CALIFORNIA: Apple Inc. said on Friday it had found some issues affecting some of its iPhone X and 13-inch MacBook pro products and said the company would fix them free of charge.
The repair offers are the latest in a string of product quality problems over the past year even as Apple has raised prices for most of its laptops, tablets and phones to new heights. Its top-end iPhones now sell for as much as $1,449 and its best iPad goes for as much as $1,899.
Apple said displays on iPhone X, which came out in 2017 with a starting price of $999, may experience touch issues due to a component failure, adding it would replace those parts for free. The company said it only affects the original iPhone X, which has been superseded by the iPhone XS and XR released this autumn.
The screens on affected phones may not respond correctly to touch or it could react even without being touched, the Cupertino, California-based company said.
For the 13-inch MacBook Pro computers, it said an issue may result in data loss and failure of the storage drive. Apple said it would service those affected drives.
Only a limited number of 128GB and 256GB solid-state drives in 13-inch MacBook Pro units sold between June 2017 and June 2018 were affected, Apple said https://apple.co/2AXkeEw on its website.
Last year, Apple began a massive battery replacement program after it conceded that a software update intended to help some iPhone models deal with aging batteries slowed down the performance of the phones. The battery imbroglio resulted in inquires from US lawmakers.
In June, Apple said it would offer free replacements for the keyboards in some MacBook and MacBook Pro models. The keyboards, which Apple introduced in laptops starting in 2015, had generated complaints on social media for how much noise they made while typing and for malfunctioning unexpectedly. Apple changed the design of the keyboard this year, adding a layer of silicone underneath the keys.
Apple says it found issues with some iPhone X and MacBook devices
Apple says it found issues with some iPhone X and MacBook devices
- iPhone X may experience touch issues due to a component failure
Closing Bell: Saudi benchmark index closes lower at 10,540
RIYADH: Saudi equities ended Wednesday’s session lower, with the Tadawul All Share Index falling 55.13 points, or 0.52 percent, to close at 10,540.72.
The sell-off was mirrored across other indices, with the MSCI Tadawul 30 Index retreating 5.79 points, or 0.41 percent, to close at 1,393.32, while the parallel market Nomu slipped 74.56 points, or 0.32 percent, to 23,193.21.
Market breadth remained firmly negative, as decliners outpaced advancers, with 207 stocks ending the session lower against just 51 gainers on the main market.
Trading activity moderated compared to recent sessions, with volumes reaching 123.5 million shares, while total traded value stood at SR2.72 billion ($725.2 million).
On the sectoral and stock level, Al Moammar Information Systems Co. led the gainers after surging 9.96 percent to close at SR172.30, extending its rally following a series of contract announcements tied to data center and IT infrastructure projects.
Al Masar Al Shamil Education Co. climbed 4.89 percent to SR27.48, while Naqi Water Co. advanced 3.36 percent to SR58.50. Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co. and Al-Jouf Agricultural Development Co. also posted solid gains, rising 3 percent and 2.86 percent, respectively.
Losses, however, were concentrated in industrial names. Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. fell 3.67 percent to SR4.73, while Makkah Construction and Development Co. slid 3.44 percent to SR80.
Saudi Tadawul Group Holding Co. retreated 3.28 percent to SR147.50, weighed down by broader market weakness, and Saudi Cable Co. declined 3.18 percent to SR143.
Alkhaleej Training and Education Co. rounded out the top losers, shedding just over 3 percent.
On the announcement front, BinDawood Holding announced the signing of a share purchase agreement to acquire 51 percent of Wonder Bakery LLC in the UAE for 96.9 million dirhams, marking a strategic expansion of its food manufacturing footprint beyond Saudi Arabia.
The acquisition, which remains subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to support the group’s regional growth ambitions and strengthen supply chain integration.
BinDawood shares closed at SR4.68, up 0.43 percent, reflecting a positive market reaction to the overseas expansion move.
Meanwhile, Al Moammar Information Systems disclosed the contract sign-off for the renewal of IT systems support licenses with the Saudi Central Bank, valued at SR114.4 million, inclusive of VAT.
The 36-month contract is expected to have a positive financial impact starting from fourth quarter of 2025, reinforcing MIS’s position as a key technology partner for critical government institutions. The stock surged to the session’s limit making it the top gainer.
In a separate disclosure, Maharah Human Resources confirmed the completion of the sale of its entire stake in Care Shield Holding Co. through its subsidiary, Growth Avenue Investments, for a total consideration of SR434.3 million.
The transaction involved the transfer of 41.36 percent of Care Shield’s share capital to Dallah Healthcare, with Maharah receiving the full cash proceeds.
Despite the strategic divestment, Maharah shares closed lower, ending the session at SR6.12, down 1.29 percent.
