Image credit – iFixit
The other day according to leaked internal documents at Apple, it was revealed that third-party repairs for Apple’s newer MacBook Pros and the iMac Pro might no longer be possible. This is due to the use of proprietary diagnostic software that would be required to check against the integrity of the T2 security chip in order for the computers to function.
However the semi-good news is that according to the folks at iFixit, it seems that the “kill switch” has yet to be activated. This means that for now if you have any issues with the 2018 MacBook Pro or iMac Pro, you should still be able to repair it via third-party repair services. They tested this out by swapping out the display and logic board of the 2018 MacBook Pro and it seemed to function just fine.
It is unclear when Apple plans on activating this “kill switch”, but for now it seems like they haven’t. We’re not sure if you should take the chance and go to a third-party repair service, but it is understandable if you’re tempted. Generally speaking official repair services tend to be very expensive due to the use of official components, and in some instances there are certain issues that could have been repaired for a fraction of the price.
Apple has gotten into trouble in the past with their iPhones where third-party repair services bricked the devices, although Apple defended their actions by saying that this was to prevent tampering with Touch ID, and we imagine that this is the same reason with the T2 chip.
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