“Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will do away with its controversial butterfly mechanism keyboard in future MacBooks, beginning with a refreshed MacBook Air later this year…
“We believe the partially refreshed MacBook Pro models will also adopt a new scissor keyboard in 2020; shipments of MacBook models equipped with a new scissor keyboard will grow 500–700% YoY in 2020. Though the butterfly keyboard is still thinner than the new scissor keyboard, we think most users can’t tell the difference. Furthermore, the new scissor keyboard could offer a better user experience and benefit Apple’s profits; therefore, we predict that the butterfly keyboard may finally disappear in the long term.”
NB: MacBook Pro with new keyboard for 2020, report claims.
This has been a long story:
“The butterfly keyboard design Apple introduced in 2016 has been divisive. Some people really like it, claiming it has fast travel and a sturdy, responsive feel to it. Others feel it’s uncomfortable to type on. We haven’t seen a keyboard this polarizing in a long time; it’s a point of passionate disagreement even among Ars Technica reviews staff,” Ars Technica writes.
“Further, some users experienced keyboard failures, particularly in the 2016 model. Small tweaks to the design in 2017 models reportedly reduced the failure rate. Apple claims the problem is not that widespread, but it nevertheless recently began offering service for the keyboard at no cost in a repair program. This newly revised keyboard is another iterative step in that design, although Apple hasn’t made any claims about the new keyboard’s comparative durability.”
March 2019: Apple Still Hasn’t Fixd Its MacBook Kyboad Problm
Later:
Apple recently announced its Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro. Eligible models are listed below.
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
MacDailyNews Take: Apple seldom comments on rumor or speculation. Many Mac users never experienced problems with the keyboard design, but it’s pretty clear many also did. Perhaps sometimes it’s important to put function above form?
If only Tim Cook could be shitcanned along with his god damn keyboard.
Two laptops, two completely unuseable keyboards. Thank you Tim Cook!
Three laptops in that time frame and three keyboards that have worked just fine. Knock on wood.
Thanks for effing up the US economy, Fuqqspan. Thanks to Trump for fixing your fuqqing mistakes.
LOL.