Owning Vintage Models
Insight: Of Technology Changes, Favorite Gadgets and Repair.
Last Sunday, I discovered that my favorite 15” MacBook Pro's screen was damaged, showing colored lines with only a quarter of the display visible.
How it happened was a mystery, but I tried the usual Apple Support tips—resetting hardware and controllers—hoping for a quick fix. Unfortunately, it wasn’t my lucky day.
I then took it to the local authorized Apple Service Center in Bangalore, where they confirmed the screen had suffered physical damage.
In the US, Apple typically charges between $600 and $800 to replace the display, depending on the model, restoring the laptop to like-new condition.
I know this because, five years ago, my laptop sustained similar damage during a long-haul flight, despite being protected in its case.
Apple's seamless support service allowed for an instant diagnosis and estimate at their 24-hour NYC store, with the same service ticket later fulfilled in Salt Lake City without any issues.
Expecting similar service, I was disappointed when the technician labeled my device a ‘vintage model,’ which sounds charming, but is definitely not a term you want applied to tech.
Turns out, Apple no longer services models they consider 'vintage,' though they try to make you feel good about owning one.
Apple’s online store policy clarifies that it considers products older than seven years (i.e. no longer sold in the market!) as vintage and therefore, ‘non-serviceable.’
My mid-2015 MacBook Pro still functioned superbly, and I preferred its features over newer models. It also includes the increasingly rare USB Type-A slots, which Apple has phased out in newer models in favor of faster USB-C ports.
The problem with this phasing out is not all devices have transitioned to USB-C, and discarding perfectly good, multiple 1TB storage drives you own with only Type-A ports, feels wasteful.
Note: You need to now buy a dongle if you still need USB-A ports with the newer models.
Investing in Type-A to C adapters is an option, but this compromises speed, and soon, you'll need new USB-C/A compatible accessories.
Note: If you’re interested in learning more about the different USB ports and their uses, here’s a good visual reference guide.
I may eventually need to upgrade my model, especially as software support for the MacOS versions compatible with older Macs is phased out (for example, Google has discontinued support for older Macs for Chrome and YouTube).
Forking out $2-$3K for a new laptop when the current one was still in good working condition also offended my sustainable approach to gadgets.
So there I was, left with a high-quality functioning laptop with unbacked-up data and a damaged display that made portable work impossible.
Pro-tip: Regularly back up your laptop to the cloud or an offline storage drive. If your laptop display is damaged, you can connect it to a monitor to access and backup your data. You can also use your iMac as a display for Macbooks with compatible OS versions.
Feeling nostalgic for my once-functional laptop, and bored of being tied to my desktop iMac, I remembered reading about a local business started by two engineers dedicated to high-quality Apple product repairs.
For a long time, Apple had no direct stores in India due to trade disagreements. They operated through franchise partners, who were authorized to sell and service Apple products but were often more focused on sales than comprehensive support.
This changed when Apple opened its first flagship store in Mumbai in April 2023, with Tim Cook himself inaugurating the store amid typical fanfare.
Note: One reason Android products do well in Asia1 is their high resale value, partly because they can be easily repaired by third parties at a low cost.
Anyway, after a quick search, I found the engineers' repair business just 20 minutes away in a Bangalore suburb.
For $200, they offered to replace my damaged display with one from another used mid-2015 MacBook Pro.
The process would take 2-3 hours, and they assured me that data backup was not necessary beforehand—though it's generally a good practice to secure your data.
While they have a home delivery and pickup service (for an additional fee of $6.50), I drove to their office, which surprisingly included a waiting lounge, to check the quality of the used laptop display.
This took more than a few minutes as they booted the used laptop from a separate hard drive based macOS because the laptop was ‘technically dead.’
After verifying their technical skill and the quality of the replacement display, I left my laptop with them and retreated to a nearby café to read a book over an indulgent coffee.
Two hours later, they contacted me to collect my laptop!
In the end, I had my 'vintage' laptop back, nearly as good as new, just 72 hours after the damage occurred. Although Apple offered a $50 rebate to trade it in for a new model, I opted to keep it.
Later, this working model may help initiatives aimed at students in underserved communities who lack access to digital devices.
Within hours of the repair, the founder of the repair service personally reached out to ensure everything was working well—an unexpectedly delightful demonstration of small business customer care!
‘Vintage Tech’ Tips
Own a vintage laptop? Here’s how you can maximize its lifespan and impact:
Stay Updated: Regularly check the manufacturer’s website for the latest OS compatibility and software updates to keep your device running smoothly.
Back It Up: Ensure all your data is regularly backed up. This can be a lifesaver during unexpected failures.
Assess and Adapt: Review your usage needs periodically. If your activities demand more power, consider what upgrades might extend your device’s utility without the need for a new purchase.
Seek Repairs: Before writing off old technology, explore affordable repair options. You’d be surprised how many issues can be fixed, giving your gadget a new lease on life.
Donate or Recycle: If you’re upgrading, don’t let your old laptop end up in a landfill. Donate it to schools or community centers where it can make a difference, or ensure it’s responsibly recycled.
Have a vintage tech story to share?
Did you know that 800 laptops are discarded every second, contributing to 50 million tons of e-waste annually? The US generates 3.4 million tons of e-waste annually, with only 29% recycled. This represents a potential recoverable value of $44 billion (gold, silver, copper materials). Despite the waste, laptop and computer production is growing by $8 billion annually, indicating rising demand. 2
I founded kindeeds.com in 2020 as a digital platform for sharing books and, potentially in the future, gadgets. Your support can help promote sustainable practices in local communities. Please consider signing up or contributing to help maintain the site!
The smartphone market in India is predominantlyAndroid-based, accounting for 95-98% market share - a trend consistent across the Asia-Pacific region. As of June 2024, however, Apple has increased its share to about 4%, a significant rise in just a few years. While Apple primarily serves enterprise customers in India, Windows and Android-based systems continue to dominate the personal computing market, accounting for nearly 80% of it, encompassing both desktops and portables.
Sources: EPA, HP, BBC.
Great stuff! This particularly hit home because my LappeToppe was fabricated before the advent of electricity, apparently, and I expect it to succumb to a similar fate as yours soon, especially since I have no idea, technically speaking, what a back up is or how one accomplishes this feat of skill(?). For me the best thing about this article was that it was grounded in your philosophy of sustainability, so much so that you offer some truly great tips at the end. Throwing away good laptops or parts of laptops is a tragedy for the reasons you mentioned, but also because of the lithium battery issue, which more people should be aware of and respect. Well done! Now if you'll excuse me.I have to go dongle my Walkman...
LOL...my desktop from 2000 finally "died" in the spring.