My US-bought MacBook has been fixed under warranty in the US, Canada, Thailand, and Singapore.
There are some country-specific restrictions- here in Mexico, they are unable to fix Apple products from other countries sometimes due to government restrictions; e.g., they were unable to replace my girlfriend's iPad screen at any price at the Apple Store since it was bought in the US.
my macbook that I bought in US was repaired 1 week before the end of the warranty in Italy. Not sure if it's policy or I just got lucky tho (dead monitor, and immediately after that webcam not starting -> logic board replaced, also under warranty even if the time was technically up)
I've had my USA purchased MacBook Air repaired (many, many times - I use my laptops out in the field in very rough conditions) -in both Canada and Singapore. I don't know about other countries, but those two countries honor USA warranties on the MacBook Air.
> Apple reserves the right to change the method by which Apple may provide repair or replacement service to you, and your Covered Equipment’s eligibility to receive a particular method of service. Service will be limited to the options available in the country where service is requested. Service options, parts availability and response times may vary according to country.
It sounds like you can get treated differently based on where you are.
I think this is to deal with products/parts which aren't available in different regions. As some people have mentioned, getting a keyboard replaced in a different region that has different keyboards isn't possible(unless you accept the keyboard used in that country).
Similarly if your power brick dies, you can't expect an apple store to carry power bricks for all possible outlets(especially with the iPhone style bricks that don't have removable prongs).
Still sounds like you'll get supported to that countries ability to support you.
I think you're confused. I bought a Macbook in New Zealand, and had it's motherboard replaced for free in the US. Then later bought a new Macbook in the US and it serviced in Germany.
Maybe they didn't have to do it, but I bought a Macbook Air in Korea (no official Apple stores there, strangely) and had the body repaired for free at an Apple store in Japan. The repair was minor, so maybe that was why they did it? But it certainly seemed like they were going to take care of whatever problem I had.
I've travelled with Mac laptops since the Powerbook days and every single time it has been fixed in the country I was in. The warranty checks done on Apple Support make no reference to the country of purchase.
False. From the UK terms for MacBook Pro (I checked the terms from the Netherlands as well, and they are similar):
You may obtain service in the European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland without paying any shipping and handling fees. Outside this region, service options may be limited. If a given service option is not available for the Apple Product in such country, Apple or its agent shall notify you about any additional shipping and handling charges which may apply before rendering service. Shipping and handling charges will not apply in countries where Apple does maintain an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider (“AASP”) (a list of current service locations is provided at locate.apple.com/uk/en).
IANAL, but basically this seems to say: (1) in the EEA you can get your support no questions asked, (2) outside the EEA you may have to pay S&H charges, unless there is an Apple Store or Reseller.
"If the product is portable, meaning that it can operate independently without a power cord, you may obtain warranty service worldwide. However, service will be limited to the options available in the country where service is requested. If the product is not portable, warranty service may be restricted to the country where the product is purchased."
1. Even in the EEA, you may have to pay shipping and handling.
2. Where there's no representative of Apple (and I'm not saying there should be), can you really say "Apple service is available, you just have to pay shipping"? The reality is closer to "You will have to ship it internationally". Apple isn't "doing" anything here but accepting a package in a country where they have service locations.
I've had my MacBook Pro, US bought, fixed in India. Within the 1 year warranty period. No charge! (F1 INFO SOLUTIONS & SERVICES PVT LTD) This was not an Apple Store/Center, but an Authorised Service Center.
I had a 2012 Macbook Air from Europe and it had some issues. I had no problems getting it fixed in the US. Not sure if it was because I had Apple Care.
Not true. That is only for the iPhone. The Macbook has only national warranty.