Apple has a kill switch for unauthorized repairs on new Macs, but it has not yet been activated.

On the other side of the mirror: An internal document distributed by Apple to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers reveals that third-party and user-based repairs will no longer be possible on MacBook Pros 2018s, iMacs, and many other devices. Unless Apple's proprietary software is run on a repaired device while it is connected to password-protected Apple servers, it will be hidden and rendered "inoperative".

After getting the report, Motherboard immediately phoned iFixit Managing Director, Kyle Weins, who said, "There are two possible explanations: it's an ongoing campaign of obsolescence and they want to control the ecosystem and bring in any repairs to the network they control. Another solution is security, but I do not see a security model that does not trust the owner of the device, which makes sense. "

iFixit has just released a brilliant new MacBook Pro today and tested it, replacing screens and smart cards with the MacBook Pro after disassembly. Nothing has happened. They concluded, "Apple's Secret Repair Stop Switch has not been activated yet.

Let's dive deeper. The document, first obtained by Mother Card and Mac Rumors, states that any device with Apple's new T2 security chip – the MacBook Pro and iMac Pro 2018 – would require the "Apple Service System Configuration Suite". Toolkit 2 (AST 2) ", exclusive property of Apple. all. The document states that the software performs a "quick check of the hardware and software status", but that it completely inhibits the basic functions of the devices.

Repairs that require the AST 2 software to function include those that replace the MacBook Pro display, logic board, keypad, touchpad, internal enclosure, or TouchID card, as well as the logic board and flash storage. an iMac Pro. This covers all serious repairs and upgrades.

To use the AST 2 software (which is provided only very carefully in strict legal agreements), the repairer must connect to the Apple Global Service Exchange cloud server to "complete the repair". This requires an Apple ID, making the workaround impossible.

We already know that Apple limits people who can repair their devices quite heavily, so how much damage can it cause? In the best case, for an Apple user residing near an Apple store or one of the few authorized repairers, the price of the repair will remain at the current high price of Apple. In the absence of competition from third-party repair centers, Apple may charge fees it wishes and prices may increase.

However, if you are like me and live more than 100 km from the nearest Apple Store, you will not be able to have your device repaired without installing it there. For me, it's either a four-hour round trip or a very expensive (and slow) job.

It's also quite brutal for schools, businesses and DIYers who are used to doing repairs themselves at a fraction of the price. But it's worse for all third-party repairers whose livelihoods depended on repairing Apple products.

Fortunately, the "kill switch" is not in play, as shown by iFixit. Adam O'Camb, from iFixit, said, "This is a promising sign, it means that the sky is not quite falling – for the moment."

iFixit swaps the logic cards of their 2018 MacBook Pro.

We do not know when or how it will be activated. Apple declined to comment.

Why would Apple do that? The angle of security makes sense. If your MacBook is stolen, you would not want anyone to just replace the logic board to make it resaleable or to access your files. But that makes things so unreasonable and unnecessarily hard for the consumer – a lot of people have commented that they do not want that.

It is more likely that this is Apple's long-term plan to fight the "right to repair". The right to repair is a generic term designating the right of the owner of a device to repair it at a reasonable cost without the manufacturer having any barrier in their path. Currently, 19 states in the US are planning to legislate, but we know that Apple is lobbying against them in New York, where lobbying registrations need to be made public. It is conceivable that by claiming that this is a security feature and linking it to the T2 security chip, they could refrain from restricting users' right to repair, even if the legislation is passed .

If you want to prevent Apple and other big companies from doing such things, you can do that by supporting organizations and companies such as iFixit. At the end of the day, Apple may well shoot himself in the foot, because who wants to buy a device as difficult to repair?