It’s hard to imagine someone not contacting Apple if their Mac mini refused to turn on, so this article will primarily reduce your anxiety should such a thing happen.
Apple has announced a service program to address an issue where some units of the M2 Mac mini (2023) may fail to power on. According to the company, a “very small percentage” of Mac minis manufactured between 16 June 2024 and 23 November 2024 are affected by this problem. Apple doesn’t say whether the problem appears only sporadically or if the affected Macs permanently refuse to power on. The program covers eligible Mac minis for three years after their first retail sale, so if the problem is sporadic, don’t put off contacting Apple indefinitely.
Although I assume that Apple support would figure this problem out immediately and offer a free repair, if you’re troubleshooting a failure to turn on by yourself, you can use Apple’s Serial Number checker to see if your Mac mini is eligible for a free repair through Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. You can find your Mac mini’s serial number printed on the bottom of the device or, if you can still access macOS, in either > About This Mac or System Settings > General > About.
If you need to get your Mac mini serviced, be sure to follow Apple’s advice for prepping your Mac for service before taking it in. Situations like this are one of the reasons I recommend having a second Mac you can use in the interim (see “Do You Use It? Backup Strategies Span the Gamut,” 16 January 2025), but remember that you can buy a new Mac and return it within 14 days under Apple’s return policy.
I wonder if this Apple service repair program is offered to Mac mini owners who lived outside the US. I got a ‘we will look into this’ response from Apple Australia and surmised that Apple HQ had not mentioned this program to its operations outside of the US.
Chat GPT advised about 70% of Mac minis are sold to non USA based buyers.
Please let us know what you learn, as there is no information available about the location, except that it applies to the US. It’s possible that Apple knows the affected machines only shipped to US buyers.
On reflection, Apple Australia should have simply told me that any Mac mini, if broken, would be repaired or replaced free of charge because of the national Australian Consumer Law Act. I should have realised this before bothering Apple Australia, and consequently I’ve left an apology for the staff member at Apple Australia.
Surely, Australian law doesn’t mandate warranties that never expire. Can you automatically assume that Apple must replace a machine that has failed after three years of use?
Apple’s warranty in the US is for one year unless you pay for an Apple Care extended warranty.
Under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), consumers are entitled to certain guarantees when they purchase goods, including computers. These guarantees include that the goods must be of acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and match the description provided.
The ACL does not specify a fixed duration for coverage; instead, it provides that the length of time a product is expected to last depends on various factors, including:
Nature of the Product: The expected lifespan of the computer based on its type and use.
Price Paid: Higher-priced items may be expected to last longer.
Consumer Expectations: What a reasonable consumer would expect in terms of durability and performance.
In general, if a computer fails to meet the guarantees set out in the ACL within a reasonable time frame, consumers may be entitled to a repair, replacement, or refund. If you have specific concerns about a computer purchase, it may be beneficial to consult the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) or a legal professional for tailored advice.
[Courtesy of GPT-4o mini. Let’s call it an experiment.]
Yes. Basically if a product is ‘not fit for purpose’, or becomes ‘not fit for purpose’ within a reasonably expected lifespan, then the vendor is obliged to make good. Otherwise the vendor gets penalised. I know that Apple Australia makes good to customers whose computers failed over three years of use. Some time ago, it took a legal case for Apple HQ to realise that its Australian end could not beat this consumer law no matter the US position. But this law is not much of an impost on Apple because its products are robust and reliable (except for Apple cables).
There’s not much point in taking out Apple Care extended care warranty because its conditions are overruled by this law. The regulatory body comes down hard on any retailer that seeks to ignore the conditions and obligations set out in the Australian Consumer Law Act, and so do the Australian courts. Sell a good product or give a good service is easier for retailers and manufacturers.
Adam, I did have an Apple Australia employee contact me and she said that it must be a US thing and if I had any issues with my Mac mini, then bring it in and it will be fixed
But what does “reasonably expected” mean? And who decides? Based on what criteria?
I regularly use a 2011 Mac today. I also do a lot of work with a 2008 Dell Precision desktop system.
These computers are incredibly old, but they are very “fit for purpose”, as demonstrated by the fact that I use them for productive work every day. But how can that possibly create a legal obligation on the manufacturer to provide ongoing support without additional charge?
What most people would think is fair in the circumstances. If a court is deciding whether something is reasonable, it may use precedents (opens in new window). These are previous legal cases that have decided something similar.
(I can’t help hearing “prees-uh-dents” instead of “press-ah-dents” when reading that, ha)
The website also makes it sound like the major incentive for businesses to comply is to avoid governmental agency sanctions if enough complaints are received. The ACCC does not intervene on the behalf of individuals. This is similar to Portugal where all businesses are required to maintain a complaint registry that is periodically reviewed by the government. Often, businesses will acquiesce to doing something they don’t want to in order to avoid having a grievance recorded in their official book.
Here’s some background:
The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) aims to protect consumers from unfair or unsafe business practices, ensuring they receive accurate information, quality products, and fair treatment.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is the main body that supervises and enforces the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The ACCC works to promote competition and fair trading while also protecting consumers in their dealings with businesses.
While the ACCC is the primary national regulator, it also works with state and territory consumer protection agencies to address issues within their respective jurisdictions.
Over time, benchmarks for the reasonable expected life of products have been negotiated, litigated, researched and generally accepted. ‘Wear and tear’ and product damage is accountable. Some products may be not fit for purpose on the day they are purchased. Clearly you have purchased well.
