1.6M views · Oct 18, 2018 · 7:17 · 0 HN recommenders · 4 mentions · discussed 2018–2021
Louis Rossmann describes US Customs seizing replacement MacBook batteries at Apple's behest, while Apple refuses to supply the batteries to authorized service providers. It is part of his right-to-repair advocacy.
Why Hacker News points people here: Cited in repair threads as evidence of Apple working with customs to restrict third-party repair parts.
“tactics like Rossmann described here: where US Customs is seizing imports of genuine Apple parts”HN comment, 2018
“tactics like Rossmann described here: where US Customs is seizing imports of genuine Apple parts”
Rossmann describing customs seizing genuine Apple parts
I'm referring to tactics like Rossmann described here: this video where US Customs is seizing imports of genuine Apple parts - for laptops they don't repair themselves anymore! I see your point though, there are plenty of untrustworthy third-party repairers.
Related item on Apple and customs seizing batteries
DHS Seizes Aftermarket iPhone Screens From Prominent Right-to-Repair Advocate [1] Apple Sued an Independent iPhone Repair Shop Owner and Lost [2] [1] link [2] link Edit: One more - Apple & Customs STOLE my batteries, that they won't even provide to AASPs this video
“Apple worked with US Customs and Border Patrol to seize replacement batteries for laptops that apple will no longer service.”
Example of Apple working with customs to seize replacement batteries
> Apple laptops and phones objectively last longer than the competition. I'm not sure if you've spent much time watching Louis Rossman's youtube channel, but it is full of examples of Apple telling customers a device needs to be replaced when simple repairs are possible. [1][2][3] Apple worked with US Customs and Border Patrol to seize replacement batteries for laptops that apple will no longer service. [4] Rossman has a lot of videos so I did not find original sources for the following, but he has also called Apple support about replacing a charging port on a phone. Apple support told him the charging port was soldered to the motherboard and the phone needed to be replaced. But that charging port on that device is attached via a cable and is not soldered to the board. It can be replaced for a few dollars in five minutes. Rossman also says that apple prevents third party chip manufacturers from selling to repair shops. So Rossman could repair certain macbooks with a $6 chip from (I believe) Intersil, but Apple (being an 800lb gorilla) has asked Intersil not to sell those chips to anyone else. So apple won't replace that chip on your motherboard but they also won't let anyone else do it. It's great that apple will replace batteries, but I seem to recall there was significant consumer (or government?) pressure to offer those replacements. And I would be curious if they do that worldwide or only where legally required. But watching Rossman's youtube channel, it is clear that rep
“In actuality, the devices really were counterfeit.”
1. In 2016, Rossman claimed that Apple was filing suit against him, and was seeking to shut down his YouTube channel. In actuality, one of his videos had shown a schematic, that Rossman illegally obtained, and Apple requested that the schematic be removed from the video. [0] 2. In 2016, Rossman claimed that Apple had a 4 Gigabyte memory chip buffer on their webcams. He speculates that this is due to a nefarious intent on Apple's part. In actuality, it is a 4 Gigabit (512 MB) chip that acts as a buffer. [1] 3. In 2018, Rossman claimed that Apple had contacted Customs and Border Protection to have his import shipment of Apple batteries seized. He claimed that they were genuine OEM batteries, maybe scavenged from old devices. [2] In actuality, the devices really were counterfeit. Rossman had contracted an OEM manufacturer to build batteries to Apple's original spec, which bore Apple's logo, most likely without Apple's knowledge. [3] [0] - link [1] - link [2] - this video [3] - link
