It's hard to believe that I was expecting more information about Apple's $19 Screen Polishing cloth. But here it is. iFixit has given the cloth the teardown treatment, and a (perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek), repair score. It is also said to be one of Apple's most difficult-to-get products. Yes, this cloth is still designed to clean your device screens.
The New York Times reported that the 6.3-inch square of fabric is currently backordered. Apple's website states that it won't be available for 10-12 weeks. This means it will arrive sometime between January 7th-20th, 2022. You will receive your customized-built MacBook Pro in about a week if you order any of the models that the cloth was launched with. This is the worst-case scenario for the MacBook Pro and the best-case scenario for the cloth.
This is why? It caught the attention of The New York Times. Perhaps a look at the iFixits teardown might help you find some answers. (Spoiler alert: no.)
iFixit does not have a page dedicated to The Cloth. This means that you will have to scroll past a lot of details about the MacBook, which I am sure isn't going to be drooling over, to see the results. It's a fascinating look at the accessory once you have it. iFixit reveals it is actually two pieces of material glued together. It even uses a microscope to examine it and compare it to regular microfiber. Although the teardown is short (obviously it's a cloth), it's well worth taking a look.
The Polishing Cloth scores a disappointing 0/10 repair score when compared with the decent (at least for Apple) reparability of the new MacBook Pro. This is a real bummer because if yours were to be accidentally cut like iFixit did you will have to wait a few months before you can get a replacement.
If you need another reason to visit iFixits article, besides the technical breakdown of Apples new computers, just know that it contains one of the most hilarious American Psycho references I have seen in a while. iFixit, thank you for giving us something to look at on Fridays (and for attending The Verges' birthday party to show people how to fix JoyCon last Saturday).
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