Apple Took a Steps towards Correct Action (Almost)
A week ago, my beloved "a" key on my MacBook Pro gave up the ghost. Now, it looks like a mini ski slope and barely functions. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated issue; several of my buddies have encountered similar keyboard troubles with their pricier laptops. So, it felt like a breath of fresh air when Apple announced an expansion of its Keyboard Service Program. Now, they'll repair almost any MacBook Pro with the problematic "butterfly mechanism" at no cost. Additionally, Apple hinted at a design upgrade to prevent future breakages. Nice one, Apple!
It's about time Apple addressed this issue, considering the butterfly key design has been causing problems since its debut with the 12-inch MacBook in late 2015. The second iteration of the butterfly keys sparked a wave of frustration when released with the redesigned MacBook Pro in early 2016. Despite user complaints, Apple didn't budge until June 2018 when they acknowledged the flawed design and offered a repair program for select laptops.
Repair programs can be tedious, but Apple made improvements to make the process less annoying. Instead of pushing users to send their laptops away, they allowed more repairs to take place in-store, and most customers now wait just 24 hours to get their keyboards fixed. However, the free repair program only applied to specific MacBook models.
Today's announcement means Apple's finally done right by its customers. Now, all MacBook models with the butterfly keyboards—across all three generations—qualify for the free repairs. Apple also unveiled new MacBook Pro models with a fourth-generation butterfly design using a new material for the keyboard mechanism. Although they didn't disclose what the new material is, there are a couple of caveats: the program only covers MacBook models for four years after the original purchase, and only MacBook models with the third-generation keys will get the new fourth-generation keyboard during a free repair.
Along with the keyboard repairs, Apple announced it would offer free fixes for MacBook displays that suffered from a so-called "stage light" effect as they aged. This issue is less widespread than the keyboard fiasco, but it's nonetheless a welcomed improvement. I reached out to Apple for more information on the fourth-generation butterfly key design and expanded repair program. I'll update you once I hear back.
This whole ordeal has been a bit dizzying. As a tech reporter, I've watched Apple deal with this quality assurance meltdown for years—and it's been infuriating to witness the struggles of people suffering from what appeared to be a fatal flaw in one of the most crucial laptop components: the keyboard. It's baffling how many iterations it took for Apple to properly address the issue, offering temporary fixes for select customers along the way.
This debacle reminds me of the recent iPhone battery throttling controversy. Apple took years to acknowledge their mistake and eventually offered discounted battery replacements to certain iPhone customers. Similarly, Apple has only recently acknowledged that the first three generations of the butterfly key design were flawed. Only time will tell if the fourth generation will fail, too.
Regardless, it's a relief that more people can now get their keyboards fixed. The wait for a keyboard repair at my local Apple Store is currently about a week, but who's counting, right? Honestly, I've come to expect minor disappointments with every Apple product I purchase. Scratch-prone iPhone XS screens, unreliable mice, and broken keyboards—these are the new Apple standards. They're not bad most of the time, but they seem to be designed to test my patience.
The butterfly key design, which has been causing issues since its introduction in 2015, was finally acknowledged as flawed by Apple in 2018. Apple's Keyboard Service Program, initially limited to select MacBook models, has been expanded to cover all MacBook Pro models with the problematic butterfly mechanism. Despite the repair program, I've come to expect minor disappointments, such as broken keyboards, with every Apple product I purchase. With the expanded program, at least the wait for a keyboard repair has been reduced to a week.
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