MacBook Air owners beware – your laptop may well need the attention of Apple’s latest repair program, after internal documents revealed an issue with the laptop’s logic board.
The latest news follows a long line of MacBook repair programs from Apple, including for keyboard faults and display issues. Spending upwards of $1,000 on a laptop seems to be no guarantee of a fault-free device, though Apple is certainly making the right moves in being proactive around offering fixes.
Affected MacBook owners will be contacted by email, or they can choose to visit their local Apple store to arrange the fix.
What is Wrong with the MacBook Air?
Good question. All we know so far, thanks to a report by 9to5Mac, is that there are potential issues with the logic board on some Air models. For now, it seems Apple is being tight-lipped on just what this issue is, although one of the symptoms pointed to for the issue is “power”, which could give some indication of the severity.
According to 9to5Mac, internal documents for repair staff have raised the issue. The documents suggest that the issue only affects a small minority of users. That said, this isn’t unusual language for a technical fault such as this, and does a great job of masking the true extent of the problem.
The issue is specific to 2018 Macbook Air Retina models.
How Will I Know if my MacBook is Affected?
According to the document, Apple will actively contact those who have affected MacBooks. These users will be emailed with instructions about next steps, with Apple having identified the rogue MacBook models through a list of serial numbers. This suggests that Apple has isolated the problem down to a certain batch or production run.
Owners who believe they might have an affected MacBook Air model can also keep an eye on Apple’s repair program section of its site for official word on the rollout of the repair. Apple sometimes conducts smaller repair programs outside of this. Owners can also visit an Apple store for a repair.
Apple will reportedly offer the program for four years from the original purchase date of the MacBook Air. The repair will be free.
Recent Repair Rate on MacBooks
MacBook users have been somewhat unlucky recently when it comes to official repairs. This recent one marks the fourth example in just over a month. While it’s good to see Apple be so proactive over faults with its hardware, it’s probably somewhat exhausting for owners.
Barely a week ago, Apple issued a notice that some 15-inch MacBook Pro laptops were subject to a battery recall program, with some older models posing potential fire risks. In May, Apple finally addressed a problem that MacBook owners had complained about for some time, when it offered repairs for MacBook keyboards that experienced repeating characters or were unresponsive to presses.
Much like the most recent logic board problem, Apple claims that this fault only affects a “small percentage of keyboards”. But, the vocal coverage of the problem online would perhaps suggest otherwise.
The bad news doesn’t stop there for MacBook owners – 2016 MacBook Pro models were also subject to a repair notice last month, after it emerged that some were experiencing issues with the displays backlight, such as vertical bright areas, or in some cases just not working at all.
Still tempted by an Apple laptop? Check out our full guide – Which MacBook Should I Buy?
