Apple confirms T2 security chip in new Macs prevents some third-party repairs

“Apple’s annual October hardware event wrapped late last month with the announcements of a new MacBook Air and a revamped Mac mini. Both computers, like the newest MacBook Pro and last year’s iMac Pro, come equipped with Apple’s security-focused T2 chip,” Nick Statt reports for The Verge.
“The T2 chip, which acts as a co-processor, is the secret to many of Apple’s newest and most advanced features,” Statt reports. “However, its introduction into more computers and the likelihood that it becomes commonplace in every Mac going forward has renewed concerns that Apple is trying to further lock down its devices from third-party repair services.”
“Apple confirmed to The Verge that this is the case for repairs involving certain components on newer Macs, like the logic board and Touch ID sensor, which is the first time the company has publicly acknowledged the new repair requirements for T2-equipped Macs. But Apple could not provide a list of repairs that required this or what devices were affected,” Statt reports. “It also couldn’t say whether it began this protocol with the iMac Pro’s introduction last year or if it’s a new policy instituted recently.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Among other things, the T2 chip (which runs BridgeOS, a watchOS derivative) handles Touch ID, provides the Secure Enclave for encrypted keys, and on-the-fly SSD encryption and decryption. You do not want Joe’s Fly-By-Night Repair Shop messing with that.