The M1 version of the notebook, which was released in 2020, can apparently break the screen. This is reported in a long thread in the Apple forum.
A number of MacBook Air M1 owners are faced with seemingly random cracks in their notebook’s display. There are small cracks in the protective film as well as longer break lines that take up more than a third of the screen. Sometimes the Mac continues to work as usual, sometimes the displays fail with display errors.
Long thread on Apple.com
In the official Apple support forum there is a thread on the subject that started in May, which is still active almost every day and has now reached over 50 pages, as iFun.de noticed. The affected devices are often older, while some have just been purchased or only a few months ago. The MacBook Air M1 was launched in autumn 2020 and was one of the group’s first Apple silicon machines. The design is based on the Intel-based MacBook Air. Meanwhile, Apple has launched a revised version with the MacBook Air M2.
The fact that display cracks can occur in Apple notebooks is not an entirely new phenomenon. The group itself had already issued an official warning in September 2021. In a support document updated at the time, the company wrote that damage to the screen could occur if “any material” was left on the screen, keyboard, or wrist rest when the lid was closed. This means, among other things, keyboard and screen protectors, camera covers, films for the palm rest.
Spontaneous display breakage
Apparently, however, small stones or larger crumbs are also sufficient, since the devices work with very low tolerances. Very few of the affected users in the Apple Support Forum had “embellished” their device with foils or other materials, so this cannot be the explanation. In 2021 there were also increased reports of broken displays on the MacBook Air M1 and the MacBook Pro M1 that was released at the same time. At that time, Apple first published the notice not to change the devices, as mentioned, and then later added the warning that “any material” between the housing and the screen could cause damage.
Affected users should first contact Apple Support or the Genius Bar at a nearby Apple retail store. If the hardware is still under warranty, you can be lucky and Apple will replace the screen free of charge. However, there have also been reports that Apple plans to charge up to $600 for out-of-warranty repairs. In these cases, Apple then claims that the user damaged their device themselves. Meanwhile, in the United States, a law firm is preparing a class action lawsuit against Apple over the bug. Apple also has a lot of experience with this.
