Level 1

6 points

Apple Australia appears to have lost my MacBook

MACBOOK AIR (M1,2020) with AppleCare

I’ve been having some problems using the USB-C to connect with some flash drives. No issues with USB HDD and a few other devices. Flash drives tested OK on a friends MacBook. I ran the diagnostics and it reported a faulty battery.

I was going on holidays from 7 - 11 September, no need to take a computer, so on the 31 August arranged a mail in repair. Shipping box arrived 3 September. On the 7 September sent my MacBook for repair. Australia Post tracking shows MacBook arrived 9 September.

I contacted Apple on 15 September and it was obvious from the ‘chat’ they had lost my MacBook. My case was escalated to the ‘specialized’ (I assume they meant specialised?) team who would contact me in two days.

Received an email on 17 September from Apple advising my MacBook had been received. Within five minutes I checked the website and it reported that diagnostics had commenced.

18 September, 4:30pm; Not having heard from specialised team I contacted Apple support again. One hour on the ‘chat’ and the Apple representative informed me the only way they could assist was by phone. I explained that I live in a phone ‘black spot’ and written communication was the only way I could communicate.

I pointed out that part of the accessibility options for the disabled is to provide written communication.

The Apple representative terminated the ‘chat’

Posted on Sep 18, 2026 5:09 AM

Top-ranking reply

steve626

Level 6

18,601 points

Posted on Sep 19, 2026 12:44 PM

Steve808_0 wrote:

I’m uncertain how you leapt to the conclusion I was requesting what seems to be an unethical way to contact Apple?

That is not what Bob said. Bob said that users in these forums only have access to the same ways to contact Apple as you do. "Back door" does not imply unethical, it instead refers to undocumented or not well documented ways to make contact. Users here only know what you know.

This misunderstanding of clearly written answers by Bob highlights perhaps the pitfalls of "written communication." You may not have other options for communicating but you should take care to avoid misunderstandings.

Let’s me rephrase my question, ‘How would a person who has hearing difficulties and no need for a phone, communicate with an Apple senior advisor? As part of the accessibility options for those living with disabilities, that should be an option available to users.

I doubt I am the only person in the world who has asked for written communication from Apple.

Bob provided a link that may provide you with what you need.

See How to contact Apple for help with accessibility features - Apple Support

and in that link is this:

Call or chat for accessibility support

Visit our website to chat with a representative or schedule a phone call. Just answer a few questions and we'll select the best option for you.

Or call Apple Accessibility Support at one of these numbers. You can also dial using the telecommunications relay service of your choice.

- United States: 1-877-204-3930 (English only)
- United Kingdom: 0800 048 0754 (English only)
- Australia: (61) 1-300-365-083 (English only)
- China mainland: 400-619-8141 (Mandarin only)

Do you have a relay/telecommunications device? See above for options if you do. Otherwise, a chat service is offered, perhaps you can avail yourself of the chat service. That is a form of written communication.

If none of this is suitable for you, I suggest that you involve a trusted third party (family member or friend) who can serve as an intermediary to help you communicate better with Apple.

By the way, based on your posts, it does not appear that Apple "lost" your computer because it seems that service has been started:

"Received an email on 17 September from Apple advising my MacBook had been received. Within five minutes I checked the website and it reported that diagnostics had commenced."

View in context

20 replies

Steve808_0 Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 21, 2026 3:36 AM in response to steve626

Thank you, that may possibly address the issue I have raised.

Apple were unable to locate my MacBook from the date of delivery 9 September until the 16 September.

I’d call that lost.

It would be interesting to know what really occurred to these two lads for 33 days, fortunately they were found. (Doesn’t mean they weren’t lost)

(The delicate upper level management people, or ‘A Souls’, won’t allow direct links to news articles, so you will need to put in the www bits.) abc.net.au/pacific/uein-buranibwe-was-lost-at-sea-for-33-days-story-of-survival/104491232

It was Apple Support that escalated the issue, not me.

steve626

Level 6

18,601 points

Sep 21, 2026 10:16 AM in response to Steve808_0

Hopefully your little laptop isn't experiencing that kind of survival drama! I suspect you have uncovered some flaws in the internal tracking system for the service process. I see another post in this forum complaining about something similar, although in that case the status was simply "waiting for parts." Electronic parts are taking much longer to get in recent times. If Apple is simply waiting for a part or parts, it should be reported as such to the customer. I noticed that a non-apple battery that will fit in your laptop is available with next day shipping from OWC/Macsales, but that is a third party part, not the original Apple part, although supposedly equivalent or better than the original part. I am guessing that there may be a backlog in processing service requests once the device arrives at the service center and they may sit in a queue for some ~ days waiting to be logged and entered into a tracking system. During that time no information might be available. But I am speculating.

If you are willing, do report back after you receive your repaired laptop, the outcome and how long it took may be of interest to other readers here. Back in 2021, I replaced the battery and SSD in a 2013 MacBook Air as both had failed. I went to an Apple Authorized Service Center in my neighborhood and they agreed to perform the service. They had me order the replacement battery and SSD myself and bring them in. They then did the replacement of both the battery and SSD in less than 2 hours and I went home with a laptop that had 4x the storage versus before and a new battery that had 25% greater capacity than the original one when it had been new. That 2013 laptop is still running well, the primary limitation being that it is restricted to the Big Sur version of the macOS. The replacement battery still shows 100% of its original capacity.

Steve808_0 Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 18, 2026 6:17 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

For clarity, what you are stating as fact, is there is no person in the Apple ‘user-to-user’ technical community’ that has a way of communicating with Apple using written communication?

Steve808_0 Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 18, 2026 6:21 AM in response to Steve808_0

BTW at the bottom of the page is this little bit of information, admittedly I am optimistic; ‘Apple may provide or recommend responses as a possible solution based on the information provided…’

Steve808_0 Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 18, 2026 7:33 AM in response to Kilgore-Trout

‘… we do not have a secret handshake’

I really have no idea what that means?

Apple Australia appears to have lost my MacBook