Sounds like my BMW lol, which I will never own another outside the warranty....
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New 12-Inch MacBook Teardown Reveals Tweaked USB-C Hardware and Tamper-Evident Screws
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Another example of the iFixit bias. The stuff is probably anti-cam out compound, which is a grit that adds friction between the driver and screw head. You need it when you're applying large amounts of torque to a Philips. Tri-wing is naturally more resistant to cam-out so they didn't need it. I suspect Apple had a supply chain problem, leading to the change.
These people should at least try (To make a coherent argument) before putting on the Apple cheerleading outfit
It's there so people don't open their unserviceable laptop, break it, then try to make a warranty claim. Not sure what point you're making.
Almost like it was intended to to be a mid-life CPU bump or something...
source, please.
Pretty sure the cost I was quoted for my last graphics card (logic board) failure on my MBP was more than $280..?
Anyways, just reading "tamper evident screws" makes my blood boil. My phone and being able to use Messages on my computer while working is one of the only things keeping me on Apple for computing at this point. Just bought a dell 4K monitor after giving up on the Apple waiting game, and boy should I have done it sooner. Considering 95% of the programs I use for work, work on Windows (Adobe CC), and my iMac is getting long in the tooth, I have caught myself parting out a custom PC build (that somehow can accept hard drives inside the chassis, SUCH HORROR). I would even be able to upgrade the GFX card when I need to instead of throwing out my perfectly good machine (MORE horror!)
Apple needs a shakeup, bad, or they are about to lose me and my dollars (in my eyes, a creative professional who has used their computers for the past 10 years in a production capacity). Sure, I am just one person, but once the creative pros, who arguably made apple "cool" ("designers and artists use apples" and other hogwash tropes) vacate and apple loses that vibe, how much longer until they are just another phone company making mediocre incremental upgrades (OMG MORE THIN!)
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Or use correctly sized and profiled screwdrivers from the right angles with a torque setting?
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The thinnest MacBook here is made of one single logic board with all the components on it and a custom-made battery. Expecting any user-serviceable parts inside is just unrealistic.
This is not an ATX box you buy from Newegg.
Really? I figured it'd save on the cost of glue and tamper proof screws
adding to all the whining: this was a lousy teardown from ifixit.. i get that it's basically last year's model with updated usb cable, but no teardown before this felt so scarse on steps and details as this one, only the bare minimum to make it to the news in time. (not that i prefer those with puppies or kittens 
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Apple was repairing computers and laptop since the 80s, only now it has become a nightmare?
I think that's actually happening with these. Everyone's pointing out how quickly this update came about. Apple would let the product stay as-is a little bit longer if it was a better seller.
As someone with a side business fixing up and reselling used computers and tablets (PC and Mac), I'll say one thing. I've *never* had as tough a time selling them as I've had in the last year or so! Even when the economy was in a depression back in 2008-09, I could sell a used PC or Mac pretty quickly and easily. People who wanted/needed a replacement but couldn't afford to buy new would happily buy one of mine.
But in 2016, the market has been "painfully difficult". I get the feeling what's happened is the bottom dropped out of the computer market for the "middle class" and "lower middle class". The people still spending money on computers are the upper-middle and upper-class people, who refuse to spend it for anything that's not brand new with a factory warranty.
This means that Apple can still find some buyers for $1000+ slim laptops like the Retina 12" Macbooks, but they have a VERY low resale value on the used marketplace. Kind of like a new luxury car purchase, they lose 40% of their value as soon as you "take it off the lot", so you better be sure you're really going to use and enjoy it for a while!
It's even WORSE for Windows laptops.... I have a practically new HP 15" model here, for example (literally only used for one trade show and upgraded to Windows 10 from the Windows 8 that shipped with it), PLUS it was upgraded with a 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM from the original 512GB SSD and 8GB. As one of their "business class" machines, it sells for around $1700 new, before those upgrades. I've been trying to sell this for a friend of mine for about 5 months now, dropping the price as low as $750 -- and have had NO takers whatsoever. Listed twice on eBay and all I have to show for that are listing fees paid to them. Craigslist? No takers except a scammer from S. Africa wanting to "pay with Western Union".
Unless this trend turns around, I think even the people who have high incomes and can afford whatever they want will slow down buying these higher-end computers and tablets. (At least for the "upper middle class" purchaser, part of the attraction was an understanding you could always flip your 1 year old machine for 50% of what you paid and buy the latest and greatest version.)
As I understand things, these flat rate repairs are always handled by mailing the unit off to a service center. Your local Apple store's technicians won't work on it under this plan. (I recently had a 2011 Macbook Air I wanted to have serviced, and took it to the Genius Bar. I was given both options ... a price quote for labor + parts to have it fixed in-house, AND that flat rate option where it would be shipped off. Considering it needed a new battery, SSD and logic board - flat rate was far cheaper. If it had only needed 1 item replaced, the in-house servicing could have been a better value.)
As someone with a side business fixing up and reselling used computers and tablets (PC and Mac), I'll say one thing. I've *never* had as tough a time selling them as I've had in the last year or so! Even when the economy was in a depression back in 2008-09, I could sell a used PC or Mac pretty quickly and easily. People who wanted/needed a replacement but couldn't afford to buy new would happily buy one of mine.
But in 2016, the market has been "painfully difficult". I get the feeling what's happened is the bottom dropped out of the computer market for the "middle class" and "lower middle class". The people still spending money on computers are the upper-middle and upper-class people, who refuse to spend it for anything that's not brand new with a factory warranty.
This means that Apple can still find some buyers for $1000+ slim laptops like the Retina 12" Macbooks, but they have a VERY low resale value on the used marketplace. Kind of like a new luxury car purchase, they lose 40% of their value as soon as you "take it off the lot", so you better be sure you're really going to use and enjoy it for a while!
It's even WORSE for Windows laptops.... I have a practically new HP 15" model here, for example (literally only used for one trade show and upgraded to Windows 10 from the Windows 8 that shipped with it), PLUS it was upgraded with a 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM from the original 512GB SSD and 8GB. As one of their "business class" machines, it sells for around $1700 new, before those upgrades. I've been trying to sell this for a friend of mine for about 5 months now, dropping the price as low as $750 -- and have had NO takers whatsoever. Listed twice on eBay and all I have to show for that are listing fees paid to them. Craigslist? No takers except a scammer from S. Africa wanting to "pay with Western Union".
Unless this trend turns around, I think even the people who have high incomes and can afford whatever they want will slow down buying these higher-end computers and tablets. (At least for the "upper middle class" purchaser, part of the attraction was an understanding you could always flip your 1 year old machine for 50% of what you paid and buy the latest and greatest version.)
[doublepost=1461598837][/doublepost]No, the "flat rate repair" option covers all parts and labor. The price quoted for such a repair seems to vary based on which device or computer you're having serviced though. (EG. I just had this done for an iPad Air 128GB with wi-fi and cellular, and the flat rate out of warranty repair cost on that was $249.)
As I understand things, these flat rate repairs are always handled by mailing the unit off to a service center. Your local Apple store's technicians won't work on it under this plan. (I recently had a 2011 Macbook Air I wanted to have serviced, and took it to the Genius Bar. I was given both options ... a price quote for labor + parts to have it fixed in-house, AND that flat rate option where it would be shipped off. Considering it needed a new battery, SSD and logic board - flat rate was far cheaper. If it had only needed 1 item replaced, the in-house servicing could have been a better value.)
one is the main system RAM, the other one is exclusive for the SSD (for caching and stuff like that).
I can see and respect both sides of the argument when it comes to working on / upgrading ones own Apple Computer.
Years ago, I loved to upgrade my Mac desktop and laptop models. But times do change and so did Apple's attitude about this topic. In addition the "bad guys ruined it for the good guys" so to speak. Taking advantage of Apple's liberal return / replacement policy, Apple encountered those who returned computers they ruined when doing their own ham fisted upgrades, damaging the hardware in the process, but claiming that "it came that way".
So I see Apple's new stance and understand even if I don't care for it.
Er, this philosophy has not changed since Steve started Apple in his garage 40 years ago. I'm not sure why you're surprised and getting upset over it now.
Closed, hard to get into systems, most especially in their consumer, non-pro products have always been in Apple's DNA (maybe except for the time when Steve was fired).
Has already started happening. Hence the millions of PC's that Apple quoted as being over 5 years old during their iPad Pro announcement. I don't think these people are going to replace their PC's with a tablet, But we've hit a point of diminishing returns in the last 5 years with PC performance. The average user of modern computers is perfectly capable of using low to mid range parts for their computing devices. computers that are 4-5 years old are still running perfectly fine, and more than fast enough for today's light tasks (Standard Web style stuff). One of the reasosn resale is probably harder. Why is anyone going to buy a 3 year old used laptop for close to retail when their 3-5 year old hardware is still performing well for them.
Apple's approach has been to cripple the hardware so that in 3-5 years, that laptop will feel slow so you want to upgrade. Almost all the refreshes we've seen have been to reduce performance and costs to Apple, while we've seen increases to the price.
The MacBook air has been all but abandoned. It performs too well on the i5 or i7. These laptops, despite the bad display, could easily last you 5+ years. heck, the 2011 MBA's with IvyBridge are still performing very well.
The MacBook is highly throttled laptop that has the high res display, in a form factor nearly identical to the 11" MBA, but loses out on performance and connectivity.
the rMBPro's are really the only Apple computer that seems low on compromise. Except you know, No more expandible memory or replaceable hard drives.
the 23" iMac's all come with laptop based CPU's in a desktop class machine.
the 27" iMac's suffer from heavy heat throttling on desktop class CPU's, and never perform as fast as their components should be allowed to
the Mac Mini was cut from the mid range quad core laptop CPU's to the Dual Core ultra low voltage CPU's (same as the MBA), while removing expandible RAM and at base price, offering less storage options, with smaller hybrid drive, or coming with the cheapest 5400rpm hadr drive (in a computer that starts over $600
The last couple years have seen this catering to "just provide them enough so they'll want to upgrade / spend more money more frequently". its nto planned obsolescence, but it sure is Planned "provide by default as little as possible and hope they splurge on upgrades or frequent replacements"
and because its' Apple. There is a very large contigent of users who will buy it because it's new, and the Apple Logo is on it. Regardless if it's a good product or not. Saying this, the MacBook is not a bad product. But it's sure as hell not a $1500 laptop.
Exactly, wtf are people expecting to repair here? the entire computer is one gum stick sized logic board, and like 4 other components.