Last Updated on 22/11/2021 by Sunaina
Since the introduction of macOS Monterey, numerous Apple users have reported that applying the update bricked their devices. It was unclear what caused the problem until today, when Rene Ritchie got this statement from Apple stating a problem with the firmware of its T2 security chip (via 9to5Mac).
“We detected and resolved a problem with the firmware on the Apple T2 security chip that prevented a very small percentage of users from starting up their Mac after upgrading macOS. The revised firmware is now bundled with the current macOS upgrades. Users who are affected by this issue should contact Apple Support for assistance,” the report said.
There is no information on the models impacted, any settings or configurations that are susceptible, or how many “limited number of people” there are. MacRumors discovered tweets from at least nine MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac customers who reported that their laptops did not boot up following the update. It’s great that they can contact Apple Support for help, but it’s unclear if they’ll be able to keep any data protected in afflicted devices.
Since its introduction in 2018, the T2 security chip has been found in a number of Apple Macs (a list of which can be seen here). According to Apple, revised firmware to resolve the issue is now included in existing macOS upgrades (some trackers reported a refreshed version of the BridgeOS 6.0 software that runs on the T2 shipping today), so it shouldn’t be an issue on any of those devices going forward.