Funny how this story comes out shortly after Apple announced you can’t fully repair the newest MacBook pros and iMac pros without their software for “security sake”.
Coincidence? Yeah probably, and very tin-foil hat, but who knows?
There is a TON of counterfeit Apple service parts on the market. This is the result of the only real source of parts being pulls from recycled units, and Apple has this neat "recycle initiative" requiring subcontractors SHRED everything and provide detailed protocols of destruction.
Most counterfeits differ in lower quality, not gorilla gorilla glass, lower brightness not quite actual white backlight, non IPS IPS LCDs, 7 year old 4 times repackaged "brand new" batteries etc.
There are also replacements with straight up fake, dummy plastic parts thrown in, for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TalLpLWaOV4. It becomes real brand problem when Staples "fixes" your product using scam parts.
But there are also a ton of people using real or just as good parts to repair their macs. Those people, who can’t afford a non-warranty repair at Apple, will be hurt the most.
It’s especially true in east Asia. Yes, there are plenty of counterfeits, but there are also plenty of legitimate ones too.
Coincidence? Yeah probably, and very tin-foil hat, but who knows?