“Apple’s annual October hardware event wrapped late last month with the announcements of a new MacBook Air and a revamped Mac mini. Both computers, like the newest MacBook Pro and last year’s iMac Pro, come equipped with Apple’s security-focused T2 chip,” Nick Statt reports for The Verge.
“The T2 chip, which acts as a co-processor, is the secret to many of Apple’s newest and most advanced features,” Statt reports. “However, its introduction into more computers and the likelihood that it becomes commonplace in every Mac going forward has renewed concerns that Apple is trying to further lock down its devices from third-party repair services.”
“Apple confirmed to The Verge that this is the case for repairs involving certain components on newer Macs, like the logic board and Touch ID sensor, which is the first time the company has publicly acknowledged the new repair requirements for T2-equipped Macs. But Apple could not provide a list of repairs that required this or what devices were affected,” Statt reports. “It also couldn’t say whether it began this protocol with the iMac Pro’s introduction last year or if it’s a new policy instituted recently.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Among other things, the T2 chip (which runs BridgeOS, a watchOS derivative) handles Touch ID, provides the Secure Enclave for encrypted keys, and on-the-fly SSD encryption and decryption. You do not want Joe’s Fly-By-Night Repair Shop messing with that.
Mistakes I can forgive, but Apple acting with reckless abandon as if they are our exclusive IT department I cannot.
Exactly right. Any capable IT department can perform the same exact precision tasks as any Apple repair center or Apple authorized reseller tech. The excuse of some holier than thou new chip prevents others and only Apple approved techs above everyone else is absolutely ludicrous. This protective move is NOT about customer options as usual. It’s all about maximizing profits, nothing more…
It’s not new either GoeB.
The iPad and iPhone always had planned obsolescence, if nothing else the absence of expandable and exchangeable storage.
Apple s trying to provide user security., in the process of doing that, they create custom silicon to do that. If you want Joe Sixpack at Device Heaven to try and fix your Mac and then screws it up… good luck with that..
Trying to provide is one thing. Imposing is another.
Fly by night? Many of the independents are vastly more knowledgeable than the “take it in the back room” Apple Store “Geniuses.”
Its inclusion is likely simply an anti-amateur (or quasi-amateur)-repair implementation to discourage misrepairs where the owner then runs to the Apple Store to fix the misrepair.
Apple is just trying to get ahead of the Right to repair legislation that will probably pass.
Nothing more then locking out 3rd party repair and forcing you into the sub par genius bar who will tell you it’s too expensive to repair and you need a new one.