Apple confirms its T2 security chip blocks some third-party repairs of new Macs

Apple's annual hardware event in October ended at the end of last month with the announcement of a new MacBook Air and revamped Mac mini. Both computers, such as the latest MacBook Pro and last year's iMac Pro, are equipped with Apple's security-focused T2 chip. The T2 chip, which acts as a co-processor, is the secret to many of Apple's newest and most advanced features. However, its introduction into a larger number of computers and the likelihood that it will become commonplace in all Macs in the future have given rise to new concerns as to why Apple is trying Lock more devices to third-party repair services.

The T2 is "a guillotine that [Apple is] hold on "product owners, I fix it CEO Kyle Wiens said The edge by e-mail. This is because it is critical to lock Mac products by allowing only selected spares in the machine from an authorized source – a process that the T2 chip now checks upon reboot after repair. "It's very possible that the goal is to have more control over who can do the repairs by limiting access to parts," said Wiens. "This could be an attempt to gain more market share from independent repair contractors. Or it could be a threat to keep their network authorized online. We simply do not know. "

Apple confirmed to The edge This is the case for repairs involving some components on recent Macs, such as the Logic Board and the Touch ID sensor, which is the first time the company has publicly acknowledged the new requirements for repairing them. Mac equipped in T2. Apple, however, was unable to provide a list of repairs requiring this operation or the devices involved. It is also unclear whether he started this protocol with the introduction of the iMac Pro last year or whether it was a new policy recently put in place.

The T2 is a custom designed component that performs, among other tasks, the processing of Touch ID fingerprint data. It also stores the encryption keys necessary for the secure startup of the machines on which it is running. According to Apple, the chip is also essential to new features, such as allowing the MacBook Pro to respond to "Hey Siri" requests without you pressing a button. It also prevents hackers from remotely operating the microphones from its laptop when the device cover is closed. Indeed, the T2 chip is able to communicate with other components to perform some of the most important and sophisticated tasks that Macs are capable of.

But recent Q2 revelations have prompted Apple's critics to fear it will be used to further block DIY enthusiasts and third-party repair services. Revealed for the first time last month by MacRumeurs and MotherboardIf the T2 chip can render a computer unusable if, for example, the logic board is replaced, unless the chip recognizes that a special diagnostic software has been run. This means that if you want to repair certain key parts of your MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini, you must go to an official Apple Store or a repair shop that is part of the company's Authorized Service Provider (ASP) network. If you want to repair or rebuild parts of these devices yourself, you simply can not – at least, according to this document.

Photo: iFixit

According to the document, the elements concerned are the display assembly, the logic board, the top-case and the Touch ID card for MacBook Pro, as well as the logic board and flash storage on the iMac Pro. It is also likely that the logical adapter repairs for the new MacBook Air and Mac mini will be affected, as well as Mac mini flash storage. Still, the document, which would have been distributed earlier this year, does not mention these products as they were not announced at the time.

In any case, to replace these parts, a technician must perform what is known as the AST 2 System Setup Suite, which Apple distributes only to Apple Retail Stores and Certified ASPs. So, DIY stores and those of the Apple network would have no chance. As the document says:

For Macs equipped with the Apple T2 chip, the repair process is not complete for some replacement parts until the execution of the AST 2 system configuration suite. Is not performed, the system will be inoperative and the repair incomplete.

But to complicate things, it was not clear if this "kill switch" was active since last month. The dismantling experts at I fix it, who are also strong advocates of the right to repair, bought a new MacBook Pro 2018 and discovered that they could still replace their screen with a device purchased during the summer. "To our surprise, the screens and MacBooks worked normally in all the combinations we tried. We also updated Mojave and exchanged logic boards with the same results, " I fix itAdam O'Comb wrote in a blog post.

Apple confirmed to The edge the display should not require the diagnostic tool, but we do not know why. I fix it was able to exchange logic cards and boot the machines. One possible explanation is that I fix it used components already validated by Apple, and the diagnostic tool may be required only for new and unused components.

I fix it speculates that the software could be a mechanism to verify that third party repair shops use the right components and avoid overloading customers and using cheaper parts to make money aside. This could also be for calibration purposes. But O 'Comb says that Apple may want to better control end-to-end how Mac computers are repaired, the components used and the cost of these repairs to the customer.

The T2 chip, which is now an integral part of the Mac hardware and software ecosystem, provides, according to Apple, all kinds of essential security features. In this sense, running the software diagnostics suite on T2-equipped devices might simply be a way to ensure that all security features enabled by the chip remain intact after the iMac Pro logic board or drive is repaired. . Tap the ID card on the MacBook Pro. This is certainly reasonable, but Apple's lack of clarity as to when, why, and to what extent it introduced the diagnostic tool requirement has caused confusion and concern.

According to Apple, the vast majority of repairs can be done without the need for this tool, and it is certainly true that most Mac owners will never be forced to replace a logic board or Touch ID sensor themselves. Apple claims that both components are distributed components, while the SSDs of most modern Macs, like the new Mac mini, are not replaceable by the user because they are soldered to others components or the housing.

So, while Apple may not have initiated this protocol for all devices equipped with the T2 or simply does not need it on used parts, I fix itThe company's demonstrations have clearly shown that the confirmation by the company that it nevertheless needs some form of proprietary software could fuel the debate around repairability. Reviews, with I fix it Among the most virulent, Apple has already hit Apple for how its promise of environmental and reusability is consistent with the reality of its repair practices and the longevity of its devices.

On stage at its event, Apple introduced the new MacBook Air and Mac mini as being the first products to be made from recycled aluminum. Apple has also announced an extension of its repair services to include a "vintage" option for older devices, such as the iPhone 4S and the MacBook Pro 2012, which have since been removed from the market. 39, eligibility for repairs. In addition, Apple seems to have made the battery of the new MacBook Air more easily replaceable and authorized owners of Mac mini 2018 to replace the RAM of the new machine, a change from the 2014 model.

Yet, Apple devices remain among the most difficult to repair because of their custom screws, their monocoque bodies and their manufacturing decisions making the removal of some components unnecessarily difficult. The end result is that a vast majority of iPhone and Mac owners depend on Apple or its reputable repair network members to repair their devices or reuse their old ones. This is a problem if you do not live near an Apple Store or any of its accredited suppliers, but also because the repairs provided by Apple tend to be more expensive than those of third parties and that a lack of real competition may result. at higher prices on the road.

The company is also opposed to a right to repair legislation that would require the provision of instructions and tools for DIY enthusiasts and third-party repair shops outside the network. Inevitably, because of this attitude, Apple owners will probably be more inclined to buy a new device instead of repairing an old device or refurbishing it, which environmentalists fear could complicate efforts. reduction of electronic waste.

Apple can reuse only a large part of its device, the rest being recycled, but it still needs to procure a finite amount of minerals and other key elements that lead to the manufacture of phones and phones. # 39; computers. And the technology sector, of which Apple is the most visible player and certainly not the biggest or the only offender, has accelerated its production of new devices over the last decade.

Of course, the debate over the repairability of the iPhone is much more complex than that of Macs. Customers tend to replace phones more often than computers, and there are many incentives, such as the Apple iPhone Upgrade Program and the fact that smartphone batteries are degrading, which encourage more buying. frequent new phones. Owners of MacBook Pro will be much more likely to have their laptop repaired, even if it is necessary to send it to Apple for two weeks, then they must discard the computer and buy a new one.

Nevertheless, with the T2 diagnostic requirement, Macs may soon become even more difficult to repair than they already are, and I fix itWiens says that, regardless of the motivator, requiring only to go through the Apple network could have negative consequences for all parties involved. "This would be a very dangerous precedent and could jeopardize the situation," he said.

Wiens noted that Error 53, which was configuring iPhones using third-party components, had forced Apple to develop a fix for the problem. The Australian government fined the company $ 6.6 million when employees at the Apple Store informed users that their cell phones were virtually irrecoverable. Similarly, the fiasco of last year's battery slowdown, in which it was revealed that Apple had strangled old iPhones to prevent accidental shutdowns, has led to a reduction in battery replacements in the last 12 months and to a congressional inquiry.

"If they do, it will greatly increase the likelihood that the law on reparation will be passed and forces them to turn the tide," Wiens said, referring to Apple requiring the diagnostic tool on all future map and Touch ID replacements. "Lock repairs is bad for consumers, for the environment and for Apple."