You can still send non-functioning items back to Apple to be recycled if you want. You can take it an Apple store or go through the mail-in process. They tear them apart and salvage the parts.
From my knowledge of working as an ACMT, Apple processes every part it takes out of a computer during repair service. I couldn't say how many are fixed in the manner you're talking about, but I can say that a significant proportion of parts we received for warranty service were clearly 'remanufactured' parts. So that kind of toss-and-replace doesn't even really happen at Apple itself.
Maybe it's because I live in Silicon Valley, but my repair experience with Apple has been quite different. I took my six year old laptop in for a recall on the video card, which required a logic board replacement. They did that at no charge. In the process, they broke the power unit, so they replaced that and my six year old battery, both at no charge. They also replaced the top case at no charge while doing the second repair because they said they damaged it during repair. I never even saw the damage or had to complain.
It took three weeks, but in the end I basically had a new laptop, except the screen.
That's the expedient field repair, but what happens to the motherboard afterword?
They're under no obligation to replace your motherboard with a "new" one, so it's possible that it goes back to the repair depot for actual diagnostics and repair by better trained and equipped technicians.
I have no idea, maybe they do just shred it and melt it down, but it sure doesn't seem efficient for Apple to simply toss the motherboard rather than try to repair it themselves, otherwise the repair would be vastly more expensive -- AppleCare or not.
Apple has always been great to me with fixing things as long as I took it in to an apple store. The few times they didn’t do it for free they did the repairs at what I would consider a reasonable price. If someone it having issues with their apple hardware that is the first place to start, assuming you have an apple store that you can get to.
When I had a motherboard issue with a dell laptop, Dell sent a representative to my home office to take it apart, clean it, and replace the motherboard.
I've also had laptops and monitors replaced by other companies on a "we'll send you a replacement, you send the defective one back in that box with this prepaid shipping label, and thanks for buying our products" basis.
Well, as I wrote, a technician should be able to repair it and that does not mean sending the device around for weeks. Availability of a device is an important thing if you use it for your work. Also, many "repairs" Apple offers are priced such, that quite often the device is totalled. A broken keyboard should cost $100, not >$600. A broken screen cable shouldn't cost > $800. A dead SSD should cost what an SSD does cost.
If you throw away a machine, that for any other brand could have been quickly repaired because it is totalled, this is not environmental friendly, even if Apple recycles the aluminum afterwards.
Have you actually brought a device to be repaired within the last few years?
They take it in the back to diagnose it, come back with a sad expression and tell you they need to send it in, and you can pick it up in a week. (And that's not even mentioning the fact that most Apple stores are a zoo, and you can easily spend an hour waiting for your 'Genius' appointment)
Main issue to me is no self repair and AASP don’t actually repair stuff...
Slight damage needing a few cents worth of caps replaced? Yeah that will be a full board swap. $900 please, oh and we don’t keep that main board in stock (cause Apple doesn’t let us) so it will be a week before we can do the swap...
I don’t mind paying a little extra, I do mind getting fucked over.
Now it does look like this software is only about the pairing of the components (main board, Touch ID, screen...) so component level repair should be fine as long as the cpu or the T2 doesn’t pop, so it’s not completely the end of the world but Apple are taking the piss now.
It’s not about the cost. It’s about the inability for anyone but who Apple chooses to be able to fix your hardware.
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