Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
Between 2015 and 2019, Apple used a butterfly design for its MacBook keyboards. A move to make the laptops thinner, many users came forward with complaints that the keyboards were defective, incorrectly repeating keystrokes or not reading inputs at all. The issue led to a class action lawsuit against Apple, and after an ongoing legal battle, a settlement has been reached. Apple has agreed to a $50 million settlement, but that number could potentially balloon up.
It was this week that Apple reached a settlement on the class action lawsuit over its butterfly keyboards, as found in the settlement filings. The $50 million settlement will see the tech company making payouts to various users, with the compensation depending on the specific replacements made to their MacBook. Those who had to fully replace more than one keyboard could be getting $300 - $395. Users that replaced a single keyboard could receive up to $125, and those who had to replace a single keycap could get $50 from Apple. Users will only be entitled to compensation if the repairs were performed at an Apple Store, or another approved location.
The issues with MacBook keyboards between 2015 to 2019 was a well documented issue, and plagued MacBooks, MacBook Airs, and MacBook Pros. There have been countless videos and articles made about the problem, and it was one of the biggest ongoing criticisms of Apple over the past decade. Now, the saga will finally come to an end. Apple ditched the butterfly design in its MacBooks beginning in 2020, and the older models are no longer a part of its line-up, so this should put the issue to bed for good.
Apple will be paying out at least $50 million to MacBook users that were impacted by the butterfly keyboards, and that number could be much higher depending on the specific payouts per-user. For more on the latest business news at Apple, stick with Shacknews.