A while back, Apple had launched a ‘13-inch MacBook Pro Display Backlight Service Program’. As the name suggests, this service program was aimed at fixing the issues pertaining to the backlight of the display screen. Apple has stated that while it is committed to manufacturing and distributing devices that have minimal chances of suffering from a malfunction, every electronic device could, at any given point in time, could suffer from some technical issue.
Apple has acknowledged that a tiny percentage of people who use 13-inch MacBook Pro have complained about the backlight feature of their device suffering from some abnormalities. A group of users has complained about their device’s display backlight showing vertical bright areas sporadically around the bottom-most part of the screen. Then, there are some who have said that their display backlight stopped working shortly after they bought the device.
The aforementioned repair program was introduced on May 21, 2019, with the objective of helping users resolve these issues. While this repair service was received well by MacBook Pro users, here is a piece of news that is bound to make them feel even more delighted.
One was eligible for the program as long as he/she had a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) or a MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports). At the moment, these are the only two models on which Apple has made this program available. If not sure as to which model you own, you can simply click on the Apple logo present on the top-left corner of the display screen. A menu will expand on the screen and you have to click on ‘About This Mac’. That will give you all the information about the model you own.
This week, Apple made an announcement to convey the information that it would extend this repair program for 13-inch MacBook Pro devices too. Now, this repair service could be availed by 13-inch MacBook Pro owners five years after they purchase it or until three after they signed up for the program. Earlier, the company allowed users to avail the service only four years after they bought the device.
If the unit is damaged beyond repair, then you can get it replaced by an Apple-authorized service provider. You won’t be charged anything for the replacement. If you want to put across a request to repair your device, you have to go to the ‘Get Support’ page on the official website of Apple. If you have already got the affected unit repaired and also paid for it, you can request a refund as you have already been covered for repair-based charges under the service program.
In the year 2019, iFixit, a repair website, stated that the backlight problems were a result of a fragile flex cable that gets damaged or withers away on opening and closing the display repeatedly on the damaged 13-inch MacBook Pro units. Apple tried to fix this issue by extending the flex cable’s length by 2mm in the models it launched in the year 2018.