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By Andrew O Hara
Monday, November 12, 2018, at 7:24 pm Eastern Time (22:24, Eastern Time)
The repair of new Mac hardware, such as the Mac mini 2018 and MacBook Air 2018, in an unauthorized service center may soon be impossible, due to new diagnostic requirements involving Apple's T2 security chip , recently confirmed the company.
Source: iFixit
Apple confirmed to The edge that, as part of a recently revised repair process, only certain authorized replacement parts operate in a machine equipped with the T2. Specifically, when critical hardware such as a Touch ID module or a logic board is replaced, the T2 chip renders the Mac unusable until the repair center runs a special diagnostic software.
Apple could not confirm which products or repairs were affected by the new strategy, nor the date on which the procedure was implemented.
The new version of the policy surfaced in October, a month after Apple distributed a document to authorized service providers detailing a modified repair procedure requiring the execution of an exclusive "system configuration" software after replacing some hardware components.
The software, called Apple Service Toolkit 2, works with the T2 security chip and includes a "Mac Resource Inspector" and tools that examine various computer systems, including memory, display, adapters, and more. power supply and cooling system. It is important to note that the toolbox is for authorized personnel with access to Apple's Global Service Exchange (GSX) network.
Apple's new process makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for machines to be repaired by consumers. This poses a problem for people who do not live near an Apple Store and who use third-party repair shops to repair their equipment as soon as possible.
The protocol has revived suspicions of "planned obsolescence" and, more directly, a potential gamble for the "right to repair" legislation being developed in a number of US states. Their lawyers are already speculating on why Apple has implemented the T2 protocol.
"It is very possible that the goal is to exercise greater control over who can perform the repairs by limiting access to parts," said iFixit's general manager, Kyle Wiens, in a statement: The edge. "It could be an attempt to conquer more market share from independent repair providers, or it could be a threat to keep their network authorized online." We simply do not know.
Early last month, the repair specialist tested the T2 repair procedure by replacing the screen and logic board of a 13-inch MacBook Pro with another, discovering that no piece of spare had made the machine unusable. The replacement of the screen does not require the use of AST 2 standard, confirmed Apple The edgealthough the reason iFixit could exchange logical cards is unclear.
The T2 coprocessor performs various functions, including the "Hey, Siri" feature still enabled on the new MacBook Air, preventing PCs from accessing the microphone when the computer is turned off, securing the Touch ID sensor and stores the cryptographic keys used in the secure boot process.
To date, Apple has already integrated T2 into several Macs – the new Mac mini, MacBook Air and iMac Pro – and is expected to continue deploying the chip as the new models roll out.
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