In October, Apple confirmed that MacBook Pro laptops from 2012 that were affected by “Staingate” were no longer eligible for a free replacement. Now, it’s being reported that the company plans to extend the program for hardware purchased in subsequent years.
Staingate saw the anti-reflective coating on certain MacBook Pro computers begin to peel away from the display or otherwise degrade over time. Customers complained in droves and, eventually, Apple was forced to implement a large-scale replacement program in order to appease the masses.
All kinds of factors can contribute to the damage, ranging from pressure applied on the screen by the touchpad and keyboard while the laptop is closed, to the effect of users cleaning the display without adhering to Apple’s guidelines. Since it’s a manufacturing issue, rather than pure user error, MacBook Pro owners have a window where they’re entitled to a hardware replacement.
The company has now informed authorized service providers that coverage will be offered for four years after the initial purchase of the laptop, according to a report from Mac Rumors. This puts the 2012 models out of warranty, as both the 13-inch and 15-inch models were discontinued by October 2013.
The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops that launched in 2013 will be eligible until July 2018. The 13-inch model from 2014 will be eligible until March 2019, while its 15-inch cousin is entitled to a replacement until May 2019. The 13-inch laptop released in 2015 is good through October 2020, and the 15-inch version is still being sold, so there’s no cut-off date at this time.
The program has already been extended twice since it first got underway in October 2015. However, it’s never actually been officially announced and it’s not well-publicized by Apple, but it is possible to procure a replacement laptop if you’re willing to have your MacBook Pro inspected in-store, or if you send it to the company via mail.
That said, time is running own for owners who have been in possession of their hardware for a few years. If your display is starting to show some signs of damage, it is perhaps time to address the situation.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.