AppleCare - same keyboard layout honoured during repairs?

[animagus]

I'm looking to purchase AppleCare+ for my M3 14" MBP, which has a US English keyboard layout. I reside in the UK and the keyboard layout sold on Macs here is British English, but I personally prefer the US English ANSI layout.

If I ever needed to have it repaired by Apple UK in future under AppleCare+ (or even the standard Apple 1-year Limited Warranty), would they use a replacement keyboard of the same layout as the actual machine when doing the repair, or would they just use a British English keyboard for all repairs in the UK?

Obviously I would prefer any repairs to use a US English layout, and am curious what the standard procedure is here. Worth mentioning the top case is shaped differently between US English and British English layouts around the return key. Thanks!

 

[darkpaw]

On the UK Apple Store you can buy an MBP with one of many different keyboard languages, so I'd say they would honour the original if it's in this list. However, you should be sure to mention the keyboard language should remain at "US English" if it goes in for a repair. You could always do an online chat with someone in the Apple online store or in a physical retail store to confirm before buying the AC+.

 

[animagus]

On the UK Apple Store you can buy an MBP with one of many different keyboard languages, so I'd say they would honour the original if it's in this list. However, you should be sure to mention the keyboard language should remain at "US English" if it goes in for a repair. You could always do an online chat with someone in the Apple online store or in a physical retail store to confirm before buying the AC+.

Thanks! That seems reasonable enough then. I'll be sure to mention it if the need arises.

 

[JPack]

In theory yes, in practice no. Such swaps would lead to incorrect records for Apple. It would be similar to people asking for different color chassis during repair. Never heard of it being granted or repaired with incorrect parts.

 

[animagus]

In theory yes, in practice no. Such swaps would lead to incorrect records for Apple. It would be similar to people asking for different color chassis during repair. Never heard of it being granted.

I think you had it the other way around. I would want any repairs to keep the existing keyboard layout of my machine, even though it’s a non-standard one in my country. I was worried Apple might only stock the ones standard to the country of repair for supply chain simplification.

 

[JPack]

I think you had it the other way around. I would want any repairs to keep the existing keyboard layout of my machine, even though it’s a non-standard one in my country. I was worried Apple might only stock the ones standard to the country of repair for supply chain simplification.

Sorry I didn’t make it more clear. In theory, your local Apple Store might use local “UK” parts. But they won’t. They’ll see the configuration of your MacBook and replace with exact parts. They won’t Frankenmod it with a different keyboard regardless of whether you tell them to or not.

 

[joeblack007]

They’ll see the configuration of your MacBook and replace with exact parts. They won’t Frankenmod it with a different keyboard regardless of whether you tell them to or not.

This is correct. 8yrs setting up repairs for customers in the UK as well as in the US and literally never has the service depot allowed for anything but exact replacements. They don’t even take requests.

 

[animagus]

That's good to hear confirmation on this, @JPack @joeblack007.

Do you recall what effect this normally has on repair timeframes if non-standard parts need to be brought in for cases like this? i.e. extra days, or weeks+?

 

[joeblack007]

That's good to hear confirmation on this, @JPack @joeblack007.

Do you recall what effect this normally has on repair timeframes if non-standard parts need to be brought in for cases like this? i.e. extra days, or weeks+?

It comes down to availability which makes that impossible to answer.