Almost two years after the first reports, and despite several changes introduced in the meantime, Apple continues to have problems with the keyboards of some of its MacBook laptops. The problem is rather trivial: the mechanism that makes them work jams, due to wear and dust, complicating the normal typing of characters. The reports on malfunctions are sporadic and concern a minority of users: but they are constant and concern both models with a few years and those purchased a few months ago. Apple has apologized and offered assistance to solve the problem, but many criticize the company for not having addressed the problem in a more radical way, considering that its laptop is sold for a starting price of 1,549 euros.
The first version of the keyboard, which would later prove less reliable than previous models, dates back to April 2015, when a new, thinner and more compact MacBook model was introduced. To prevent the keys from protruding too much from the body of the laptop, affecting the thickness, Apple devised a new “butterfly” mechanism to allow the keys to bounce, as in a normal keyboard, albeit having a “stroke” (how much each key sinks) much smaller.
In October 2016 the system was also revised for the MacBook Pro, with the evolution of the butterfly mechanism, which promised to be even more precise than the previous version. A few months later some owners of new computers began to report that they had some problems with the keyboard: sometimes the keys pressed did not lead to write the corresponding character or the mechanism stopped, or still caused the typing of the same letter several times.
A year and a half later, Apple admitted that a small number of its MacBooks had keyboard problems and, after several reports, started a dedicated service program for those with problems. The problem seemed to have been solved in the summer of last year with the introduction of the new MacBook Pro and later with the MacBook Air, but judging by the online reports the problem has returned to recur even with the most recent models.
Joanna Stern, a respected tech reporter for the Wall Street Journal, wrote a very stern article about her personal experience with a recently purchased MacBook Air whose keyboard stopped working. The title of the article clearly points out the problem: “Appl has not yet isolated the MacBook keyboard profile”. The article can be read without “E” and “R”, corresponding to the keys that have stopped working on Stern's keyboard, or by reactivating the missing characters, a creative choice that has attracted attention and helped to make it circulate a lot .
Stern recalls that a class action action against Apple has been proposed in the United States, accused of having been aware of the problem with the keyboards since about 2015, but having continued to sell them without special precautions. The malfunction now also affects the third version of the butterfly mechanism, at least on some MacBook Airs, with new customers likely to join the lawsuit.
Most laptops use a scissor mechanism for each key on the keyboard: two small plastic bezels are criss-crossed like the legs of a folding table, with a rubber part beneath the key that acts as a spring. In the butterfly mechanism developed by Apple, on the other hand, there are two plastic supports inclined outwards, with a shape that resembles that of the wings of butterflies. This feature allows you to reduce the travel of the keys, while maintaining the effect of the rebound after each press. The return of the key is important because, together with the appearance of the typed character on the screen, it gives further confirmation to the writer, through touch.
Apple's is an innovative mechanism that offers a good response to the touch, but is still delicate. The presence of dust and dirt (even a single grain of sand or a tiny crumb) can jam the mechanism making the key unusable. Probably also for this reason in a few years Apple has introduced three different versions of the butterfly system, adding other measures to limit the problem. For example, its engineers have devised a thin transparent plastic sheath that covers the edge of the housing of each key, in order to reduce problems caused by dust. Apparently it wasn't enough.
It took Apple some time to officially admit the problem; on the other hand, it now offers more support for MacBook keyboards. In a brief statement the company said: “We are aware of the problems a small number of customers are experiencing with the third generation butterfly keyboard and we apologize. The vast majority of Mac laptop owners are having a positive experience with the new keyboard ”. The company also invited those with problems to contact Apple support to find a solution.
The latest generation MacBook Airs have been on sale for a few months, so even those who were among the first to buy them can still take advantage of the warranty. This means that repairs at an Apple Store or Authorized Center must be provided free of charge, as part of the normal warranty plans for newly purchased products. Apple takes care of cleaning up the keyboard and replacing any defective keys. There are also several models of MacBook and MacBook Pro sold up to 4 years ago that can be repaired free of charge, thanks to the “MacBook and MacBook Pro Keyboard Service Program” organized by Apple.
