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

ghanwani said:
The article makes it sound as if the problem is a solved one (i.e. it's not happening with newer machines), but based on comments here it looks like it is not yet a solved problem?
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The problem is that this coating wears off after about 8-12 months of use.
 
gedis said:
The problem is that this coating wears off after about 8-12 months of use.
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I guess unless Apple comes out with an official statement about it, we won't know if it has been fixed. At this point, if I had to buy a machine I would probably stick with the Air.
 
gedis said:
The problem is that this coating wears off after about 8-12 months of use.
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So what's the problem? If you're not replacing your machine every 8-12 months, you're not a serious mac user and don't count.

Besides, resale value of macs is so high you it shouldn't cost you more than $20/year to replace the machine every time a new model comes out, so there's really no reason anyone should ever see this issue.

</sarcasm>
 
itsmeok said:
Can everyone stop it with the naming things as "xyz-gate" ? It is not a freaking gate to/of/for anything.

So sick of calling every issue as something-gate. Have we completely run out of nomenclatures ?? :mad:
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Madpostgate :D

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Alklha said:
Is there any idea how widespread this issue is? Will it end up affecting all rMBP?



If you are in Scotland then you have 5 years cover for this.
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I am. Wow really? Thanks for the info.
 
brianvictor7 said:
Please send Apple feedback at their suggestions site. Every voice helps.
http://www.apple.com/feedback/
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Done!

Thank you for your feedback on the MacBook Pro.

We cannot respond to you personally, but please know that your message has been received and will be reviewed by the MacBook Pro Team. If we need to follow up with you on your ideas for improving the MacBook Pro, we will contact you directly.

We appreciate your assistance in making the MacBook Pro a great computer.

MacBook Pro Team
Apple​
 
Alloy201 said:
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.
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Why should prices rise? Small business and anyone with ethics and scruples must and do take profit hits when dealing with problems they are responsible for because they don't want to pin the blame or consequences on their much valued customers, especially those that know how money does not grow on trees. Why should big businesses get free pardons, followed up by price hikes when it's not the customers' fault? We have enough time with stagnant wages as it is. If companies are people too, where's the personal responsibility?

Alloy201 said:
The truth is nobody knows what is causing it. You can only try to put things together to give an educated guess. If you go by all the stories given, only one thing makes sense to me. It has to be a design flaw where the keys are hitting the screen. It's happening with people who clean a lot, clean a little, with water, without water, with solutions, without solutions, and so on. At some point you have to stop trying to blame the users and admit the only logical explanation is that the design is causing the problem. It's being caused by people who use it all kinds of ways and all different models. Wake up.
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^^This

And where the manufacturing defect is applied - which subcontractor's management gave the green light to order the lower quality materials for the grunts to apply? Or should the grunts be scapegoated while someone else gets a golden parachute? Seems easier than for a company to take personal responsibility.


dypeterc said:
I think you're confusing normal wear and tear with a manufacturing defect. A "defect" doesn't develop over time. It's either there or it isn't from day 1.
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Yes, and how it manifests itself does not always have to happen overnight. Peoples' complaints are not invalid.

SpasticPat said:
So what _gate is this one? Wearoffgate? peelgate?
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Didn't know a US politician was committing an illegal act inside a hotel named "Wearoffgate" or "peelgate". Then again, don't corporate lobbyists buy government?
 
DevNull0 said:
So what's the problem? If you're not replacing your machine every 8-12 months, you're not a serious mac user and don't count.

Besides, resale value of macs is so high you it shouldn't cost you more than $20/year to replace the machine every time a new model comes out, so there's really no reason anyone should ever see this issue.

</sarcasm>
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LOL. I played that game twice. The first time I got 80% of my original cost back, the second time it was with the 2011 MBP model (in mid-2012 as the Retina model won me over) and despite my rating, good condition, added features, Applecare, it didn't sell. So I didn't upgrade. And that was three years ago!
 
The screens shown in the photos were most likely wiped with some cleaner other than water. You know what happened when you wiped glasses with dishwasher? Coating may come off, if there is any. It happened to my auto-dimming glasses once, never had I gotten an offer for replacement.

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BTW, I only used camera lens cleaner on the screen. It has been more than a year, and nothing happened to it.
 
Serban said:
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?
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Had that problem with a brand new 2009 Unibody. Nothing was peeling off (yet?), but the smudges were really annoying so I opened it, adjusted the screen hinges a bit and it went away. Clearly a manufacturing issue.
 
Boys with Body Image Issues: The Rise of Thin-Design and the Disposable Computer

brianvictor7 said:
True enough that the standard is set high. If I didn't care about my screen wearing out this quickly, I'd have bought a PC. At least then I wouldn't have sunk so much money into it. I'm not an engineer and even I can figure out that it ain't hard to design a laptop that doesn't smudge and scratch your screen every time you put normal handling pressure on the top surface. All it takes is a little less obsession with thinness.
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Absolutely. My sister started using that "styrofoam fabric" that comes wrapped around so many of our auxiliary purchases. You know the stuff. I'd buy a washcloth-sized microfiber cloth. -But we shouldn't have to do this. Passive-protection for screens should always be built-in.

So the coating is being gently baked-off? That's terrible R&D. It would be better to put most of that "diversity" money towards chemical engineering R&D re: polarized crystal w/o coatings: It would pay for itself with patents.
 
This is happening to my rMBP from late 2013.

I have only used the provided cleaning cloth, i have never used any other cloth or any liquids.

EMYlKjCh.jpg
 
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Yikes!

Mine is a late 2013 rMBP. I've never (or maybe once?) cleaned it with water. Persistent smudges have been rubbed hard until gone. Luckily I don't have any peeling going on.
 
I'm not saying this is not a problem, but "staingate.org" seriously irritates me for two reasons.

1: *gate: just stop. Stainghazi has a better ring to it. :D

2: As of now their are 19 photos - unfortunately photos "5" and "16" are clearly of the same MacBook, as are "6" and "11A." Coming off as duplicitous does nothing to help what is clearly a real problem.
 
Now we know why Apple hasn't released a touchscreen yet. Kidding aside, I think it's always a good idea to put some protective sheet between the keyboard and screen.
 
dampfnudel said:
Now we know why Apple hasn't released a touchscreen yet. Kidding aside, I think it's always a good idea to put some protective sheet between the keyboard and screen.
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But it's not practical..you shouldn't have to..I mean it's a laptop..never heard of any such issue with even cheap budget windows based laptops..and I had a dozen..
also there is no proof that putting something in between prevents this.
As soon as I read about this,I put the thin white sheet that originally came with the machine between the kb and screen but it's just annoying..you should just close the laptop after use without having to worry about anything.
 
JamesPDX said:
Absolutely. My sister started using that "styrofoam fabric" that comes wrapped around so many of our auxiliary purchases. You know the stuff. I'd buy a washcloth-sized microfiber cloth. -But we shouldn't have to do this. Passive-protection for screens should always be built-in.

So the coating is being gently baked-off? That's terrible R&D. It would be better to put most of that "diversity" money towards chemical engineering R&D re: polarized crystal w/o coatings: It would pay for itself with patents.
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In my case I strongly suspect the layer is being scratched off by the keyboard or trackpad. I know the screen often comes into contact with the bottom half because I'm frequently wiping away regularly spaced oil smudges. I've got this to the attention of the Apple engineering group as of this morning and we'll see where that goes.
 
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Hello, i have same problem. Three days back, I turned on my computer and see this damage display. MacBook was purchased from online store - Czech Republic. I have Macbook Pro retina 15 late 2013.
 

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John6Plus said:
2: As of now their are 19 photos - unfortunately photos "5" and "16" are clearly of the same MacBook, as are "6" and "11A." Coming off as duplicitous does nothing to help what is clearly a real problem.
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I am one more person it's affecting:

EMYlKjCh.jpg
 
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I have a 15" rMBP that is an early 2013 model. I have the Samsung screen. I have a keyboard protector and speck armor on the outside of the laptop. I have not experienced the anti reflective coating wearing off. When I clean my screen I use a micro fiber cloth and glasses lens cleaner that is safe for use on AR coatings. I also use the same spray to clean my glasses.

There are many causes. I believe that Apple needs to further investigate. I believe the following could be possible causes for the trouble people are having:

  • Too harsh cleaning products used
  • Skin oil prematurely wears out the coating
  • Keyboard rubbing on screen during transport
  • Faulty coating process
  • Coating material is not strong enough
  • Environmental causes (humidity, temperature extremes, etc...)
 
John6Plus said:
I'm not saying this is not a problem, but "staingate.org" seriously irritates me for two reasons.

1: *gate: just stop. Stainghazi has a better ring to it. :D

2: As of now their are 19 photos - unfortunately photos "5" and "16" are clearly of the same MacBook, as are "6" and "11A." Coming off as duplicitous does nothing to help what is clearly a real problem.
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I also submitted images but they don't show up. I guess the gallery is probably managed manually. All stains more or less look the same though (= awful), so that selection shows the problem well enough.
 
I clean my screen the way a mother cleans the food off of her child's cheeks. I lick my finger, rub the spot, and wipe with the Apple clothe. Apple will likely state that my screen is suffering from komodo dragon mouth when mine starts showing the same problem.

I've been an Apple enthusiast for 15 years and I'm starting to become very disappointed in them and disgusted with their customer service. Although the problem hasn't happened to me, I feel angry for those who have to deal with this ****. I bought mine speced out so for 3 grand, if they don't replace my screen when this crap starts happening, they're going to need police assistance to get me out of the apple store.

Well we've all been enjoying this apple for a long time, but like any other apple, looks like we've gotten to the core, and the core is trash.
 
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