Apple addresses Flexgate with MacBook Pro display backlight service program and expands keyboard repair program
Apple has launched a new service program to address the Flexgate issue that blights numerous MacBook Pro laptops. At the same time -- and coinciding with the launch of the new 8-core MacBook Pro complete with tweaked keyboard -- the company has also expanded its keyboard repair program to address problems with its butterfly keyboards.
The display issue affects the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and owners of problematic systems find that the backlight either doesn't work at, or performs strangely. It is thought to be caused by a problem with a flexible cable in the hinge, and Apple is offering free repairs.
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Announcing the display service program, Apple says that it has determined that a "very small percentage" of 13-inch MacBook Pro displays suffer with issues. This can include the "display backlight continuously or intermittently showing vertical bright areas along the entire bottom of the screen", or the "display backlight stops working completely".
The problems affect MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) and MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) sold between October 2016 and February 2018.
More details about the service program can be found here.
Apple has also expanded the scope of its service program for keyboards. The company says that, again, a "small percentage" of MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models have problems, specifically that "letters or characters repeat unexpectedly", "letters or characters do not appear", or "key(s) feel 'sticky' or do not respond in a consistent manner".
The list of affected devices is fairly lengthy:
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
Full details are available here.
Image credit: Stockforlife / Shutterstock