A group of owners of Apple's Macbook Pro with Retina display are calling for the company to repair or replace their laptops after experiencing what seems like irreparable damage to the computer's antireflective screen coating layer.
The problem, which is now being called "staingate," can be seen as streaks, splotches and other anomalies on the Macbook Pro's screen, which has been attributed to the display surface of the laptop.
The exact cause of the issue is unknown, although there have been speculations that factors for the problem include high humidity and users overly cleaning the Macbook Pro's display.
Owners who are suffering from the problem have started a website for it at staingate.org, with pictures being posted on the website that show how bad the issue is for some users. It seems that the damage mostly occurs on spots that regularly come into contact with other objects such as the keys of the keyboard or the user's fingers.
Most of the pictures show that the damage is near the sides of the laptop's screen, though there are some instances wherein the entire display is affected. Several affected Macbook Pro laptops show the streaks being near the camera for FaceTime, which is an area that is often touched and cleaned.
It is not clear how many Macbook Pro laptops on the market are suffering from the problem, but it seems that the issue is limited to Retina Macbook Pro laptops, especially the devices that were built in 2013.
As of July 10, the staingate.org website reported that it contains a database of 2,684 Macbook Pro owners who are suffering from the problem, with the website also containing a form to allow other affected users to sign up and include themselves in the database.
Also according to the website, Apple has not officially recognized the problem, as it is saying that it is cosmetic damage and as such is not covered by the accompanying warranty of the high-end laptops. This would mean that users will need to pay around $800 to have their screens replaced, with the possibility that the issue will once again occur after several months.
There is also a Facebook community that has been established for the victims of staingate. In fact, Whitefield Bryson & Mason, a law firm, has reached out to this community to begin exploring legal options that the group has in relation to the problem.
