Apple customers affected by the notorious MacBook butterfly keyboard design have started receiving their settlement funds, following a $50 million class action lawsuit settlement by Apple two years ago.
Settlement Details and Payments
In December 2022, emails were sent to MacBook owners eligible for a payment as part of the settlement. The court issued a payment order in June 2024, with approved claims set to receive payments by August 2024.
- Maximum of $395: MacBook owners who had at least two top case replacements from Apple within four years of purchase.
- Up to $125: Customers who had one topcase repair.
- Up to $50: Those who had keycap replacements.
The Butterfly Keyboard Issue
Apple used butterfly keyboards in MacBook models from 2015 to 2019. Despite several design updates, the butterfly mechanism was highly prone to failure. Issues such as repeating keys, sticking keys, and complete keyboard failures were common, often caused by crumbs, dust, and other debris.
Apple’s Response and Repair Program
In June 2018, Apple launched a repair program covering MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models manufactured from 2015 onwards. However, this program only provided coverage for four years after purchase and continued to replace faulty butterfly keyboards with the same mechanism, failing to provide a permanent solution.
Transition to Scissor Switch Keyboards
Due to the widespread issues, Apple eventually abandoned the butterfly keyboard design in favor of the more reliable scissor-switch mechanism. Since late 2019, all new MacBook models have featured scissor switch keyboards, which are more durable and better suited to withstand everyday wear and tear.
