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IME, they've really hobbled the functionality of independent repair shops, making it necessary to supplicate to the Apple Store. I was trying to get the battery

IME, they've really hobbled the functionality of independent repair shops, making it necessary to supplicate to the Apple Store. I was trying to get the battery replaced in a 2015 MBP and the independent shops were 'required' to keep my machine for about 7 days since they had to first 'diagnose' that the battery was dying, order it, wait for it to arrive, and then replace it. In contrast, one could make an appointment at the Apple Store to get the battery replaced while one waited.

formerly_proven 6y ago
This level of customer-hostility would cause a huge uproar for any other "Pro" or "workstation" vendor.
- chromedev 6y ago
  Apple fans seem okay with this and also not being able to install apps outside the app store.
  - somehnguy 6y ago
    What gives you that idea? When my Macbook battery ballooned up on me I just replaced it myself. It's not hard at all and can be done in 15 minutes, I have no idea why people in tech take their machines to repair places to do it.
    - xhruso00 6y ago
      Because people want a genuine part (reliable battery). I would pay the price if the battery was max 200eur. Nope, Apple is greedy. In my case they wanted 400Eur (together with top case)
      - somehnguy 6y ago
        So buy a genuine battery then? They aren't hard to find and are under $100.
        shaan7 6y ago
        Wait, it is possible to get a genuine* battery replacement for an Apple device? And no, I'm not being sarcastic, my friend was told by an Apple Store that even an attempt to open the Macbook chassis voids warranty. They refused to replace the battery EVEN WHEN HE WAS READY TO PAY "because there was an unauthorized attempt to open the device". He finally had to go to a repair shop and get it done under an hour (because now the warranty was void anyway). genuine = guaranteed by Apple to not break your warranty
        xhruso00 6y ago
        There is no genuine original battery on the market. Only option to get it is from Apple for 400eur. Every seller is lying about originality.
        somehnguy 6y ago
        If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck...well who cares if it calls itself a swan. Anyone paying $400 for battery is out of their minds. My $100 apparently ‘fake’ battery performs identical as the one Apple sells. Who cares at that point.
    - zaarn 6y ago
      There is plenty of people who lack the skill or ability to do fine repairs. Especially with batteries, if you have no idea what you're doing, it can easily lead to insurances not paying in case you do get injured or damage something.
  - Polylactic_acid 6y ago
    Its usually less that they are ok with these problems and more that the alternatives have even more problems. Most OEMs copied apples designs so everything is shit. Rather than taking your laptop to the local apple store you now have to send it off to china and face all the same problems. Windows also isn't useful for productivity and linux is only viable for certain jobs.
    - meditative 6y ago
      > Windows also isn't useful for productivity Can you expand on this? I think it's the contrarian position to be taking here.
      - Polylactic_acid 6y ago
        There are so many anti features in windows. They seem to change all the time and depend on what version of windows you have but the main ones are forced updates that can't be done while you use the computer, MS teams poping up and nagging you to sign up when you never installed or use it, adverts in the start menu, dark patterns in the setup page making it tricky to not register a microsoft account. And whatever flavour of the month anti feature windows includes. Its getting slightly better with the the new WSL but its still not as good as OSX and linux.
    - detaro 6y ago
      > Rather than taking your laptop to the local apple store you now have to send it off to china For "pro-grade" laptops Apple is the odd one out by not offering on-site warranty repairs at all, instead requiring you to travel somewhere.
    - chromedev 6y ago
      I use Linux fine and it is a requirement that I be able to run Linux before accepting a job. When it comes to Android though, they already allow external apps through a security permission that I use for F-Droid and sometimes other apps outside of F-Droid, like Kodi on my Fire TV.
  - anoncake 6y ago
    Apple "fans" are less bothered by this than they would be bothered by the problems of the alternatives. Or they are locked into the ecosystem.
- JoelTheSuperior 6y ago
  Indeed and it's this utter nonsense that made me finally give in and switch to Windows. Turns out it's nicer than I thought.
  - beamatronic 6y ago
    But which version do you run? The only version I would consider currently is the Enterprise version of Windows 10.
    - trissylegs 6y ago
      I have both pro (Home desktop) and enterprise (Work laptop). I don't notice a difference. But we don't really take advantage of the group policy very much.
      - Alupis 6y ago
        It used to be Home versions couldn't get more "Enterprise" features, like full partition encryption and the ability to join a Domain. Naturally GPO doesn't apply to a home user. These days, I run Pro on pretty much everything and don't seem to miss anything. Perhaps "Enterprise" comes with less Candy Crush and other bloatware pre-installed?
        Teknoman117 6y ago
        I used to use Pro so I could use NFS with Windows.
        jjeaff 6y ago
        I don't think there is any difference between pro And enterprise except for some of the ways licensing is implemented and some group policy stuff.
        trissylegs 6y ago
        Now that i've check it seems Enterpise get's the feature sof Pro for Workstations. https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windowsforbusiness/compare https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windowsforbusiness/compare
somehnguy 6y ago
You could have also done it yourself in about 15 minutes. I've done my 2015 MBP twice now, it's not hard at all. I'm not sure why people in tech bother paying inflated prices for easy repairs. Just because you work with software doesn't mean you have to be afraid to turn a screwdriver ;)
- abawany 6y ago
  After my futile efforts to get it repaired at the independent shop and the Apple Store (they never came for me even with my appointment and I wasted an hour sitting in that place for no reason), I bought a third party battery and a set of guitar strings to replace it myself. I was successful but the battery was garbage so I had to return it and go back to the original swelled battery to be able to use the laptop albeit plugged in; I gave up and asked work to order me a new MBP instead. Total waste of time: 3 hours plus a perfectly good MBP going probably to the landfill thanks to a difficulty that Apple created for no good reason. Edit2: the guitar strings were used to saw off the nasty glue strips holding the original battery, along with d-limonene as a solvent to weaken their deathgrip. In contrast, replacing the battery in my HP Elite x360 was a piece of cake - no nasty glue, no proprietary screws, and oem batteries available everywhere. HP sent me the battery under warranty (shipped next day) when I called them to buy one and I was able to replace it in minutes. Now that's a repairable product. Edit: clarified that HP in fact covered the battery cost under the included 3 year warranty. Edit3: want to say that it was a bit uncalled-for of you to assume that I couldn't do the replacement myself. This was a work laptop (i.e. not my property) so I didn't feel it was my place to dink with it.
  - xhruso00 6y ago
    I replaced it with the string method as well. I didn’t find a recipe to soften the glue before. Thanks
  - somehnguy 6y ago
    I just ordered one off ebay, let my current battery discharge until the mac shutoff (risk of fire is greatly reduced completely discharged), and yanked out the old one with no special care or care about the glue. Set the new one in place, works perfect. The second half of my comment was clearly tongue in cheek. Sorry if it seemed personal, it wasn't.
arvinsim 6y ago
I don’t think that’s true for all Apple Stores. I just got my battery replaced last week from an Apple Store and it took them a week to do it.
volkl48 6y ago
Apple generally ships parts overnight to shops. I've worked somewhere that had an AASP as part of it. Occasionally there's a delay but around 90% of the time our guys could order up to about 4PM EST and have it come in for the midday FedEx Express dropoff the next day. And this wasn't in a major metro area where overnight delivery is common/easy. 2-3 days would have been a plausible turnaround time. 7 is laziness or a long queue.
fomine3 6y ago
It's fine if an Apple Store is near my home. I prefer such service but also right of self repair.

formerly_proven 6y ago

This level of customer-hostility would cause a huge uproar for any other "Pro" or "workstation" vendor.

chromedev 6y ago
Apple fans seem okay with this and also not being able to install apps outside the app store.
- somehnguy 6y ago
  What gives you that idea? When my Macbook battery ballooned up on me I just replaced it myself. It's not hard at all and can be done in 15 minutes, I have no idea why people in tech take their machines to repair places to do it.
  - xhruso00 6y ago
    Because people want a genuine part (reliable battery). I would pay the price if the battery was max 200eur. Nope, Apple is greedy. In my case they wanted 400Eur (together with top case)
    - somehnguy 6y ago
      So buy a genuine battery then? They aren't hard to find and are under $100.
      - shaan7 6y ago
        Wait, it is possible to get a genuine* battery replacement for an Apple device? And no, I'm not being sarcastic, my friend was told by an Apple Store that even an attempt to open the Macbook chassis voids warranty. They refused to replace the battery EVEN WHEN HE WAS READY TO PAY "because there was an unauthorized attempt to open the device". He finally had to go to a repair shop and get it done under an hour (because now the warranty was void anyway). genuine = guaranteed by Apple to not break your warranty
      - xhruso00 6y ago
        There is no genuine original battery on the market. Only option to get it is from Apple for 400eur. Every seller is lying about originality.
        somehnguy 6y ago
        If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck...well who cares if it calls itself a swan. Anyone paying $400 for battery is out of their minds. My $100 apparently ‘fake’ battery performs identical as the one Apple sells. Who cares at that point.
  - zaarn 6y ago
    There is plenty of people who lack the skill or ability to do fine repairs. Especially with batteries, if you have no idea what you're doing, it can easily lead to insurances not paying in case you do get injured or damage something.
- Polylactic_acid 6y ago
  Its usually less that they are ok with these problems and more that the alternatives have even more problems. Most OEMs copied apples designs so everything is shit. Rather than taking your laptop to the local apple store you now have to send it off to china and face all the same problems. Windows also isn't useful for productivity and linux is only viable for certain jobs.
  - meditative 6y ago
    > Windows also isn't useful for productivity Can you expand on this? I think it's the contrarian position to be taking here.
    - Polylactic_acid 6y ago
      There are so many anti features in windows. They seem to change all the time and depend on what version of windows you have but the main ones are forced updates that can't be done while you use the computer, MS teams poping up and nagging you to sign up when you never installed or use it, adverts in the start menu, dark patterns in the setup page making it tricky to not register a microsoft account. And whatever flavour of the month anti feature windows includes. Its getting slightly better with the the new WSL but its still not as good as OSX and linux.
  - detaro 6y ago
    > Rather than taking your laptop to the local apple store you now have to send it off to china For "pro-grade" laptops Apple is the odd one out by not offering on-site warranty repairs at all, instead requiring you to travel somewhere.
  - chromedev 6y ago
    I use Linux fine and it is a requirement that I be able to run Linux before accepting a job. When it comes to Android though, they already allow external apps through a security permission that I use for F-Droid and sometimes other apps outside of F-Droid, like Kodi on my Fire TV.
- anoncake 6y ago
  Apple "fans" are less bothered by this than they would be bothered by the problems of the alternatives. Or they are locked into the ecosystem.
JoelTheSuperior 6y ago
Indeed and it's this utter nonsense that made me finally give in and switch to Windows. Turns out it's nicer than I thought.
- beamatronic 6y ago
  But which version do you run? The only version I would consider currently is the Enterprise version of Windows 10.
  - trissylegs 6y ago
    I have both pro (Home desktop) and enterprise (Work laptop). I don't notice a difference. But we don't really take advantage of the group policy very much.
    - Alupis 6y ago
      It used to be Home versions couldn't get more "Enterprise" features, like full partition encryption and the ability to join a Domain. Naturally GPO doesn't apply to a home user. These days, I run Pro on pretty much everything and don't seem to miss anything. Perhaps "Enterprise" comes with less Candy Crush and other bloatware pre-installed?
      - Teknoman117 6y ago
        I used to use Pro so I could use NFS with Windows.
      - jjeaff 6y ago
        I don't think there is any difference between pro And enterprise except for some of the ways licensing is implemented and some group policy stuff.
      - trissylegs 6y ago
        Now that i've check it seems Enterpise get's the feature sof Pro for Workstations. https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windowsforbusiness/compare https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/windowsforbusiness/compare

somehnguy 6y ago

You could have also done it yourself in about 15 minutes. I've done my 2015 MBP twice now, it's not hard at all. I'm not sure why people in tech bother paying inflated prices for easy repairs. Just because you work with software doesn't mean you have to be afraid to turn a screwdriver ;)

abawany 6y ago
After my futile efforts to get it repaired at the independent shop and the Apple Store (they never came for me even with my appointment and I wasted an hour sitting in that place for no reason), I bought a third party battery and a set of guitar strings to replace it myself. I was successful but the battery was garbage so I had to return it and go back to the original swelled battery to be able to use the laptop albeit plugged in; I gave up and asked work to order me a new MBP instead. Total waste of time: 3 hours plus a perfectly good MBP going probably to the landfill thanks to a difficulty that Apple created for no good reason. Edit2: the guitar strings were used to saw off the nasty glue strips holding the original battery, along with d-limonene as a solvent to weaken their deathgrip. In contrast, replacing the battery in my HP Elite x360 was a piece of cake - no nasty glue, no proprietary screws, and oem batteries available everywhere. HP sent me the battery under warranty (shipped next day) when I called them to buy one and I was able to replace it in minutes. Now that's a repairable product. Edit: clarified that HP in fact covered the battery cost under the included 3 year warranty. Edit3: want to say that it was a bit uncalled-for of you to assume that I couldn't do the replacement myself. This was a work laptop (i.e. not my property) so I didn't feel it was my place to dink with it.
- xhruso00 6y ago
  I replaced it with the string method as well. I didn’t find a recipe to soften the glue before. Thanks
- somehnguy 6y ago
  I just ordered one off ebay, let my current battery discharge until the mac shutoff (risk of fire is greatly reduced completely discharged), and yanked out the old one with no special care or care about the glue. Set the new one in place, works perfect. The second half of my comment was clearly tongue in cheek. Sorry if it seemed personal, it wasn't.

arvinsim 6y ago

I don’t think that’s true for all Apple Stores. I just got my battery replaced last week from an Apple Store and it took them a week to do it.

volkl48 6y ago

Apple generally ships parts overnight to shops. I've worked somewhere that had an AASP as part of it. Occasionally there's a delay but around 90% of the time our guys could order up to about 4PM EST and have it come in for the midday FedEx Express dropoff the next day. And this wasn't in a major metro area where overnight delivery is common/easy. 2-3 days would have been a plausible turnaround time. 7 is laziness or a long queue.

fomine3 6y ago

It's fine if an Apple Store is near my home. I prefer such service but also right of self repair.