A lot of second-hand MacBooks are becoming junk because Apple's security chip is too strong

The MacBook and iMac released by Apple since 2018 are equipped with the ' T2 ' chip for improving security and the M1 / M2 chip that incorporates the functions of the T2 chip. Because the security function of this T2 chip is too strong, second-hand dealers are in a situation where ``old Apple machines cannot be activated and must be treated as junk''.

Perfectly Good MacBooks From 2020 Are Being Sold for Scrap Because of Activation Lock
https://www.vice.com/en/article/xgybq7/apple-macbook-activation-lock-right-to-repair

The T2 chip is a security chip originally developed by Apple that plays a role in encrypting the entire storage and security measures for data related to Touch ID. For this reason, the T2 chip is a valuable presence that strengthens security for users who have purchased a new MacBook, but the security is too strong, such as `` repairers can not repair the MacBook '' and `` it can not be activated offline ''. Problems have also been reported.

Such a T2 chip is also a source of trouble for second-hand dealers who handle MacBooks. Activation Lock can also be enabled by enabling Find My Mac on MacBooks with the T2 chip and M1/M2 chips, but once Activation Lock is enabled, the user does not explicitly disable it. As long as it is impossible for a third party to use the MacBook, a situation occurs where 'a used MacBook cannot be activated'.

According to John Bumstead , who repairs and sells computers, the second-hand MacBook market is trading MacBooks that have finished their use at companies and educational institutions. However, companies and educational institutions recognize that MacBooks that have been abandoned once are ``already discarded,'' and requests for activation lock release are mostly ignored.

According to Bamstead, companies and educational institutions often replace machines every three years. For this reason, a large number of MacBooks equipped with the T2 chip that appeared around 2018 have begun to appear on the second-hand market, and the number of 'second-hand MacBooks that cannot be activated' is rapidly increasing. The following tweet posted by Mr. Bumstead contains a large number of photos of MacBooks that cannot be activated.

As I predicted years ago, Activation Locked T2 MacBooks are flooding into recyclers (15 of these are 2020 M1!) Recyclers willing to violate the R2 cert sell to uncertified barbarians like me who use them for parts, but most just scrap due to liability paranoia #righttorepair pic.twitter.com/uvsQZK8nJR

—John Bumstead (@RDKLinc) January 17, 2023

There are several people on the Internet who claim that they have devised a method to break through the security of the T2 chip and forcibly activate it, but since the appearance of the M1 chip, reports of breaking through security have ceased It is said that there is. Mr. Bamstead said, ``In the first place, a MacBook that has broken through security is considered a ``hacked MacBook'', so it is ethically undesirable to sell it as a second-hand product,'' and forcibly breaking through security is not realistic. pointing out.

Motherboard, which reported that many used MacBooks cannot be activated, said, ``Apple started providing repair parts to users in 2021. However, MacBooks that cannot be activated by second-hand dealers are piling up. The current situation shows that Apple's efforts are not progressing.'