The memo notes that the battery must be replaced along with the top case assembly and that the battery alone is not a replaceable part. .

So, big deal. If the battery dies, they swap out the battery and part of the case. It goes back to the repair center where its carefully heated and the battery removed. A new battery is installed, its cleaned and any scratches are removed. The battery is recycled, the case is recycled.

The Trolling is that just because you or I cannot easily replace the battery, no one can. Such a big bunch of dreck.

The problem is that the machine may outlast Apple's willingness to service it. (Entirely plausible these days.) At some point, there will be someone -- possibly many someones -- wanting to keep using the machine because it does what they need it to do, but unable to keep going because although third party batteries are available (they almost always are after a while) the rest of the pieces are not.

Note that if Apple's machines were disposable crap, this wouldn't be a problem! This is an issue precisely because Apple's hardware tends to keep going for a long time (provided you don't need the latest OS version).

With 5-7 year battery life, that is way beyond most users need. Those who keep there gear beyond 7 years can figure out a way to repair it. Never say something cannot be fixed. A year from now there will be somekind of after market battery for this and next few generations of Mac laptops in general.

I am surprised that Apple does not just broadly announce a policy of accepting defunct Apple hardware for free recycling in order to shut down the (IMO poorly founded) bad PR. That way Apple could claim that batteries are always properly dealt with because Apple tech would be providing proper disposal during final EOL as well as during battery replacement.

Note that user-replaceable batteries frequently end up in landfills. A solid argument can be made that built-in batteries are environmentally more desirable because replacement is properly done at authorized service providers.

Non-user-replaceable RAM or drives however is IMO a horrible policy because both RAM and drives become both cheaper and higher capacity as time goes on.

-Allen

Apple already has a policy of free recycling for its old gear. Go to the Apple store, and personnel will show you how to log onto their website and they mail you a free mailer. If your computer is worth anything *(it isn't), they will give you something. BFD.