Retina MacBook Pro Users Complain of Anti-Reflective Display Coating Wearing Off

[Nachin2]

The stupid obsession with thinness

As I read the comments on this thread, I cannot help thinking this is just another side-effect of Apple's pathological obsession with thinness in their portable computers.

Oh, well...

 

[Alloy201]

Mine started with ghosts of the keys. Then the bar of metal between the trackpad and the spacebar. Then the edges near the black gasket where my thumb rested when I closed the lid.

Eventually (three months ago) I went in. The "genius" thought it was dirt. Pulled out his own "special", "genius" cloth and super smart spray from behind the Apple monolith of genius. He sprayed, he rubbed, his jaw dropped. He rubbed the screen off before his very eyes.

He did not know what to do.

He checked his expert system. came back. said they would cover it and that he never had seen or heard about this before.

He then cautioned me not to put it in the specially padded notebook pouch in my booq bag because that might squeeze it too much. huh!?

Clearly this is a manufacturing defect related to a spray on polarizing coating.

I hate when a manufacturer will not own up to something. Worse Apple.

The consumer making excuses for them is even worse and exactly why the manufacturer isn't owning up to it. You can thank the sheep for Apple not taking blame and you can thank them for the quality not getting better as the prices rise.

 

[Alloy201]

We, the consumer, hold all the power. It's sad that people let a company run them, rather than understand they actually make that company run. Apple is only successful when people are buying their products, without us, the company won't exist. People in this world fight for things they have no power over, but won't fight for things they actually have the power to change. Instead they settle, make themselves believe it's acceptable, and pretty much brainwash themselves. I'm a human, not a drone, that will never happen to me. If you market yourself as the best, I expect nothing short of that. I want the best hardware, the best software, and the best screen. If you have the same problems other companies have, you're not the best. If you have problems other companies don't have, you're not the best. The proof is in the quality, not an Apple. Good day.

 

[WRX-SRQ]

That second pic is really bad looking.

What you talking about, that's just "normal" wear and tear. I'm sure he didn't spill hydrochloric acid on it or some other harsh abrasive material. That's totally Apple's fault. I'd demand a new screen, cash and possible a goat or two. You know for a future dowry to purchase new Apple products.

 

[DVDRAMMER]

It Just Works©

 

[brianvictor7]

So after you clean your screen and close the lid and open it after 2 sec you got smudges on the screen all over it?

Literally every time that I have looked for them after closing the clamshell I have seen the smudges. Sometimes they are more obvious than others, like if I have toted the mac around for a while and there has been time for outside pressures to press the screen into the keyboard.

Now, maybe it would be worthwhile for me to run a controlled experiment and see if closing it immediately after a thorough cleaning gets anything. If not, that would indicate that some amount of outside pressure is needed to get the screen to touch the keyboard. That, of course, would prove that a portable machine cannot be ported without smudging it. That's still a design issue and a problem for Apple to fix.

 

[iPad Air]

When any MacBook is closed, the display does not even make contact with the keyboard or Trackpad. The rubber bead surrounding the display is part of what prevents these from touching together.

 

[mikelj]

Glasses that have anti-reflective coating on their lenses are prone to wear off in a very similar fashion as the rMBP screens, if using cleaning fluid that is not specially formulated to not harm the coating - which is probably why water has been recommended.

I've worn glasses for over twenty years and had AR coating on the lenses - whether they'd be glass, polycarbonate or plastic - for as long as I can remember. Now admittedly, I've never used the same pair of spectacles for more than two years, but I've never had the AR coating exhibit any visible damage like the ones shown in your post and my lenses get scratched plenty. I don't abuse my spectacles but I do clean the lenses at least two/three times a day, these days with Zeiss lens wipes (whilst they're Zeiss lenses), but in the past with spectacles spray solution or mild soapy water, dried with a microfibre cloth.

Surely you'd have to be wiping them using a tee-shirt or such to get that kind of damage.

 

[iPad Air]

that happened to me last fall and the apple store replaced my screen even though my warranty expired 20 months ago. they told me to "put something between the display and the keyboard on a closed lid" for the future"

i was gonna ask how that is a solution but i didnt wanna push my luck getting it replaced for free

its the trackpad and keyboard scratching the coating of when the lid is closed

The display does not make contact with the keyboard and trackpad when closed.

----------

Two days since I went retina with the 2015 macbook pro. Everyone plz pray for my new baby

Just don't put the wrong chemicals on your display.

 

[brianvictor7]

The display does not make contact with the keyboard and trackpad when closed.

----------



Just don't put the wrong chemicals on your display.

It is not supposed to and maybe it doesn't sitting on one's desk. But try carrying it around and it most definitely does make contact with the keys eventually. Lots of smudges to prove it and now a scratching of the anti-glare coating right in the middle of the screen at the exact location of the spacebar.

 

[iPad Air]

It is not supposed to and maybe it doesn't sitting on one's desk. But try carrying it around and it most definitely does make contact with the keys eventually. Lots of smudges to prove it and now a scratching of the anti-glare coating right in the middle of the screen at the exact location of the spacebar.

Got it. I certainly see how that can happen. I rarely take my MacBook away from the house.

 

[brianvictor7]

Got it. I certainly see how that can happen. I rarely take my MacBook away from the house.

And taking it places is exactly what it is meant for. I have found it so worth my time to pack my macbook every day. I just never know when it will come in handy. Yes, I suppose an iPad would be more sensible for this, but I don't own one yet and I prefer to do my work on a MacBook besides. It is more versatile for my needs.

 

[FuNGi]

No you won't.

Brilliant post mate. Glad you love so blindly.

 

[mikecorp]

happens

advantage is you can use it and get it replaced when you are ready to go to store.

 

[hardwickj]

If Apple calls it "Anti-Reflective" coating then it has a clearly defined function and purpose. It is no longer properly performing its function and should absolutely be covered under warranty.

It *is* covered under warranty, so long as your laptop is actually under warranty. I know because I had mine replaced with this issue about 3 months ago.

What this really should be is an extended replacement program similar to the graphics card problems in the 2010-2012 MacBook Pro. This is probably going to be an inevitable issue on pretty much *all* MacBook Pro Retina's, and in my opinion is a product defect, and hence should extend beyond the typical warranty.

Give it some time, but I bet that is likely going to happen.

 

[brianvictor7]

It *is* covered under warranty, so long as your laptop is actually under warranty. I know because I had mine replaced with this issue about 3 months ago.

What this really should be is an extended replacement program similar to the graphics card problems in the 2010-2012 MacBook Pro. This is probably going to be an inevitable issue on pretty much *all* MacBook Pro Retina's, and in my opinion is a product defect, and hence should extend beyond the typical warranty.

Give it some time, but I bet that is likely going to happen.

I certainly hope you are right

 

[hiitsjan]

Hi, we set up a website for all of ya with this problem: www.staingate.org.
Share your damage, register your laptop in our db, and let's take this to the next level...

 

[TruthWatcher412]

So what _gate is this one? Wearoffgate? peelgate?

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

This is a bit of a myth. Only if you can prove it's a manufacturing defect from when it was purchased...

Mate you have to research it all gather loads of evidence and go down to the Apple Store tell them it's unacceptable and that you've been a loyal Apple customer for years. Owned loads of macs etc etc and they'll sort you out. I've waked out many times with an out of warranty repair or replacement. Recently I got a display replacement due to a yellow tinge in the display and a new SSD because my one had fried and they even gave me a 512GB SSD instead of a 256. The machine was then sold on and upgraded of course.

You've basically gotta make them look stupid and tell them exactly what's goin on and you're sorted mate - worked loads of times for me

When I phne the Apple Store they are fully aware of me via their notes and always help me out to my full satisfaction every time.

 

[phatspider]

Had this on my 15 - Apple Genius said it was likely caused by water or moisture on the screen. Took it in and replaced the entire screen no questions asked

 

[philosopherdog]

The rMBP is IMO the best computer ever made, but it has been plagued with many problems. I'll definitely put a piece of paper between the kb and screen when transporting. These machines, including the air do not like being thrown in a bag much.

 

[DanGoh]

My basic 1 year of coverage ends March 24th for my 2013 MBPr. Is 2 years of Applecare worth the money!?!?

 

[cairene2011]

I started following the threads about this issue down in the rMBP subforum, before I ordered my 2014 rMBP in January. At the time there was not a single 2014 owner reporting this problem, so I crossed my fingers that Apple had silently solved the issue and ordered my rMBP.

I have been babying my rMBP's screen to a bizarre extent, I even ordered a fresh lens brush (like you have it for camera lenses), so that I could gently dust off any particles instead of potentially scratching the screen while wiping them off. I have also only ever used breath (was even too scared to get it truly wet - also we have incredibly hard water here in London, so who knows what that would do) and the black microfibre cloth to wipe it. I have yet to take my rMBP out of the house for the first time, so it has never experienced the pressure of traveling in a padded sleeve in my work bag. (Which I expected it to handle as well as its much cheaper predecessor MBA did.)

Yet around the camera the coating already wears off. Just great... exactly what I imagined when paying that much money.
I've made great experiences with Apple's customer care and the smudge is not bad yet, so I'm not worried at all, only annoyed that a problem that has been existing for several rMBP generations, has not yet been fixed. Come on Apple! Kindly redesign the rubber band or hinge thickness or whatever your engineers deem to cause this problem!

 

[burne]

Had this on my 15 - Apple Genius said it was likely caused by water or moisture on the screen. Took it in and replaced the entire screen no questions asked

Imagine how you would have reacted when he just replaced half the screen!

 

[thadoggfather]

I started following the threads about this issue down in the rMBP subforum, before I ordered my 2014 rMBP in January. At the time there was not a single 2014 owner reporting this problem, so I crossed my fingers that Apple had silently solved the issue and ordered my rMBP.

I have been babying my rMBP's screen to a bizarre extent, I even ordered a fresh lens brush (like you have it for camera lenses), so that I could gently dust off any particles instead of potentially scratching the screen while wiping them off. I have also only ever used breath (was even too scared to get it truly wet - also we have incredibly hard water here in London, so who knows what that would do) and the black microfibre cloth to wipe it. I have yet to take my rMBP out of the house for the first time, so it has never experienced the pressure of traveling in a padded sleeve in my work bag. (Which I expected it to handle as well as its much cheaper predecessor MBA did.)

Yet around the camera the coating already wears off. Just great... exactly what I imagined when paying that much money.
I've made great experiences with Apple's customer care and the smudge is not bad yet, so I'm not worried at all, only annoyed that a problem that has been existing for several rMBP generations, has not yet been fixed. Come on Apple! Kindly redesign the rubber band or hinge thickness or whatever your engineers deem to cause this problem!

Can you post a pic?