Apple Confirms 2018 MacBook Pro Keyboard Has 'Membrane' to 'Prevent Debris From Entering the Butterfly Mechanism'

[ArtOfWarfare]

well.. the new problem is throttling which might be much severe and yet we still don't know how effective this will be.



No, Apple said that this keyboard is only available for 2018 models since they shaved the upper case a bit and probably this won't fit well for 2016 and 2017 models.

In that case, I guess Apple is prepared to buy back the 2016 and 2017 models for 70-80% of what customers paid for them. People pay Apple's prices expecting to be treated right. It's totally unacceptable that the 2016 and 2017 laptops are lemons, and that they expect customers to continuously bring them in for repairs.

 

[NMBob]

Whoopsies, this looks like it could be bad for Apple in all the keyboard related lawsuits. They finally have admitted that the changes were to prevent issues and not just to make it “quieter.”

They can write everyone on the planet a check for $1.09 and still have over $200 billion in the bank.

 

[hajime]

With the heat issue, the membranes may deform and loses their effectiveness in preventing dust from entering and causing the same issues again. I am worrying. Maybe just forget about Apple and look somewhere else?

 

[avanpelt]

I am so glad my 2014 MBP is still working fine. Had a bulging battery replaced last year right before AppleCare ran out. Hopefully, I'll get another two or three years out of this laptop. I was considering getting the this year's i9 variant; but after reading about the underclocking, I'll pass.

Even though the i9 would definitely offer improved performance over the machine I have now, the machine I have now is working fine. I can't justify spending $800 more than the machine I have now cost me for a machine that is intentionally slowed down by Apple because they've continued to prioritize form over function.

 

[unobtainium]

well.. the new problem is throttling which might be much severe and yet we still don't know how effective this will be.

You know you don’t have to get an i9 model right? Save yourself some money.

 

[lec0rsaire]

We all know what's going to happen once a designer with real talent and a focus on robustness and "complete design" is installed in place of Jony J-Ive.

This is a silly comment. Ive is one of the most talented designers alive. He is the reason why everything Apple releases looks so much better than the crap everyone else makes.

 

[hajime]

You know you don’t have to get an i9 model right? Save yourself some money.

Don’t all models across the 2018 line have issue?

 

[iMacC2D]

Anyway the whole making the keyboard quieter was marketing copy. This document assuming it’s legit wasn’t intended for the public.

Checked. Definitely legit. OP2027 "MacBook Pro (2018) Service Readiness Guide", under section "What's new for service?", paragraph 5. The internal copy is identical to the information provided to MacRumors.

 

[hajime]

This is a silly comment. Ive is one of the most talented designers alive. He is the reason why everything Apple releases looks so much better than the crap everyone else makes.

Yes, only looks.

 

[Hardy1989]

Doesn’t this warrant a refund or replacement 2018 model? Complete joke for 2016 and 2017 MBP owners

 

[lec0rsaire]

Yes, only looks.

Yes, because Apple’s entire lineup over the past 20 years has been all about looks.

 

[Yvan256]

I understand we like to complain.. but let's see

• Apple designed an innovative keyboard for current and future designs to become thinner...in this case almost 20% thinner.
• Some folks had issues with debris ingress ... apple shared data that it was a small number, but not small enough if its you thats effected.
• lawyers got too be lawyers and went after deep pockets.
• apple agrees to extend warrantee on keyboard for up to 4 years.
• apple improves keyboard design for future designs. the new design is not compatible with past designs. we still don't know if apple is not also improving past designs.
• lets make an irrelevant comment about other design issues.

They keyboard may be 20% thinner, but that doesn't make the whole laptop 20% thinner. If the keyboard was 5mm tall overall, it means it only made the laptop 1mm thinner. What's the point of doing that vs all the trouble it's generated? And there's still the matter of people not liking the butterfly keyboards for their lack of key travel.

Apple shared data that it was "a small number". Even if it's only 5% that's still millions of laptops. And the weird everything-glued-to-the-top-half design means it's expensive to replace. And as HacKage said, if it was only a minimal problem, why go to the trouble of adding a membrane on the 3rd generation butterfly keyboard?

Some people keep using their computer for a lot more than 4 years now. We're not in 1998 anymore.

 

[doctor-don]

Great, so they basically admitted that the last generation had problems with debris ingestion that was solved or atleast mitigated with the 2018 MBP - BUT - us with last years model are sorely stuck with the crappier design, even if we get a free service at any Apple store, we still only get another one of the crappier design that in time also most likely will fail.

I feel so great being stuck with a 2017 fully loaded MBP with several keys not working and the B key repeating 2-3 presses with every press.

Sure, things get updated and improved all the time but leaving us stranded on an isolated island when there is solution to the problem is kinda crappy

Shop around and buy a silicone keyboard skin that prevents dust, crumbs etc. from getting in the keys / keyboard. No crumbs from Doritos ever in my keyboard.

 

[ionutc]

I still don’t believe that the issue is debris. If debris was the problem they wouldn’t need to replace the keyboards. They could just clean them.

I’ve used multiple cans of compressed air on my 2016, and nothing has helped my malfunctioning B key.

Does your b key register multiple times? I've had the same problem and it seems to have went away. This also happened to the f key and the - key, but those 2 keys went back to normal just after a few presses. I noticed that when i tried compressed air, sometimes it made the b key worse for the moment and i think that it just moved the dust particle or whatever caused this around but didn't remove it completely. It never looked like one of these keys was failing or getting sticky.

 

[timber]

They should redesign the keyboard until it doesn't need the membranes.

Keyboards have worked well for decades with just a well thought out basic mechanism.

Like anyone on a diet, if Apple wants thinner they should work harder.

 

[donster28]

Who's brave enough to remove a keycap on their newly repaired 2017 MacBook Pro? Just want to find out if Apple is secretly filling them with the membranes.

 

[shadowmatt]

To be fair, they never said this.

They said the keyboard is quieter.
They never said anything about dirt at all.
They never said anything about the rubber gaskets at all.

Apple's new 2018 MacBook Pro models feature a third-generation butterfly keyboard, which Apple says has been improved for a "quieter typing experience."

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/07/13/2018-macbook-pro-quieter-keyboard-demoed/

When asked by multiple news sources they denied it had anything to do with dust etc... Unless all the different tech articles / reviewers were wrong.

 

[doctor-don]

The article should have started by saying Apple Lied.

Last week they said it had nothing to do with dirt and was to make the keyboard quieter.

This is a lie, one that was easily shown after people had a chance to tear apart the new laptop.

I hope this is used in the lawsuits against them. They should also be fined for every time they charged a customer for a keyboard fix, as they were committing fraud and other violations of consumer laws.

Think about that. Apple has knows for a while now about the issue and denied it, whilst designing and manufacturing a new keyboard to fix the issue. They charged hundreds $$$ for a fix as they glued lots of components to the part with the keyboard, a bad design mistake and one that punishes the customer.

But they knew that charge was fraudulent as they were legally required to fix manufacturing and design defects.

Refunding people isn't enough, they should be compensated. To be defrauded of hundreds of $$$, thousands if you count their advertising about their great new keyboard is a material loss. People may have needed that money for other things, they might have gone into debt to pay for the repair.

You mean the membrane cannot do BOTH at the same time?

 

[cmaier]

Apple's new 2018 MacBook Pro models feature a third-generation butterfly keyboard, which Apple says has been improved for a "quieter typing experience."

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/07/13/2018-macbook-pro-quieter-keyboard-demoed/

When asked by multiple news sources they denied it had anything to do with dust etc... Unless all the different tech articles / reviewers were wrong.

Where did they deny it? I haven’t seen any quote from Apple that addressed this question in any way whatsoever.

Your link only proves my point.

They said the new keyboard is quieter.
They didn’t say anything about dust.
They didn’t say anything about the membrane.
[doublepost=1532009688][/doublepost]

Does your b key register multiple times? I've had the same problem and it seems to have went away. This also happened to the f key and the - key, but those 2 keys went back to normal just after a few presses. I noticed that when i tried compressed air, sometimes it made the b key worse for the moment and i think that it just moved the dust particle or whatever caused this around but didn't remove it completely. It never looked like one of these keys was failing or getting sticky.

Sometimes it registers multiple times. Sometimes it skips. Happens more often when the fans are running.

 

[maflynn]

Well, can't say that any of us are surprised. I think they didn't say anything publicly because of the lawsuits pending.

Makes me even more eager to get my new laptop

 

[Yvan256]

This is a silly comment. Ive is one of the most talented designers alive. He is the reason why everything Apple releases looks so much better than the crap everyone else makes.

You may buy computers based on looks, but most people use their computers to do actual work. I only buy Macs for macOS, I don't care what the computer looks like. Designers are not engineers. A computer should be made by engineers and then you tell the designer to make it nice. Right now, the designer is making the case and the engineers are forced to work within the constraints of the case. It's not thinking different, it's thinking backwards.

I'm waiting to see what kind of "low-cost laptop" Apple is going to release to replace the MacBook Air (according to rumours), but I'll have to decide between a 2015-2017 MacBook Air or that new one. No way am I buying a MacBook or MacBook Pro. And since the new laptop will probably have a butterfly keyboard, that means MacBook Air. But without a future upgrade path, I might as well start looking elsewhere and start using Linux since Apple cares more about their bank account and the fashion statement of their hardware.

 

[doctor-don]

How can so many people complain about crumbs and other particles getting into their keyboards and under the keys and then complain that it is the fault of Apple? Take some responsibility for your own actions.

 

[lec0rsaire]

You know you don’t have to get an i9 model right? Save yourself some money.

Most people buy the 13” anyway. People really just like to complain.

 

[Dustonfoster]

Sold my rMBP mid 2012 a month ago since we all knew something was coming soon.. however with all this craziness going to hold off on purchasing a new machine. Currently sharing with my Fiancé, running my OS off an external SSD from her 2015 MBP. Runs amazing actually!

 

[ghostface147]

Still on the fence about replacing my 17" 2011 model.