Apple's Retina MacBook Pro Is Losing Its Sheen, Figuratively And Literally
For over a week now the tech press has been littered with articles and social media posts gushing over Apple's just-introduced ultra-super-uber thin MacBook, highlighting the device's new USB-C port and a wealth of other must-note features. Apple gleefully let all of us know that their latest game-changing Cupertino notebook computer offering will once again make all others that came before look ever more prehistoric. Meanwhile, one of the company's more recent notebook-to-end-all-notebooks — the MacBook Pro with Retina Display — is taking on the mantle of obsolete cave tool much quicker than anticipated.
MacRumors is reporting that complaints over the anti-reflective coating wearing off on Retina MacBook Pro screens have recently been on the rise, and that the issue — dating back to at least August 2013 — is being addressed by Apple in a mixed manner at best. In some cases affected users whose systems are still under Apple's standard one-year warranty or who have purchased the company's AppleCare Protection Plan have had their MacBook Pro Retinas replaced through a Genius Bar at no charge. Others have been told that their warranty does not cover cosmetic damage and that they would need to fork over significant money to have their systems serviced back to clear-screened health.
The MacBook Pro Retina display problem seems to be the result of key and trackpad pressure on the screen along with the use of third-party cleaning solutions and microfiber cloths. And although the problem is mostly relegated to small sections of treated Retina screens (this according to read-throughs of topic forum pages at Apple Support Communities, MacRumors, and on Facebook), a number of users have posted pictures showing the problem affecting virtually the entire anti-reflective coated screen.
Apparently, the anti-reflective coating issue potentially affects all MacBook Pro with Retina Display systems, covering mid-2012 models and stretching up through the mid-2014 models still being sold today. And it appears to be growing, as the issue "has received over 90,000 views and close to 400 responses between the Apple Support Communities and MacRumors discussion forums". Up until now, though, Apple has yet to issue a formal response in reference to the marring of one of their most recent world-beating notebook products.
