Apple Australia support just confirmed me that my 2016 15-inch MBP keyboard replacement will be "updated to address the original issue" and "it is a revised updated version that will resolve the issue that you were having with keyboard".
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Gen 3 butterfly keyboard
- Thread starter Lastgreen
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You should ask for them to put that statement in writing , otherwise a full exchange with 2018 model free of charge
I do have the chat transcript sent by email from Apple and screenshot too.
Under Australian Consumer Law, I may indeed be eligible for a full replacement.
There’s a detailed 2016 filing, Apple saying it’s changed the noise (if you know anything about acoustics, you know that new design with the dust cover is going to reduce noise already and that it will be a third generation of the current mbp keyboard. Why they would not put this on the replacement/repairs seems like internet BS rather than anything based logic.
I'm in Australia and I have a nearly 4-month-old 2017 MacBook Pro which since about day 2 I started noticing the keyboard playing up. I was shocked. I thought it was just me needing to get used to the shallower keyboard design, but no, it's slowly gotten worse and worse.
Right now my Caps lock key, for example, just doesn't work unless a. I'm randomly lucky or b. I PRESS, REALLY, HARD on the key. This has become the biggest problem I have EVER had with a daily tech device! Am I to face five years of my life in which my productivity flow is being constantly disrupted by this f*cking keyboard? It literally stops me from my flow when I'm in the zone and doing my work.
I'm really glad the keyboard replacement program (US link, AU link) is now in place for older purchasers' justice. In my case though, I rang Apple today and proposed that since my model and unit is so new and in such near-pristine condition they should exchange it for me with a 2018 equivalent model given the whole circumstances.
I'll be having a genius bar appointment next Wednesday in a NSW store, and will give news on the forums when I find out how they treat me.
We'll all find out more in the coming days as we see videos of real world usage of the keyboard (and I'll test it out in the store on Wed if shop models arrive by then), but I have a feeling that Apple is being coy about the '3rd generation' indeed having the fix for this epic stickiness problem.
This is why:
If the 2018 models don't get added to the defective model list in the replacement program, then this means they DO no longer have the problem! Otherwise more lawsuits will come Apple's way!
It's almost like a warrant canary but for defects that they're getting sued for - a 'lawsuit canary'.
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Brb. Emailing all of the inventors. I'll get to the bottom of this.
Hence why he said the "new" lineup.
Are the 2018 systems in Apple stores now? If so, I walk by one every day and will stop in and give the new keyboard a try.
Please do, and let us know. I'm an hour's drive away from my nearest store in my part of the world.
Do you have access to a 2nd-gen butterfly keyboard (e.g. 2017 model, or a recently-repaired 2016/2015 model) to compare it to? If it feels clearly different to the 2nd-gen, then it's obvious that THAT is what Apple should give us as replacements under this program because otherwise we're entitled to come in again and again and again, wasting both our time and productivity of not having our laptops for use for repeated 7-day periods for 4 years, and many thousands of dollars from Apple just for one user instead of exchanging their current model for refurb and solving the problem ONE time with the fixed gen-3 design.
This whole situation is ridiculous, and I certainly won't be quiet about it to the Apple Store staff next Wednesday if they want to try and fool me too. I'll just state what I said above: Would they rather replace the entire top case again and again and again, or just replace it with the 2018 design ONE time?
I have 5 Apple stores within 30 miles. I could stop in and try one out but I’m not exactly sure what I’d be looking for. I can’t imagine typing on it for a few minutes will tell us much about if it’s more reliable.
I am curious to see how loud or quiet it is, and if it feels different. Also, the store is across from Starbucks so I could get an Almond Croissant and eat it over the keyboard to see if it kills it.
I had 3 keyboards replaced in 9 months on my late 2016 mbp. The first time they had to replace the whole top case, which resulted in a new SSD (came back blank). The most recent and third time it somehow came back with all my data still intact. I wonder if that means I got a gen3 keyboard which (guessing) can be replaced without the rest of the whole top case along with it?
I seriously doubt the keyboard can be replace without the whole top case assembly being replace as the keyboard is riveted in place on the 2016/2017 units. And likely the 2018 units.
And a top case replacement does not change the mainboard to which the SSD is soldered. It is replacement of the aluminum case, keyboard, trackpad, and battery. My guess is the first time they messed up your main board while doing the top case replacement. Or accidentally reformatted the system.
Sorry, I mistyped. The first two times the whole top case was replaced, new SSD, battery cycle count, etc. The third time the machine came back with all my data and I worried they didn’t even replace the keyboard, but followups with support determined they did indeed replace the keyboard the third time as well. How my data came back with it I still don’t know.
The real question is, how your data didn't come back twice.
No SSD. The SSD is soldered onto the main board just like the memory. They must have screwed up the main board, formatted the drive for some reason, or sent you a replacement unit.
Here is a picture of the top case assembly
https://www.ebay.com/i/182795194453?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIM.MBE&ao=2&asc=20160908110712&meid=31332ebac3964477930cfc2b3b248f79&pid=100677&rk=9&rkt=30&sd=222673243122&itm=182795194453
Check out the second picture
The 2018 MacBook Pro models come with larger capacity batteries. So this probably means the top case assembly is a new design.
Unless Apple is backporting the Gen 3 keyboard into the 2016/2017 chassis, it's unlikely 2016/2017 models will receive the new keyboard when being replaced.
But more importantly, there is no indication so far the Gen 3 keyboard was designed to fix the reliability issue.
Unless Apple is backporting the Gen 3 keyboard into the 2016/2017 chassis, it's unlikely 2016/2017 models will receive the new keyboard when being replaced.
But more importantly, there is no indication so far the Gen 3 keyboard was designed to fix the reliability issue.
Good points. I would say that Apple has gone so far as to tell the tech press that they did not attempt to address the reliability issue because it was so infrequent. Talk about PR spin!
I live in Dallas. There's an apple store at the mall one mile from my house. I'm going to head up there sometime today and check the new keyboards out. Will report back.
Hah went yesterday and saw none in the mall. Doubt they are there today if I’m being honest.