Refund

juju265 wrote:

purchased

my MacBook just before the new model

was announced and would like an exception to exchange it, paying any price difference.

I have never heard of any wiggle room on the 14 day policy.

You have a limited 14 days for an exchange or refund for any reason—see Returns & Refunds Order status

Returns & Refunds - Shopping Help - Apple

Only items that have been purchased directly from Apple, either online or at an Apple Retail Store

Your 90 days of complimentary telephone support begins on the date of purchase.

Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

Apple's standard policy (which helps with a lot of issues including this one) is that you have a firm 14 days from receipt to return your purchased Apple products in most countries, for a full-value refund or exchange.

After 14 days, you own it.

You could try to discuss this with the store manager, but [in my opinion] they are unlikely to make an exception beyond 14 days.

When you purchased it, it was the best available at that time.

Only Apple can grant or officially comment on "exceptions," but they do not respond in these user-to-user forums.

As other users we respond based on out experiences and observations, which other have done well for you. But we are not Apple employees.

juju265 wrote:

purchased

my MacBook just before the new model

was announced and would like an exception to exchange it, paying any price difference.

This is much more common than you may realize. How many thousand or millions of the previous model were sold just more than 14 days before a new model is introduced.

We bought a new M4 Max Macbook Pro in January 2026 for my daughter's small business. It was state of the art, top of the line, when it was purchased. Within several months, there were M5 Macbook Pros, and now there is an M6 Macbook Pro. And I expect M7 models will be along not too far in the future.

So there is always a "better" model coming along. I have never seen Apple waive its 14 day rule because of new models. Also, the news media had been predicting new Macbook models would be coming out in late 2026. Imagine how many thousands if not millions of Macs would be swapped past that 14-day window if Apple allowed it. That is precisely why that 14-day value was chosen, I expect.

It doesn't hurt to ask, however.

My daughter is thrilled with her new Macbook Pro, which replaced a 2019 Intel 16" Macbook Pro. The new Mac is more than 10x faster and has twice the storage, considerably more battery lasting power, and more than double the memory, compared to the old computer. She doesn't care about newer models coming out this year or next, she knows she will be back to get a new "better" Mac in several years anyway.