so after he told me he did have all those ports something didn't add up since I was only looking at the basic specs on the education page and saw two Thunderbolt 2 ports (which by the way is exactly the same on the main Apple buy MacBook Pro page but the price is actually $200 more. Again you have to actually select that model and compare it to a Touchbar model in order to see that the non Touchbar is the 2015 unit) Well finally realized that it was the new 13" MacBook Pros that had either two or four Thunderbolt THREE ports. So just a mix-up on specs though if you just go to the buy page, select the $1799 MacBook Pro because it is the one you want, then go through the process of adding etc, you are not going to realize that you are getting a 2015 model. He certainly had no idea because he said he bought one of the new ones. Again not complaining. The laptop he got is very good (it has better specs than mine) but maybe the lesson is that you have to really compare models to understand what you are buying, though to be fair, my nephew was under the impression he bought a brand new 2017 15"MacBook Pro which is true, just a NEW 2015 15" MacBook Pro. Does this make sense?

 

[english_mac_in_ny]

I agree, Apple hides the year 2015 down in the specs, if you choose MBP specs for 15" and scroll all the way to the bottom. I'd like that to be changed as well to show that it's a 2 year old model, but Apple has never done that and I am sure they're happy that they can keep selling the old hardware for the full price. Check the prices for a highend business laptop from 2015 and you'll see that they are down around 35-50% compared to when it was introduced.

That is one reason why I only purchase a new MacbookPro right after it is released with the newest hardware. It's expensive, but at least you get the latest hardware for your money. Considering the age of the 2015 models, they are the overpriced ones, even though they are cheaper overall.

But you can always get the 2015 models at a better price from somewhere else, your nephew might be able to save a couple hundred bucks by returning it and purchasing it from somewhere else.

False advertising is something else entirely. If they sold that 2015 model claiming it's the latest 2017 model, that would be false advertising. In this case they just put the burden on the buyer to do proper research beforehand. If you spend 2000+ bucks and don't check thoroughly what you are actually gonna get, you have only yourself to blame.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

So just want to say I'm not accusing Apple of false advertising or complaining about what he bought. But as others have said, it's vague and unless you actually go down and select compare models you would have no idea that you are getting a 2015 model. The confusion is on my part since the message he left me said "I got the bigger screen, the15" MacBook Pro. The newer one" I knew that Apple had dropped all the ports from the 2016-17 models so after he told me he did have all those ports something didn't add up since I was only looking at the basic specs on the education page and saw two Thunderbolt 2 ports (which by the way is exactly the same on the main Apple buy MacBook Pro page but the price is actually $200 more. Again you have to actually select that model and compare it to a Touchbar model in order to see that the non Touchbar is the 2015 unit) Well finally realized that it was the new 13" MacBook Pros that had either two or four Thunderbolt THREE ports. So just a mix-up on specs though if you just go to the buy page, select the $1799 MacBook Pro because it is the one you want, then go through the process of adding etc, you are not going to realize that you are getting a 2015 model. He certainly had no idea because he said he bought one of the new ones. Again not complaining. The laptop he got is very good (it has better specs than mine) but maybe the lesson is that you have to really compare models to understand what you are buying, though to be fair, my nephew was under the impression he bought a brand new 2017 15"MacBook Pro which is true, just a NEW 2015 15" MacBook Pro. Does this make sense?

Not just comparing, just actually looking at the specs of the machine which most people tend to do when spending $2000 on a computer (The pictures and details are all different). Also any review or Google search or talking to a sales rep would sort this. As your nephew has brought it from the education store I'm hoping he'll use it for for educational purposes, education is important after all.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Also, the new ones have Thunderbolt 3, not Thunderbolt 2.

If you want confusing, as late as last October, you could buy a 13" MacBook Pro without Retina Display, with an optical drive. For $1099.

It was last updated in 2012. And only cost $100 more in 2012. They were selling a 4-year-old system for less than a 10% discount. (The drop from $1199 to $1099 happened in 2014.)

If you had bought that model when it launched, and had bought the AppleCare warranty, your warranty would have been expired for a year, and you could still purchase the exact same machine. It was Apple's longest "no changes at all while still on sale" machine since the Macintosh Plus. (The Macintosh Plus saw a drop in price of over 50% in the same time span - from $2599 in 1986 to $999 in 1990.)

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

my nephew was under the impression he bought a brand new 2017 15"MacBook Pro which is true, just a NEW 2015 15" MacBook Pro. Does this make sense?

Why does the year matter? He's getting the newest model (!) with all ports, he's happy with it and it suits his needs. There's no false advertising going on here, just you craving a higher number in the field that has the year.

 

[photoj2754]

I just think this is what causes the problem:

Both the regular and education buy pages have this as a spec. If you are not familiar with Apple computers and the peripherals they offer, you would read this and think "oh, I get two Thunderbolt 2 ports. Great." And you would think that you are getting a 2017 MacBook Pro model, which is what my nephew thought. I think it almost needs an asterisk that says "This is the 2015 MacBook Pro model which also includes an SD card slot, HDMI etc." That way you know that is what you are getting. The other glitch was that since he left me a message saying he had just bought what he thought was a 2017 model and had indicated he wanted to buy a cover, I sent him a link for the brand I had bought for my MacBook Pro but it was for the 2016-17 models. Of course it wouldn't have fit since he received a 2015 model. Identifying that the non-Touchbar models they are selling are the 2015 models would help eliminate little problems like this.
[doublepost=1502883685][/doublepost]"I agree, Apple hides the year 2015 down in the specs, if you choose MBP specs for 15" and scroll all the way to the bottom." AND you have to scroll all the way down THEN select "Other models" to see the actual specs. Though to be honest, I have not seen the year 2015 mentioned anywhere in the specs. Maybe I'm not looking in the correct area.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

The image is completely different. They are branded completely different "New" Touch Bar vs. normal. The listings are completely different, as are the prices. If anyone is at all confused there is a large 'call us' prompt at the top. You can clearly see the cheaper model has lesser RAM and connectivity than the newer models. You can also compare any of them or look at the actual specs to see what it has.

Your nephew has brought a 2017 laptop based on what they apparently needed. That to me does not look like in any way the same computer but cheaper, it is clearly a different model. Any reasonable person would at least use Google, call Apple directly, or check out the specs had they been in any way concerned about which was which. This is like buying a MBP in 2015 and then complaining that it's actually a 2012 design.

Apple still sell the older design at a cheaper price, as they always do. But your nephew has not brought a 2015 laptop, he's brought a 2017 laptop that was first released (And has been updated) in 2015. You seem more confused than your nephew on this one, you can have him return it if you want and they can buy a cheaper model. But from the sounds of it, they stretched to get this one thinking it was a 'bargain', and now there is some hope that if you complain Apple will upgrade to the newer one or something?

 

[photoj2754]

View attachment 713211

The image is completely different. They are branded completely different "New" Touch Bar vs. normal. The listings are completely different, as are the prices. If anyone is at all confused there is a large 'call us' prompt at the top. You can clearly see the cheaper model has lesser RAM and connectivity than the newer models. You can also compare any of them or look at the actual specs to see what it has.

Your nephew has brought a 2017 laptop based on what they apparently needed. That to me does not look like in any way the same computer but cheaper, it is clearly a different model. Any reasonable person would at least use Google, call Apple directly, or check out the specs had they been in any way concerned about which was which. This is like buying a MBP in 2015 and then complaining that it's actually a 2012 design.

Apple still sell the older design at a cheaper price, as they always do. But your nephew has not brought a 2015 laptop, he's brought a 2017 laptop that was first released (And has been updated) in 2015. You seem more confused than your nephew on this one, you can have him return it if you want and they can buy a cheaper model. But from the sounds of it, they stretched to get this one thinking it was a 'bargain', and now there is some hope that if you complain Apple will upgrade to the newer one or something?

Not sure what your point is but About this Mac on his laptop states that it is an "early 2015" model. The two touchbars in the add are the newer designs without any of the ports on the 2015 model that he bought. The add for the non-touchbar says "two Thunderbolt 2 ports" nothing else. If you pick select it says the same thing. If you don't look at the gallery (which I eventually did to confirm that this was the 2015 model) you have to scroll down and select "compare models", then select the models you want to compare and only then will you see that the non-touchbar is the 2015 design (but without mentioning the year. I have still not found exactly where it is listed). It is exactly the same if you go to the education store except the price is $200 cheaper. I was expecting him to buy an Air since we went over all the specs he wanted and I explained them to him. The fact that he told me he had bought the NEW 15" Pro (He had told me he didn't want a touchbar model) AND he said he had these other ports didn't add up until I started digging through the ads and then checked EveryMac and realized he had a brand new 2015 model. I actually think he got a great deal and laptop just that the whole listing of "two Thunderbolt 2 ports" only can be confusing to people.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Not sure what your point is but About this Mac on his laptop states that it is an "early 2015" model. The two touchbars in the add are the newer designs without any of the ports on the 2015 model that he bought. The add for the non-touchbar says "two Thunderbolt 2 ports" nothing else. If you pick select it says the same thing. If you don't look at the gallery (which I eventually did to confirm that this was the 2015 model) you have to scroll down and select "compare models", then select the models you want to compare and only then will you see that the non-touchbar is the 2015 design (but without mentioning the year. I have still not found exactly where it is listed). It is exactly the same if you go to the education store except the price is $200 cheaper. I was expecting him to buy an Air since we went over all the specs he wanted and I explained them to him. The fact that he told me he had bought the NEW 15" Pro (He had told me he didn't want a touchbar model) AND he said he had these other ports didn't add up until I started digging through the ads and then checked EveryMac and realized he had a brand new 2015 model. I actually think he got a great deal and laptop just that the whole listing of "two Thunderbolt 2 ports" only can be confusing to people.

So you aren't confused, you're confused that your nephew was confused? As I said, probably best he studies hard in school. You say he told you he brought 'The NEW 15" Pro', even though the one he brought isn't listed as 'NEW', he brought 'A NEW 15" Pro'. One is clearly listed as being the 'new' model, the other isn't. So the confusion here is on how someone could think that, or not bother to check anything/ask anyone/google to understand.

 

[Phil A.]

To be fair to Apple, they do show it as a 2015 model on the tech specs page

Also, the link to the full specs shows all the ports

Finally, while they only list the thunderbolt ports on the buy page, they are clearly shown as Thunderbolt 2 rather than Thunderbolt 3 and I suspect it's so that the machine doesn't appear to have more than the more expensive ones (i.e. ports that they don't)

 

[english_mac_in_ny]

In the end it comes down the fact that the buyer has to do proper research. It takes 20 minutes at the most, if you have to call Apple for clarification, to figure out what you'll spend your 2000 dollars on. There usually is a return window as well, especially when purchasing it at the online Apple Store. It could be shown in a better way by Apple, but it isn't and that's that. Made a mistake? Explain it to Apple and in the first week they'll surely reverse the transaction or at least swap it out for the model you actually wanted.

 

[Fishrrman]

An educated consumer makes for the best customer.
Before one spends the big bucks on a MacBook Pro, one should do the research and the homework.

Your nephew has got a pretty good MacBook Pro; he may come to appreciate the legacy ports, particularly in school.

 

[Queen6]

It's a great notebook, just very much overpriced by Apple...

Q-6