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Both examples you gave are outside of the users control, are you thinking?

This guy INTENTIONALLY disassembled his computer and modified it, and damaged it as a result. His fault.

His choice was to run the risk of breaking it and having Apple refuse to repair it. He assumed that risk voluntarily; Apple is well within its rights to refuse. And it should.

It doesn't matter if it's his fault or not. He could repair it himself, but Apple will not provide the parts on a machine they actively service. This is a right to repair issue and it should concern you and everyone here.
 
Just saw this video. I knew he was sued by Apple a while back, but I didn't follow up on all the details.

Skip to 4:15 mark. Apple claims that after he repairs a Macbook, it is no longer a Macbook o_O and that he's committing fraud for returning that Macbook, which is no longer a Macbook after having been repaired, to the customer as a Macbook o_O Wow.

 
It doesn't matter if it's his fault or not. He could repair it himself, but Apple will not provide the parts on a machine they actively service. This is a right to repair issue and it should concern you and everyone here.

He voluntarily assumed the risk. All of the risk, including that Apple wouldn't sell the parts necessary to him. It's possible the iMP in question can't be repaired correctly, for whatever reason.
 
He voluntarily assumed the risk. All of the risk, including that Apple wouldn't sell the parts necessary to him. It's possible the iMP in question can't be repaired correctly, for whatever reason.

That is foolish, to be frank.

If I take an AXE to my own roof of my home, I have the right to get parts from wherever I want and fix my roof.

If I take DYNAMITE and stuff it into my 1971 Chevrolet Corvette LS5's engine pistons and DETONATE it, I have the right to get parts from wherever I want and fix my engine even if it's out of active maintenance because people make spare parts.

If I take a Dell and SMASH it on the ground, I have the right to get parts from wherever I want and fix the Dell, even if it's out of active maintenance because people make spare parts.

Apple should not be privvy to tell you what you can or can't do to your own hardware beyond the warranty when I'm paying out of my own pocket for the parts and when they are actively maintaining service on the item. To tell you "well you messed it up, here's a $4500 price tag for a new one" is absolutely insane and only in Apple's whimsical world of fantasy would people say "yeah that's totally reasonable. Just get in your Model S P100D and pop on down to the local Apple Store and whip out your AMEX Black Card."
 



Linus Sebastian, who runs the popular YouTube channel Linus Tech Tips, recently shared a video in which he claimed Apple and an Apple Authorized Service Provider denied to service his damaged iMac Pro.

linus-imac-pro-800x448.jpg

For background, Sebastian and his team fully disassembled the iMac Pro in January for their video review, which shows components like the main logic board and memory modules laid out individually. The real-time footage of the damage occurring in the new video appears to be a reenactment with visual effects.

The damage resulted when they dropped the display while attempting to reattach it to the aluminum chassis. Towards the end of the video, Sebastian also says the iMac Pro requires a new logic board and power supply unit, suggesting there may have been a short circuit that caused damage to internal components as well.


Sebastian contacted Apple to inquire about repair options, and visited the Genius Bar at an Apple Store, but the company ultimately declined to service the iMac Pro. In an email, an Apple support advisor placed blame on limited availability of replacement parts, but the actual reason is likely rooted in policy.

As has long been the case, Apple's terms and conditions for repairs stipulates that the company will not service products that have failed due to "unauthorized modification," including "faulty installation, repair, or maintenance by anyone other than Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider."

Apple's limited one-year warranty is also void if a product has "damage caused by service, including upgrades and expansions, performed by anyone who is not a representative of Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider."

In his defense, Sebastian confirms he is aware of those policies, but his argument is that Apple should still be obligated to repair the iMac Pro if he pays out-of-warranty fees. In the video's comments section, reaction is mixed, with some people agreeing with him and others siding with Apple.

iMac Pro is a non-user-upgradeable, all-in-one workstation by design, so it's easy to see why Apple may not be interested in servicing one that was fully disassembled. While the team at Linus Tech Tips may be more tech savvy than some, a lot can go wrong when an average customer tampers with internals.

After the repair was declined by Apple, Sebastian and his team contacted an Apple Authorized Service Provider in Canada, where they are located. The repair shop also declined the repair, but their reason was allegedly that Apple has yet to offer the required certification courses to service the iMac Pro.

However, Apple's internal iMac Pro Service Readiness Guide obtained by MacRumors states that ATLAS online training and learning resources for servicing the iMac Pro have been available in English since December. We also spoke to multiple sources who completed the course and received certification months ago.

The guide adds that iMac Pro service parts availability began in early to mid January, with replacement logic boards, flash storage, and memory available by late February. Multiple sources at Apple Authorized Service Providers also confirmed that iMac Pro displays are available with two-week-or-less delivery estimates.

MacRumors contacted a reliable source who confirmed that Apple Authorized Service Providers are permitted to deny service for any product that has been opened or modified by a customer, regardless of warranty, both for safety reasons and to avoid responsibility if the machine cannot be fixed.

In the end, Apple has to draw a line somewhere, and not everyone will agree with it. MacRumors contacted Apple, but a spokesperson declined to comment. We've also contacted Linus Tech Tips for comment.

Article Link: Popular YouTuber Says Apple Won't Fix His iMac Pro Damaged While Disassembled
[doublepost=1524143469][/doublepost]Reminds me of that time a Canadian sent in his iMac all gummed up with maple syrup and Apple refused to fix it.
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That is foolish, to be frank.

If I take an AXE to my own roof of my home, I have the right to get parts from wherever I want and fix my roof.

If I take DYNAMITE and stuff it into my 1971 Chevrolet Corvette LS5's engine pistons and DETONATE it, I have the right to get parts from wherever I want and fix my engine even if it's out of active maintenance because people make spare parts.

If I take a Dell and SMASH it on the ground, I have the right to get parts from wherever I want and fix the Dell, even if it's out of active maintenance because people make spare parts.

Apple should not be privvy to tell you what you can or can't do to your own hardware beyond the warranty when I'm paying out of my own pocket for the parts and when they are actively maintaining service on the item. To tell you "well you messed it up, here's a $4500 price tag for a new one" is absolutely insane and only in Apple's whimsical world of fantasy would people say "yeah that's totally reasonable. Just get in your Model S P100D and pop on down to the local Apple Store and whip out your AMEX Black Card."

Likely you would have to hire someone to fix every one of those items regardless of pars accessibility. It isn’t about the parts as much as it is about breaking the seal on a device assembled in highly specific conditions. It is akin to trying to fix grandmas failed kidneys out in the wood shop. Hard to get parts, likely won’t work if you could.....
 
This is a horrible policy from Apple. Even if damage is the user’s fault, they should be willing to repair their products as long as the customer pays for it. Imagine if your car dealership refused to fix your car simply because you had opened the hood to replace an air filter and somehow caused damage. With this policy Apple is saying ‘screw you. enjoy your $5,000 paperweight’. Ridiculous...

Maybe next time don't **** around with your $5000 sealed box computer and expect a company to fix it when you completely **** it up. At some point the consumer needs to be held accountable for their own stupidity.
 
Something to keep in mind... As an ExMacGenius I can tell you from experience that there are times that a machine is beyond fixing. Too many parts and or too much damage to make it worth the job, instead of just buying a new one. Also, the main reason they may refuse repair is that once they are done, the unit goes back into warranty OR gets a limited warranty (60 days) If they don't feel they can repair it and certify it as in warranty, they decline the repair.
 
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His choice was to run the risk of breaking it and having Apple refuse to repair it. He assumed that risk voluntarily; Apple is well within its rights to refuse. And it should.
No it's not. Please stop making assumptions like this, you are not contributing anything to this debate.
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Something to keep in mind... As an ExMacGenius I can tell you from experience that there are times that a machine is beyond fixing. Too many parts and or too much damage to make it worth the job, instead of just buying a new one. Also, the main reason they may refuse repair is that once they are done, the unit goes back into warranty OR gets a limited warranty (60 days) If they don't feel they can repair it and certify it as in warranty, they decline the repair.
This is all good, but how can Apple then deny you the right to repair it yourself just because they dont want to/can't?
 
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I’m late so nobody is reading. But...

1. Apple doesn’t sell logic boards to customers. Never have.
2. He’s asking for that plus screen and power supply. He could build his own iMac Pro with those parts.
3. Repair shop claims they don’t know how to fix it but the training is available. FIND A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP.
4. If you took your car completely apart then towed it to a dealership after you couldn’t get it running again, the dealership (a third party licensed by the manufacturer) might refuse service. They certainly wouldn’t sell you an engine, on board computer and complete steering and suspension package and send you on your way.
 
I agree with Apple on this. iMac's are not sold as DIY boxes, and so when a user chooses to mess around and screw it up, nuts to them that Apple should be required to fix it.

When you buy something like this from Apple you give up certain rights and expectations, and one of those is the idea of upgrading or tinkering or trying to fix something yourself because the iMac is NOT intended to be opened up and it says so right in the warranty. Consumers have to start reading the ****ing fine print, whether its logging into Facebook or buying an iMac.

If I opened the hood of my car and started yanking out parts and then complained to the dealer that it won't work, what the **** do you think the dealer is going to say or do about that?

In this case people siding with this millennial is being a naive idealist. Apple is not beholden to fix all the stupid things a user might do to their products.

BUYER BEWARE, seriously, when did consumers become so petulant and entitled that they no longer hold any responsibility for their own actions?
 
I’m late so nobody is reading. But...

dealership (a third party licensed by the manufacturer) might refuse service. They certainly wouldn’t sell you an engine, on board computer and complete steering and suspension package and send you on your way.

Maybe they wouldnt repair it, but they would be most glad to sell you all the spare parts, and charge it quite a lot.
 
It seems that nobody actually watched the video and understands what the story is...

The main point is that Apple refused to ship the replacement parts to an authorized third-party reseller because working on the iMac Pro requires a special certification that doesn't even exist yet, and it sounds like no repair instructions have been written either. Assuming this is actually true, that's quite unimpressive of Apple to release a product that they themselves don't even know how to fix.

Reading the article I don't see how you arrived at the conclusion that Apple does not know how to fix its product. That certification existed since December. His "team" ruined the iMac, and his "team" should be able repair it with the proper parts. If not, then they should not be taking apart technical products that are not user-serviceable or user-upgradeable.

The real story may be that parts are not yet available beyond those destined for under-warranty repairs.
 
Ultimately people want total freedom with the machines they own. And this is the cost of total freedom. You cant do what you want to do and expect the other party to just suck it up. That is not a contract, that is not how anything is done.

And there lies the heart of the matter, consumers having the belief that they 'can do what ever they want' and the manufacturer is expected to 'suck it up'.

That is why the FTC made it's ruling regarding warranties and why the push for 'right to repair'. Consumers are saying i have the right to do what ever i want with my product and if i break it, the manufacturer must either repair it at their or the customers expense or they must provide the spare parts at cost so the customer can fix the product.
 
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This dude looks like a tool.

Someone on Facebook (who is a former Apple Genius) said it’d be cheaper to buy a new iMac since this sort of repair is beyond economic feasibility.
 
Something to keep in mind... As an ExMacGenius I can tell you from experience that there are times that a machine is beyond fixing. Too many parts and or too much damage to make it worth the job, instead of just buying a new one.

Someone on Facebook (who is a former Apple Genius) said it’d be cheaper to buy a new iMac since this sort of repair is beyond economic feasibility.

If they just said this then that probably would have been acceptable. "Price for parts is beyond price for new boxed machine" is a perfectly valid excuse.
 
I agree with Apple on this. iMac's are not sold as DIY boxes, and so when a user chooses to mess around and screw it up, nuts to them that Apple should be required to fix it.

When you buy something like this from Apple you give up certain rights and expectations, and one of those is the idea of upgrading or tinkering or trying to fix something yourself because the iMac is NOT intended to be opened up and it says so right in the warranty. Consumers have to start reading the ****ing fine print, whether its logging into Facebook or buying an iMac.

If I opened the hood of my car and started yanking out parts and then complained to the dealer that it won't work, what the **** do you think the dealer is going to say or do about that?

In this case people siding with this millennial is being a naive idealist. Apple is not beholden to fix all the stupid things a user might do to their products.

BUYER BEWARE, seriously, when did consumers become so petulant and entitled that they no longer hold any responsibility for their own actions?
Oh great here we go again.

When you buy something from Apple you dont "give up certian rights and expectations" regarding fixing the "unfixable" iMac. I dont know where you got that idea but if you live by it, thats your problem. If Apple can fix the iMac pro that means that it is fixable and your argument goes down the drain.

Nobody is saying that this guy is demaning under-warranty repair. He acknowladges that he is aware that they voided warranty, what he is asking is either for Apple service to repair his iMac(for whatever amount of money) or selling him spare parts. Once again, this has NOTHING to do with so called "unfixability of iMac", it has to do with consumer law. And no fine print can negate that. Apple could write into their fine print "By buying this iMac you agree giving us rights to use your personal details so we can share it on youtube and make fun out of you" and people would still buy it. There are limits to where fine print can go, and stating(which i doubt it even exists) that you wont be able to fix iMac pro in ANY way if it breaks and voids warranty, really doesnt have any effect.

When it comes to dealer - They can either deny service or they can sell you spare parts(which is every dealer's dream come true, since they smack their % on the price and make a lot of money just by placing one simple order for different parts). And not like apple, where they dont want to do anything about it since they dont want any 3rd party making money for repairing their products.
 
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If they just said this then that probably would have been acceptable. "Price for parts is beyond price for new boxed machine" is a perfectly valid excuse.

That would not have worked because then there would be another media storm about the individual replacement parts of the machine costing more than the complete machine it self and thus moans and complains of Apple ripping customers off over cost of replacement parts.
 
No it's not. Please stop making assumptions like this, you are not contributing anything to this debate.
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This is all good, but how can Apple then deny you the right to repair it yourself just because they dont want to/can't?

First, yes, he voluntarily assumed all risk by voluntarily taking it apart. And stop trying to shut down diverging viewpoints by claiming it doesn't add anything - from a legal perspective, Apple is well within its rights to deny service or parts to a non-authorized person or organization. Put simply, there is no legal requirement for Apple to repair it because the damage was voluntarily done.

And your second question is absurd. If it can't be repaired, there is no obligation for Apple (or any other company) to try. Similarly, there is no requirement that Apple sell repair parts to anyone not an authorized repair facility.
 
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What is it that you do not understand? TOCs = will not repair unauthorized modifications - this is in or OUT of warranty. Taking the thing apart is definitely not authorized.

“Well Apple can send him the parts he needs” - To Make unauthorized modifications???

Use a brain cell.

You don’t get to tinker around inside the machine and then cry foul because you break it. Anyone that disassembles the machine should realize that they may have to replace it if something goes wrong. I thought these YouTubers only did dumb stuff on “test” devices.

Can you imagine the guy that failure tests the phones to breakage crying that the company won’t fix them. SMFH
 
You can talk all about warranty and Apple policy, but the issue here as I see it is the following:

If I drop my camera, I can pay to get it fixed.

If I crash my car, I can pay to get it fixed.

If I drop my iPhone, I can pay to get it fixed.

If I drop my Macbook Pro, I can pay to get it fixed.

If I damage my iMac Pro, I can't pay to get it fixed.


For all of you saying that Apple is doing the right thing here, imagine if you dropped your phone on the ground and cracked the screen, and Apple tried to pull this same BS, and there was no 3rd party screen options available?

You can get it repaired. Authorised service providers are given the *option* not to repair it if they deem the damage was done by meddling.

If you bring in an iMac pro tell them you accidentally bumped it, they will repair it... if you tell them you damaged it while meddling with it, they might not touch it. It’s a liability issue.

I think, the guy just needs to phone up more authorised service providers and *don’t tell them* he meddled with it.
 
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First, yes, he voluntarily assumed all risk by voluntarily taking it apart. And stop trying to shut down diverging viewpoints by claiming it doesn't add anything - from a legal perspective, Apple is well within its rights to deny service or parts to a non-authorized person or organization. Put simply, there is no legal requirement for Apple to repair it because the damage was voluntarily done.

And your second question is absurd. If it can't be repaired, there is no obligation for Apple (or any other company) to try. Similarly, there is no requirement that Apple sell repair parts to anyone not an authorized repair facility.

You have to realize, that if a company sells certain product, they must offer repair service for it even if its not under warranty. All that apple would have to say here is "Pay 8000€ and we'll repair it". Then its customer's decision wether he is willing to pay that much for a small repair. But denying any repairs a priori just because he voided warranty is completely crazy.
 
If ever a thread provided proof that a significant number of members will comment on an article despite neither reading nor understanding the actual article itself, it’s this one...
 
Oh great here we go again.

When you buy something from Apple you dont "give up certian rights and expectations" regarding fixing the "unfixable" iMac. I dont know where you got that idea but if you live by it, thats your problem. If Apple can fix the iMac pro that means that it is fixable and your argument goes down the drain.

Nobody is saying that this guy is demaning under-warranty repair. He acknowladges that he is aware that they voided warranty, what he is asking is either for Apple service to repair his iMac(for whatever amount of money) or selling him spare parts. Once again, this has NOTHING to do with so called "unfixability of iMac", it has to do with consumer law. And no fine print can negate that. Apple could write into their fine print "By buying this iMac you agree giving us rights to use your personal details so we can share it on youtube and make fun out of you" and people would still buy it. There are limits to where fine print can go, and stating(which i doubt it even exists) that you wont be able to fix iMac pro in ANY way if it breaks and voids warranty, really doesnt have any effect.

When it comes to dealer - They can either deny service or they can sell you spare parts(which is every dealer's dream come true, since they smack their % on the price and make a lot of money just by placing one simple order for different parts). And not like apple, where they dont want to do anything about it since they dont want any 3rd party making money for repairing their products.


If you disassemble your HP/Dell/Lenovo/Sony laptop into a bunch of modules and parts, and in the process damage some of those modules/parts:

Will HP/Dell/Lenovo/Sony take that bunch of modules/parts, perform an out-of-warranty repair for the laptop for a fee, with that repair being warranted?

If not, will HP/Dell/Asus/Sony sell you modules/parts so you can do the repair and assembly yourself?
 
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