Apple’s always been known for its proprietary tech and products. The company is now taking things a step further with its modern MacBook devices that ship with its proprietary T2 chip.

According to a new report from Motherboard, the company has deployed a new software that needs to be run on new Macs with the T2 chip after certain repairs. If you don’t run the software right after the repair, which is only available to Apple and its authorized repair partners, your device will become “inoperative.”

Motherboard reports that the software lock applies to any repair which involves replacing a MacBook Pro’s display assembly, logic board, top case (the keyboard, touchpad, and internal housing), and Touch ID board. For iMac Pros, you will need the tool for replacing the Logic Board or flash storage.

“For Macs with the Apple T2 chip, the repair process is not complete for certain parts replacements until the AST 2 System Configuration suite has been run. Failure to perform this step will result in an inoperative system and an incomplete repair,” Apple stated in an internal document, according to MacRumors.

All of this essentially means if your Mac is broken, unless you take it to Apple or an Apple-authorized service center, an independent repair by yourself or a local small business will make your device unusable.

And that’s a major problem, mainly because Mac repairs are incredibly expensive. While getting your device repaired by Apple does give you the extra trust and security of your device, these repairs can often be quite expensive and can be done for cheaper elsewhere. Now that these repairs are theoretically impossible, you have no other option than to take it to an Apple Store.

Tagged with MacBook, MacBook Pro