Samuel Axon
According to MacRumors, Apple will completely change the way the serial numbers of Macs are generated. Soon, the numbers will be completely random, which means that users, IT managers, workshop technicians and others will not be able to obtain the same information from them as the current serial number system provides.
The serial numbers for the Macs shipped today reflect the time and location where the Mac was mounted, as well as some configuration details, such as storage capacity. In the future, the serial numbers will be completely random, with no code or consistency that can be used to obtain product information. The new numbers will be between eight and 14 characters long.
MacRumors says he learned of the change when he gained access to an internal AppleCare email. This change does not apply to the Mac models being sold today, but will take effect for future Macs that the company will be presenting. This includes rumors of MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac updates expected later this year, as well as new Mac Pro models that appear to be planned for a later date.
According to the email, the change was initially planned to take effect in 2020, but has been postponed. The email now says that this will happen “in the beginning of 2021”. Interestingly, the most reliable rumors and leaks about upcoming Mac products put them in the second half of 2021, with only iPad updates initially expected in the coming weeks. But the date may refer to something beyond the final shipment date of the products; we’ll have to wait and see.
Serial numbers are used in the company’s online forums, repair shops and IT departments to expedite troubleshooting and other tasks, quickly learning more about the machine in question – for example, if a computer displaying a problem is part of a certain set of models manufactured in a certain period of time that everyone has this problem. Some of the information will still be accessible after starting the machine or taking it apart.
Apple has not publicly confirmed this change or explained the reasons, but we contacted the company for comment.