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Hmm, I've seen recyclers with stacks of these machines (including new M1 Max's) that they say they have to throw out because they can't do this. I wonder if yo

Hmm, I've seen recyclers with stacks of these machines (including new M1 Max's) that they say they have to throw out because they can't do this. I wonder if you are missing something.

Operyl 4y ago
We're not missing something, the recyclers are. The original owner just has to use their Apple ID to disassociate the device. The problem is, that step isn't happening, and the juggling of devices from reseller to reseller results in the original "owner" becoming lost.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- cameldrv 4y ago
  Juggling of devices from reseller to reseller sounds like laundering stolen goods to me. If it’s a legitimate sale, the original recycler will require the seller to wipe/unlock the device or they will only give a steeply discounted price. If the seller is going to get hundreds/thousands less by not wiping the device, they will do it. Thus, the only problem for recyclers is recycling stolen laptops.
  - fmajid 4y ago
    Not necessarily, one of them gave the example of machines acquired at bankruptcy.
    - hedora 4y ago
      The bankruptcy court should have compelled the former owner to sell the laptops instead of scrapping them. The proceeds would go to creditors. I’m sure there are plenty of court precedents around bankrupt businesses trashing assets out of spite rather than selling them.
      - fmajid 4y ago
        If the IT staff have been laid off already, there is no one left to wipe the devices. You can't really expect the bankruptcy administrators to know this (yet).
jb1991 4y ago
I'm not missing anything. The recyclers are not the original owners so of course they cannot unlock them.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- axus 4y ago
  Now they have a financial incentive to talk directly with to the most recent owner, and people besides the owner have a lot less incentive.
whstl 4y ago
If the problem is the "throwing out" part, they can just give it to Apple for recycling. Then it won’t be e-waste anymore. Or to the police and let them deal with it. If the problem is the financial part, just go back to the person they bought it and get the money back. If they're taking a risk and buying it legally from, for example, a police auction, or from someone who "might have forgotten to contact the owner": it's a risk. If it was acquired illegally, I can't say they deserve a solution to their problem. Nobody is entitled to get money in exchange for potentially stolen goods or items acquired without due diligence.
- nightski 4y ago
  [flagged]
  - neon_electro 4y ago
    The poster you replied to had several points - which of them are you referring to with "This"?
    - nightski 4y ago
      All of them. These computers are being thrown out, so none of those scenarios are happening.
      - JumpCrisscross 4y ago
        > none of those scenarios are happening My last MacBooks were sold or refurbished by Apple.
        jimsmart 4y ago
        I'm not sure I understand your comment here? Are you referring to the end of your MacBooks' life, or the beginning? It's somewhat ambiguous. Assuming you are referring to end of life process: Apple's kit sold as refurb is done from their incoming returns — faulty, or otherwise unwanted, systems. Everything sent to them as a trade-in isn't handled by Apple at all: it's contracted out to third-party companies. (This likely applies to their recycling programme also, but I've not looked into it) At least: these things certainly used to be the case — and there have been a whole bunch of articles online that support this, over the years. I would love to see evidence to the contrary if things have changed? — But like I said: I'm not sure I understand your comment, so maybe my points here are irrelevant.

Hmm, I've seen recyclers with stacks of these machines (including new M1 Max's) that they say they have to throw out because they can't do this. I wonder if you are missing something.

Operyl 4y ago

We're not missing something, the recyclers are. The original owner just has to use their Apple ID to disassociate the device. The problem is, that step isn't happening, and the juggling of devices from reseller to reseller results in the original "owner" becoming lost.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
cameldrv 4y ago
Juggling of devices from reseller to reseller sounds like laundering stolen goods to me. If it’s a legitimate sale, the original recycler will require the seller to wipe/unlock the device or they will only give a steeply discounted price. If the seller is going to get hundreds/thousands less by not wiping the device, they will do it. Thus, the only problem for recyclers is recycling stolen laptops.
- fmajid 4y ago
  Not necessarily, one of them gave the example of machines acquired at bankruptcy.
  - hedora 4y ago
    The bankruptcy court should have compelled the former owner to sell the laptops instead of scrapping them. The proceeds would go to creditors. I’m sure there are plenty of court precedents around bankrupt businesses trashing assets out of spite rather than selling them.
    - fmajid 4y ago
      If the IT staff have been laid off already, there is no one left to wipe the devices. You can't really expect the bankruptcy administrators to know this (yet).

jb1991 4y ago

I'm not missing anything. The recyclers are not the original owners so of course they cannot unlock them.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
axus 4y ago
Now they have a financial incentive to talk directly with to the most recent owner, and people besides the owner have a lot less incentive.

whstl 4y ago

If the problem is the "throwing out" part, they can just give it to Apple for recycling. Then it won’t be e-waste anymore. Or to the police and let them deal with it. If the problem is the financial part, just go back to the person they bought it and get the money back. If they're taking a risk and buying it legally from, for example, a police auction, or from someone who "might have forgotten to contact the owner": it's a risk. If it was acquired illegally, I can't say they deserve a solution to their problem. Nobody is entitled to get money in exchange for potentially stolen goods or items acquired without due diligence.

nightski 4y ago
[flagged]
- neon_electro 4y ago
  The poster you replied to had several points - which of them are you referring to with "This"?
  - nightski 4y ago
    All of them. These computers are being thrown out, so none of those scenarios are happening.
    - JumpCrisscross 4y ago
      > none of those scenarios are happening My last MacBooks were sold or refurbished by Apple.
      - jimsmart 4y ago
        I'm not sure I understand your comment here? Are you referring to the end of your MacBooks' life, or the beginning? It's somewhat ambiguous. Assuming you are referring to end of life process: Apple's kit sold as refurb is done from their incoming returns — faulty, or otherwise unwanted, systems. Everything sent to them as a trade-in isn't handled by Apple at all: it's contracted out to third-party companies. (This likely applies to their recycling programme also, but I've not looked into it) At least: these things certainly used to be the case — and there have been a whole bunch of articles online that support this, over the years. I would love to see evidence to the contrary if things have changed? — But like I said: I'm not sure I understand your comment, so maybe my points here are irrelevant.