Apple to replace Retina MacBook Pro screens with damaged coating
19 Oct 2015
Apple will provide free replacement for Retina MacBook Pro screens with damaged coating, MacRumors reported on Saturday.
Earlier this year, MacRumors had reported that some Retina MacBook Pro owners had encountered a problem with the anti-reflective coating on the screen glass, which wore off readily, even if it was properly maintained.
MacRumors.com is an aggregator of Mac and Apple related news, rumours, and reports.
According to the report, Retina MacBook Pro owners affected by the issue would get a replacement display for up to three years from the original date of purchase or until one year from 16 October, 2015 - whichever came last.
It said users who had their screen replaced out of warranty to fix the issue may be eligible for a refund.
Apple is yet to publish a support document to its website regarding the replacement programme, but the report cited ''multiple sources,'' and said the company put out an internal memo announcing the programme.
Users facing the problem with their Retina MacBook Pro, would need to contact Retina Apple for repair. Users could also take their MacBook Pro to the Genius Bar at any Apple Store, or bring it in to any Apple authorised service center.
Meanwhile, Apple is said to be planning to launch a new program for addressing the issues with the anti-reflective coating on some Retina MacBook and MacBook Pro models.
Meanwhile, thousands of MacBook and MacBook Pro owners had been complaining in recent months that the anti-reflective coating on their device's Retina display was either delaminating or wearing off.
In certain cases such issues affected only the sides or small portions of the screen, but in other cases the damage extended to most of the display.
The issue was seen as "cosmetic damage" and not covered under AppleCare, which left many MacBook owners with no choice but to pay repair costs running into hundreds of dollars.
The matter came to be dubbed Staingate and an online petition on Change.org, requesting Apple to replace affected displays for free, gained nearly 5,000 supporters. The issue even led to a website called Staingate, has called for similar demands as the petition.
"A Free Repair Program for all the Macbooks that are having this problem, without taking into consideration if it is under warranty or Apple Care. Because we already paid a lot of our hard earned money to have a defective laptop," reads a message on the Staingate website.
