If you’re a do-it-yourself-type, Apple is making it harder to repair your own products. It seems the company is gradually replacing all the traditional screws (flat-head or Phillips-head) on products like iPods, iPhones, and MacBooks with new, Pentalobe screws.
So what is a Pentalobe screw?
It’s similar to a Torx, except the points have a slightly rounder shape and it has five points instead of six. Apple’s manuals refer to them as “Pentalobular” screws. See diagram below.
Really, though, Apple’s goal is to keep you coming back to them for repair work instead of trying to fix things yourself. A Pentalobe screwdriver can be very difficult to find and it’s not like your average Joe has one sitting in his tool box.
Here’s where it really gets good. Not only is Apple putting these Pentalobe screws is its new products, but if you bring your iPhone 4 in for service, they will replace the existing, traditional screws with these new, tamper-proof beauties!
So what can you do about it? Easy. You can buy a Pentalobe screwdriver here for about $7. Problem solved. Now, go take back your iPhone and put the screws to Apple!
Get a Pentalobe Screwdriver Here
[Image]
Related articles
- Apple ‘User-Proofing’ iPhones With Unremovable Screws, Sources Say (foxnews.com)
- Apple screws DIY fixit types with Pentalobe (inquisitr.com)
- A Pentalobe-Protected Garden (gearfuse.com)
- Apple’s diabolical plan to screw your iPhone (boingboing.net)
- Apple’s diabolical plan to screw your iPhone (ifixit.com)
Incoming search terms:
Get Blippitt via RSS feed, Facebook, Twitter, Google+,
and be sure to get our Daily Email Broadcast.
