Apple creates quality program to address MacBook 'Staingate' problem

The anti-reflective display coating of some Retina MacBook Pro owners easily wear off and get scratched. This problem has sparked complaints among users and has made its way into Social Media and the Apple Support Communication. This problem has been called the "Staingate" issue. To handle the situation, Apple came up with a new Quality Program that would address the problem.

An article in Forbes writes that there is a thread in the Apple Support Communications dubbed "My Retina Display has stain damage, HELP!!!" At present, it has more than 320,000 views and some 1,200 replies. Besides the thread, one of the victims of the "Staingate" resolved to develop a website called Staingate.org. to express outrage against the issue. There is also a petition in Change.org against the "Staingate" issue where 4,762 people signed as a way to express their frustrations.

Telegraph reported that there are several thousand customers affected by the issue. Their screens become worn when getting contact with the keyboard and trackpad. For some MacBooks, the stains on the coating started to appear as early as seven months after being used. There are some customers who claimed that they weren't given warranty coverage because the company doesn't cover cosmetic damages.

According to MacRumors Apple will now replace the Retina displays on the affected MacBooks for free as long as it is within three years from its purchase date, or a year before October 16, 2015. Affected customers who have spent out-of-warranty costs to repair their Retina can get a refund through the AppleCare support. Affected customers can set an appointment with Genius Bar or they can go to an Apple Authorized Service Provider to know if their MacBook is eligible for repair.

"Staingate" issue is not the first time that Apple launched a Quality Program. Other replacement programs Apple has made in the past includes the iPhone 5 battery Replacement Program, the MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program, Beats Pill XL Speaker Recall Program, the iSight Camera Replacement Program, and the iPhone 5 Sleep/Wake Button Replacement Program.