Apple's MacBook Pro is in the news yet again for not so good reason. The MacBook Pro models that launched in the year 2016 are facing some issues. Some users have reported that MacBook Pro is showing uneven lighting issues at the bottom of the screen of the device. This screen issue is dubbed flexgate and is apparently happening because of some flexible ribbon cables that basically connects the screen of the MacBook Pro and with the controller board. A report suggests that the flexible ribbon cables are pretty much prone to fatigue and failure which basically lead to "stage light" effect on some of the MacBook Pro 2016 models.
To recollect, this isn’t the first time that MacBook Pro is in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. A few months ago some users complained about CPU throttling issue on Intel Core i9-powered MacBook Pro 2018 models. After numerous complaints, Apple however acknowledged and resolved the issue by rolling but a fix via the macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 Supplemental Update.
MacBook Pro ‘Flexgate’ Issue Explained
Coming back to the new ‘flexgate’ issue, the flexible ribbon cables of the MacBook Pro that connect the display to the controller board can be prone to failure or stress everytime the user opens and closes the lit, iFixit explained. The iFixit further revealed that that with every opening and closing of the lid of the MacBook Pro the flexible ribbon cables suffer from fatigue and tear over a period of time. And finally, it leads to showing symptoms of stage light, in simple words uneven backlighting issue from the screen -- something that the MacBook Pro users are complaining about
Further explaining the cause of the problem a report coming from iFixit notes, "Apple opted for thin, fragile flex cables as opposed to the beefier wire cables used in previous designs that could be routed through the hinge instead of wrapped around it, helping mitigate the stress of repeated openings and closings.”
Notably, the recently launched MacBooks from Apple also comes with the same flexible ribbon cables placed into the screen panel in order to make much slimmer and lightweight laptops. The iFixit report further noted that the issue has costed the users a bomb considering it mostly led them to get the full display replaced instead of just changing the internal cables to resolve the 'flexgate' issue. The report further revealed that this 'flexgate' issue has impacted all MacBook Pro models starting from 2016 to the latest MacBook Pro launched only in 2018.
