Hey everyone, it’s Josh. Today I have a story to share that’s equal parts frustrating and unbelievable. Yes, Apple replaced my iMac Pro, but I’m still mad, and laptop computers here’s why.
The Backstory: VESA Mount Woes
If you missed my initial video on the VESA mount issues I faced with my iMac Pro, you might want to check it out first. To give you a quick refresher: the Genius Bar at my local Apple Store not only managed to damage the back of my iMac and its stand during a repair, but the brand new VESA kit they installed broke again. Why? Because they used blue thread locker, which shouldn’t have been used in the first place. It’s not necessary for the installation and makes the screws extremely difficult to remove.
So there I was, stuck with a broken iMac in worse cosmetic condition than before. Not exactly the quality of service you’d expect when dealing with a premium product.
Returning to the Apple Store
Frustrated, I decided to head back to the Apple Store. When I got there, I immediately asked to speak to the manager. The conversation didn’t exactly start on a positive note. Despite the mess they had made, they initially tried to send me away with the damaged iMac, hoping I wouldn’t notice. It was only after some insistence and showing the viral traction my first video had gained that they replaced my iMac Pro with a new one.
Would Apple Do This for Anyone?
Here’s the thing that bothers me: would Apple have done this for anyone? I’d like to think so, but the fact that my video had already picked up a fair amount of attention seems to have played a significant role. One of the employees even mentioned seeing my video. This raises a big question about Apple’s consistency in customer service.
The Call from Apple Executive Relations
The story didn’t end there. The next day, I received a call from a liaison at Apple’s executive relations. He admitted that the social media team had seen my video and the multiple articles written about the incident. This information had been sent up the chain, prompting the call.
He first asked if the store had replaced my iMac Pro entirely, as anything less would have been unacceptable. After confirming they did, he asked if I still had the VESA mount and its screws. I did, and they sent me a shipping label to return the kit to Apple’s engineering team in Cupertino for examination. According to the liaison, “anything less than perfect performance by the VESA kit is unacceptable.”
The Real Issue: Design and Support
While I recognize that my local Apple Store was a significant part of the problem, Apple corporate isn’t off the hook either. The VESA kit is poorly designed. Some forum posts suggest I don’t know how to use a screwdriver, but as someone who’s done computer and smartphone repairs for years, I beg to differ. Even if that were true, a product marketed as user-installable shouldn’t be so prone to user error. That’s bad design.
And I’m not alone. I received an interesting email from a major game developer. They had purchased eight iMac Pros and experienced VESA mount failures on five of them—60%! They have trained IT specialists, yet they faced the same issues.
This leads me to believe one of two things: either Apple’s supplier cheaped out on manufacturing the mount, or Apple knowingly shipped defective units, thinking it would be cheaper to fix them as they came in rather than redesigning the product. Neither scenario makes Apple look good.
Lack of Enterprise-Level Support
This embarrassment is compounded by Apple’s lack of enterprise-level support for their Pro products. Companies like Dell and HP offer immediate, often on-site support, even for lower-end products. Meanwhile, Apple struggles to provide special support for their Pro machines unless you’re an enterprise partner.
Even if you consider the iMac Pro a consumer machine (which I strongly disagree with), Apple’s phone and in-store representatives are woefully unprepared to handle their latest products. This gap in training and support is unacceptable, especially for a company that prides itself on quality and customer satisfaction.
Conclusion: A Bitter Resolution
So, while I did walk out of the Apple Store with a brand new iMac Pro, the experience left a sour taste in my mouth. Apple’s mishandling of the situation, from the poor repair job to the inadequate support, highlights significant issues in their customer service and product design.
If you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more tech content. And if you ever need phone repairs or tech advice, I highly recommend Gadget Kings PRS. They’re the best in the business for phone repairs. Check them out at Gadget Kings PRS.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll catch you next time!
