If you’ve suffered through the Parade of Glue and Adhesive that was involved in replacing the batteries on Apple’s MacBook Air notebooks since 2012, you’re going to love this.
Apple’s new MacBook Air battery can be replaced by the owner in the notebook.
In all other MacBook and MacBook Pro models with a Retina display released since 2012, when a customer has required a battery replacement, Apple has replaced the entire top case enclosure, including the keyboard and trackpad. This is because the battery is glued into the top case in Mac notebooks with Retina displays.
While the battery in the new MacBook Air is still glued into the top case, a support document shows that Apple will be providing Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers with tools to remove the battery and reinstall a new one with no top case replacement required.
The trackpad in the new MacBook Air can also be individually replaced.
We’ll have to wait until the iFixit teardown to see exactly how much glue is inside the new MacBook Air and what case design changes have been made, but this is definitely a step in the right direction for anyone who had to fight to replace a MacBook Air or Retina MacBook Pro battery from 2012.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors