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Then..... DON'T OPEN THE DAMNED THING YOURSELF

I think in the video he said that not even the AASP could get parts right now, which seems unacceptable for a professional level device. In the grand scheme of things, not that many people live near Apple stores and have to rely on 3rd party repairers, such as AASPs. That means that if the average person spilled coffee on an iMac Pro, or if their dog tripped over the power cord and knocked it over, they very likely couldn’t get it repaired. That’s the main reason my company hasn’t upgraded to iMac Pros, too much of a liability. Not to mention that when they start to slow down in a couple years, nothing can be upgraded.
 
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Apple has to fix the computer if he pays for the parts and labor, period!

People, use your brains, I buy a car, I crash it a month later or messed it up for X reason... I can go anywhere and buy parts for it, no? Well, Apple does not want to service you "Buy another car then". Not even Ferrari nor Lamborghini.
 
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Apple has to fix the computer if he pays for the parts and labor, period!

People, use your brains, I buy a car, I crash it a month later or messed it up for X reason... I can go anywhere and buy parts for it, no? Well, Apple does not want to service you "Buy another car then". Not even Ferrari nor Lamborghini.


The only reason why I think they should is because nobody else can. If there were other options, I'd be okay with them telling him to pound sand. But there aren't and it's because of them that there aren't.
 
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Either way, you're arguing economics in response to a technical argument. Nobody is denying that economics play a role in this. It's just not relevant. The post I was responding to implied that no reasonable company would service a proprietary product that was intentionally and stupidly broken. That's just not true. Cars are just the tip of the iceberg. Talk to any HVAC technician and they will have stories for days of times they repaired damage that was intentionally and stupidly caused by the customer. Plumbers and electricians too I bet.

It is an economic argument. Apple is swamped. The genius bar is swamped. Their repair depots are swamped. Prioritizing legitimate repairs over bailing out dummies over self-inflicted nonsense makes total sense,
 
I don't think there is anything wrong with the policy... why should Apple expend the resources to repair something that was broken (taken apart) on purpose by an uncertified person. If it was broken in the box or Apple was negligent, then I would fully support the complaint. He, however; made the choice to take it part knowing full well the risk(s). Apple is not alone in their policy... maybe he should have bought stupidity insurance of get his show to buy him a new computer...

Way to let the point of the article fly over your head...he is willing to repair it himself...Apple is refusing to sell him the parts to do so...and if you think that is ok, your just plain stupid.
 
Apple tend to fail at adequately explaining the reasons for this policy. The problem is that Apple almost certainly cannot repair the unit without warrantying the repair. They do not wish to warranty the repair work because there is a high risk they will get rinsed in the long run.
The end user disassembled the unit but Apple has no way to know whether they handled the components properly, followed ESD precautions and basically did everything the correct way. As far as Apple knows, these idiots took it apart while they were drunk and while it may be obvious that the unit needs a new Logic board and a new display, there is no guarantee that there isn't another part that has been damaged either by the initial incident, or by ESD mishandling and static shock damage or being exposed to unacceptable environmental conditions, all of which can cause delayed failures. Those failures can in turn cause other parts to fail all over again. Trust me, I once had a logic board/LCD combo that kept burning each other out and I went through three of each before successfully fixing the machine.
So this guy admits the damage and the tampering, pays for the parts and labour, but 60 days later one of the parts dies again. Those parts and the repair have at least a 90 day warranty, this is often enshrined in law in many countries meaning they cannot agree with the customer to waive it. This leaves the distinct possibility of a legal dispute when the customer claims part failure and the repair shop claims its resultant from the original damage or mishandling. Its really impossible to prove who is right without ludicrous expense and that is why you have the situation where Apple and AASPs will refuse to service some machines. They often do it with liquid damage for the same reason of knock-on damage. Its also the reason they don't let people fit parts themselves. AASPs are evaluated to make sure they have trained staff not just in repairs but in safety and handling precautions, they check your facilities for ESD workstations being up to par as well. If you buy a $700 logic board thinking you can install it in an iMac because you're quite good with Lego or built an ATX PC one time, you will destroy that machine trying and then you will go blame Apple.
The analogy with cars and insurance they use in the video is weak too. Firstly mechanical issues are easier to spot than electrical ones, second they are far less likely to cause other mechanical failures and lastly insurance companies write vehicles off all the time. Thats essentially what Apple is doing here.
 
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Either way, you're arguing economics in response to a technical argument. Nobody is denying that economics play a role in this. It's just not relevant. The post I was responding to implied that no reasonable company would service a proprietary product that was intentionally and stupidly broken. That's just not true. Cars are just the tip of the iceberg. Talk to any HVAC technician and they will have stories for days of times they repaired damage that was intentionally and stupidly caused by the customer. Plumbers and electricians too I bet.
Yep and they all have to fix these products, that is the point. The difference is that third parties can get legitimate parts, even if the aren't "authorized service centers".

Here is where we need to get to, the law should be clear:
  1. If you make a product, you agree that you will service the product.
  2. If it is not under warranty for any reason, you give the customer the option of having you service it at a reasonable cost (parts at cost + no more than 15% markup and labor billed in 15 minute increments at current industry standard rates) for the applicable repair, taking it to a third party (authorized or unauthorized) or repairing it themselves.
  3. If the customer chooses to take it to a third party repair shop or repairing it themselves, the manufacturer will provide replacement parts in no more than two business days with not more than a 15% markup on the cost of the parts plus shipping costs.

Simple, straight forward and provides a right to repair. This should be across all industries, as we are wasting way too many resources with the "disposable" mind set and we need to shift out of it to become more environmentally friendly, not to mention it would be better for everyone's pocketbook.
 
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I believe Apple has the rights to refuse this, even if he wants to pay for parts to repair it himself or by a authorized provider. Logically speaking, the device was opened by someone who has no knowledge and then f**** it up. Then decides, "Shoot, I guess it is time to actually have a professional take a look and maybe they can fix it". Repair guy who looks it over some diagnostic tool showing blah blah parts probably need replacing, "Sorry, Apple I think this guy did a number on the iMac, so please send these parts... Apple, who keeps a tight lid on parts to avoid abuse, like "Sorry, I decline this, the number of damages done to the iMac might increase the risk of liability for us since who knows what other damages are done internally and I can't stake my reputation on users who tampers with internals like previous iPhone users who taken their device to unauthorized repair shops for battery replacement and then months later it exploded...so you get my drift? If he is daring enough to open it, fail the reassembly and certain he can persist to find someone who is daring enough to fully reinspect, repair and guaranteed the repair service and accept liability if faulty repair causes harm or damage"

If it is really the logic board that got short circuit, it could potentially damage other components. This makes the whole repair unnecessary and futile to just buy a brand new one.
 
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No they wouldn't. There's absolutely nothing here that would allow a customer who opened their own machine and damaged it to claim damages against Apple.

Except the whole "It's impossible to get it repaired. You literally have to buy a new one." I'm pretty sure if they have parts and they won't sell you parts or service, there is a legal precedent there in Canada.
 
Apple tend to fail at adequately explaining the reasons for this policy. The problem is that Apple almost certainly cannot repair the unit without warrantying the repair. They do not wish to warranty the repair work because there is a high risk they will get rinsed in the long run.
The end user disassembled the unit but Apple has no way to know whether they handled the components properly, followed ESD precautions and basically did everything the correct way. As far as Apple knows, these idiots took it apart while they were drunk and while it may be obvious that the unit needs a new Logic board and a new display, there is no guarantee that there isn't another part that has been damaged either by the initial incident, or by ESD mishandling and static shock damage or being exposed to unacceptable environmental conditions, all of which can cause delayed failures. Those failures can in turn cause other parts to fail all over again. Trust me, I once had a logic board/LCD combo that kept burning each other out and I went through three of each before successfully fixing the machine.
So this guy admits the damage and the tampering, pays for the parts and labour, but 60 days later one of the parts dies again. Those parts and the repair have at least a 90 day warranty, this is often enshrined in law in many countries meaning they cannot agree with the customer to waive it. This leaves the distinct possibility of a legal dispute when the customer claims part failure and the repair shop claims its resultant from the original damage or mishandling. Its really impossible to prove who is right without ludicrous expense and that is why you have the situation where Apple and AASPs will refuse to service some machines. They often do it with liquid damage for the same reason of knock-on damage.
They can easily put in the terms that they do not guarantee the repair based on the condition of the item when it was brought in.
 
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And as far as I know, Apple is not in the pay to repair business. They offer warranty work. If he wants to pay to repair it, he would have to go to an Apple vedor/repair and wait like everyone else for the parts to become available... I still don't see why he should get preferential treatment.

I'm not saying I don't feel for the guy, but come on... I wish I had a new Mac in the new color that I could just have on my desk let alone be able to not worry about consequences if I decide to take the stuff apart.

Personally, I’ve yet to need a repair for any of the Apple devices I’ve owned, so for the most part I’m a satisfied customer. But if Apple is going to continue to make products that are difficult to nearly impossible for users to repair *and* not provide independent repair shops with the parts and documentation they need for out of warranty repairs, then I absolutely think they have an obligation to be in the repair business.

IMO this is just another eye opening spotlight on some very flawed policies and practices on Apple’s part, and another reason why we need more consumer protections like “right to repair” laws in place.

I understand why the warranty is void here, but that a customer can’t even pay to have an authorized repair done on a machine this expensive is completely unacceptable. If it’s because they don’t have the parts, then why are they selling 5-15K “professional workstations” to their customers?

Does this mean if you currently own an iMac Pro and need a repair there’s a good chance they’ll just replace the entire unit? This seems counter to the sustainable and environmentally friendly image Apple wants to portray.
 
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I believe Apple has the rights to refuse this, even if he wants to pay for parts to repair it himself or by a authorized provider. Logically speaking, the device was opened by someone who has no knowledge and then f**** it up. Then decides, "Shoot, I guess it is time to actually have a professional take a look and maybe they can fix it". Repair guy who looks it over some diagnostic tool showing blah blah parts probably need replacing, "Sorry, Apple I think this guy did a number on the iMac, so please send these parts... Apple, who keeps a tight lid on parts to avoid abuse, like "Sorry, I decline this, the number of damages done to the iMac might increase the risk of liability for us since who knows what other damages are done internally and I can't stake my reputation on users who tampers with internals like previous iPhone users who taken their device to unauthorized repair shops for battery replacement and then months later it exploded...so you get my drift? If he is daring enough to open it, fail the reassembly and certain he can persist to find someone who is daring enough to fully reinspect, repair and guaranteed the repair service and accept liability if faulty repair causes harm or damage"
I disagree, Apple can say they don't warranty the repair, but they should not have the right to say they won't repair it.
 
Not true. Apple will sell the parts to authorized service providers, which is what you are supposed to use. A "professional" device is a not a device you tear down for giggles when you don't know what you are doing. Are you telling me those guys in the video are "professionals?"

My mistake, I thought in the video he said that the AASP couldn’t get parts until they had the Apple Pro Certification, which didn’t exist yet. I must have heard wrong. I completely agree, I wouldn’t call Linus and friends professionals, and I wouldn’t take apart my work computer for fun. However, I do expect my work computer to be easily serviceable by me, or to have very quick service. To have to ship my computer to Apple to be repaired is unacceptable, I simply can’t afford to have that kind of downtime. And I don’t live close enough to an AASP or Apple Store for a walk-in repair. Just my situation though, and the reason I still use older Macs that are more serviceable.
 
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So Apple refuses to sell spare parts, yet doesnt offer any repair service/parts? Whoever at Apple came up with this idea should be fired imediately, this is the reason why there are consumer laws and Apple is once again proving why these laws exist.
 
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I don't see how Apple is doing anything wrong on the repair end of this -- my gripe would be on the design of this infernal thing, it's almost by design unrepairable, which is why I will never buy one in the first place. :)
 
So Apple refuses to sell spare parts, yet doesnt offer any repair service/parts? Whoever at Apple came up with this idea should be fired imediately, this is the reason why there are consumer laws and Apple is once again proving why these laws exist.
They will sell them if you have a certification that isn't available for a product that launched 4 months ago

If anyone else did this on a "pro" or workstation product they'd be laughed out of the room.
 
There’s something about this guy I really don’t like. I get major douche vibes from him and he seems overly obnoxious.
Plenty of YTers are like that, but this guy really isn't. I've seen some of his other videos, and he's pretty good, though I don't think he's a true expert on computers.
 
I wouldn't go that far - I think it is wrong to make a company do or make something they don't want to do or make. I'm a liberal, but I do sympathise with the libertarian concern.

But if a company is already doing or making something internally (replacement parts, service manuals), they shouldn't be allowed to horde it or monopolize it to the harm of consumers.

Right, but by definition if they are making something they are making the parts. :)
 
iMac Pros can be serviced by AASPs. Well at least the ones that can be bothered to keep their certifications up to date!
 
And as far as I know, Apple is not in the pay to repair business. They offer warranty work. If he wants to pay to repair it, he would have to go to an Apple vedor/repair and wait like everyone else for the parts to become available... I still don't see why he should get preferential treatment.

I'm not saying I don't feel for the guy, but come on... I wish I had a new Mac in the new color that I could just have on my desk let alone be able to not worry about consequences if I decide to take the stuff apart.

Apple's pay-to-repair business is actually pretty huge, which is most of the reason they fight right to repair bills so vehemently. Besides that, having to wait for parts to become available is unacceptable for a professional device. The AASP he contacted couldn’t even get parts until they passed a certification that doesn’t exist yet.
 
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True, Apple’s service business is already huge, so they can afford to refuse service to guys like this. Still, I think you're missing the point. Apple doesn’t provide parts or training yet, so even an Apple Authorized Service Center couldn't repair it, which is unacceptable, especially for a “professional” level device. Yes, Linus and co. treated their computer irresponsibly, but if you or I accidentally spilled coffee on an iMac Pro or dropped it moving it to another desk, we couldn’t get it serviced either (unless we lived near an actual Apple store, which isn’t that common).

Furthermore, Apple claims to be environmentally friendly, but isn’t making repair a priority, and is okay with people just throwing away a broken device? The recycling industry can’t handle all of our current waste, and Apple is advocating that we create more.
That part I absolutely agree with. He should be given the option to at least purchase parts even if they're not willing to repair it for an additional fee since warranty is voided. I'm assuming this will be an option soon since it's such a top tier machine that just came out.
 
Apple's pay-to-repair business is actually pretty huge, which is most of the reason they fight right to repair bills so vehemently. Besides that, having to wait for parts to become available is unacceptable for a professional device. The AASP he contacted couldn’t even get parts until they passed a certification that doesn’t exist yet.

Stop spreading falsehoods.

"At one point in the video, after Apple itself suggested that the venue talk to a third-party shop, the group was told that training for the repair for the iMac Pro wasn't available. This is false, and likely used by the shop to dodge the repair. Training materials have been available since before the iMac Pro launched, with some components able to be ordered in January, with the rest ready in early March."
 
Lots of people are using the car story as an equivalent. I am guessing you've not tried to replace a major part on a brand new model car. The number of stories where people have had to wait MONTHS before being able to replace a broken part on their new cars because they just aren't available. This 'could' easily be the same. the parts are just not available as all the stock is going to new ones.
 
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