Gen 3 butterfly keyboard

[Wags]

I've had my air for maybe a month now, and today my t key has been repeating and delay repeating (when I typed repeating, it typed repeatitng, and actually typed spelled out as tytped. Purposely mispelling typed the way my keyboard did it actually added yet anotther (<- and again...) misplaced t after the p).

My 2016 ntb pro keyboard was starting to fail on me but at least that keyboard lasted a year...

Should be included in 4 year repair program. Probably don’t want to include right now because that would be somewhat of admission that their design still sucks. Maybe they will later.
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Apple and it's execs should be thoroughly ashamed, however they are clearly only interested in sales and engineering a point of failure to drive further sales after a few years. Unfortunately it backfired as the Butterfly keyboard are failing far faster.

If Apple had a genuine concern for it's customers Apple would have replaced the design in the first year or so, not keep forcing this terrible keyboard in it's customers with known design & reliability issues. Apple is presenting little more than band aids on band aids, arrogance, greed, disinterest take your pick...

Personally I have many considerations when purchasing a new computer. The reliability of the keyboard has never been one, nor will it be one. As other members have stated I vote with my wallet and certainly wont support companies with known poor design and practises as Apple is currently persisting on...

Q-6

All over .12 from 2015 non butterfly machines

 

[Queen6]

Should be included in 4 year repair program. Probably don’t want to include right now because that would be somewhat of admission that their design still sucks. Maybe they will later.
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All over .12 from 2015 non butterfly machines

Apple prioritised thinner notebooks over everything else, this is the direct result, combined with reduced usability...

Apple wont add to the extended keyboard warranty program until it feels it's absolutely compelled too by impending court action or the damage to it's reputation outweighs the cost of the program, exactly has it always has done. In the meanwhile Apple's customers will be simply left to get on with it once their statutory warranty is up.

Q-6

 

[alexballvideos]

I wonder if anyone has wondered what happened to my case?

1. In exhausting my avenue to seek remedy using Fair Trading NSW in a process that took until 22nd October, Apple still refused to offer me compensatory upgrade that I had requested. (As if all that had happened to me, including all the contraventions of consumer law, didn't occur.)

2. A month ago, I accepted a new full-time position at a company in Sydney (and moved down for the role) and conceded that for now, I sadly did not have the time to prioritise this symbolic suing of Apple for the sake of consumer rights in Australia in light of this atrocious, unacceptable #KeyboardGate defect.

So tonight, I emailed the Executive Liaison handling my case to ask for a swift replacement (without delay) of my 2017 unit with a 2018 unit by arranging the replacement unit to come to my nearest Apple store before I hand mine in, so that there is no undue delay, because mine already was tested by diagnostics on 18th July. If they agree to this given that is a very reasonable request, I will end my case.

If they don't, then they will REALLY piss me off and I will seriously consider allocating time (even though I am busy) to book my date with The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and show Apple that they can't get away with this.

I have ALL the documentation needed. It's meticulously dated and saved along with my browsing history in my Google account which together demonstrates the dozens of hours resulting in lost productivity, in trying to seek my remedy as an Australian consumer and only being lied to, coerced, and denied my rights. I feel more confident and comfortable than ever to go into that hearing room and present what must be about 200 pages of emails, letters, web records, chat transcripts, and what you see below is hours of audio phone calls all (legally) recorded for the public interest, to prove it.

Or should I take the scandal to the media who would LOVE to expose that people are on their sixth, SIXTH(!) keyboard, even on the 2018 model?

It's up to them.

Any journos seeing this want to mine my material and make it into a story? My spacebar key is the latest to start failing...

I have been checking back periodically to see if you had posted further information on your case, being an Australian consumer who purchased a 2016 Macbook Pro. Who had keyboard, speaker and display issues in early-mid 2017, I demanded a 2017 version back in July 2017 on second repair, in fact just outright paid for one in-store (Brisbane CBD) as i was about to leave on an interstate trip for two weeks, which they gave a minor discount on and then later that week, I sorted out the refund with the online store. This 2017 model has been going ok. I don't notice any regular repeating keys. But the keyboard is still very strange and the keys are inconsistent in feeling depending if its a hot or cool day or if i'm in AC. It's kept very clean and look 9.5/10 at all times. Definitely a design defect which might only be a minor annoyance, or which does fail and some people put up with, others don't notice if they don't type much and some get the worst of it with replacements continuously failing.

I do find it challenging, to say the least, to consider apple again for future laptop purchases. I expect to have to make use of the 4 year keyboard replacement program. Where it seems they just fit the same part, not a revised part. Crazy.

 

[sjinsjca]

I have had my top-spec, fully loaded 2018 MBP for a few months now and recently noticed an increasing incidence of repeat keystrokes, mostly from n, m, o and space-bar. Diddling with the Preferences settings for key-repeat accomplishes nothing. From the moment this machine was unpacked, it's had a keyboard cover on it, so debris ingress into the keyboard assembly should be minimal. From this and the many reports of keyboard issues after just a few days of use, I'm thinking it indicates a contact-material issue rather than a debris issue. If so, debris would worsen the problem but even cleanroom usage would not prevent it. (And no, I'm not an accomplished keyboard engineer, but apparently whoever cooked up this butterfly design isn't either.)

I'll register a complaint with AppleCare but can't afford to be without my machine for an extended amount of time. I can mostly live with this issue if it doesn't get worse. But it's not what I want from a nearly $4k machine.

 

[navaira]

I can't believe that Macrumors so far failed to mention the 3rd gen keyboard AND that all articles I bump into say that "Apple improved the keyboard so now the dust will not affect it anymore, recommended purchase, great laptop".

I have had my top-spec, fully loaded 2018 MBP for a few months now and recently noticed an increasing incidence of repeat keystrokes, mostly from n, m, o and space-bar. [...] I can mostly live with this issue if it doesn't get worse.

Actually maybe that's why...

 

[MrGunnyPT]

So.. Apple rep told me if I ever get a 2nd time problem with the keyboard issues that I could talk to them to see if there's any possibility of step up program for the 2018 model.

This is the first time I have ever heard about this.. I'm sending my MB TB 13" in for repair (got up and bottom arrow stuck and I need them a lot due to the SAP GUI)

 

[dfee]

I have this same issue. It's awful aas whene I type in my codee editor I constaantly get typos. This commeent for example is unedited.

 

[Jinx Mac]

I have this same issue. It's awful aas whene I type in my codee editor I constaantly get typos. This commeent for example is unedited.

Is your machine also a 2018?

 

[Ma2k5]

I have this same issue. It's awful aas whene I type in my codee editor I constaantly get typos. This commeent for example is unedited.

If that comment is unedited, that truly is keyboard cancer.

 

[Jinx Mac]

If that comment is unedited, that truly is keyboard cancer.

You should see some of my unedited comments here! Right now, this new (5 day old) MBP is behaving - I had one day of double "e's" happening. Keep in mind that this is my 6th MBP all returned for repeating keys. All progressively got worse and migrated to other keys rendering the keyboard unusable. Shame on Apple. They knew this was an issue and released the new MBP and Air without addressing the issue. The silicon under the keys in the 3rtd gen keyboard was to quiet the keys, not fix the sticky key issue.

I would like to know more about Apple saying that they "might" extend the 2016/2017 keyboard replacement program to the 2018 computers.

 

[sjinsjca]

Anyone know why it’s called a “butterfly” keyboard? Is it because it’s a thing of beauty with a lifespan of days?

 

[Mythos99]

I had it for over two weeks, and i still can't really get used to it. It's fine when i just type whole day only on the MBP, but i use many other Computer/Laptops in work, and it always feels weird when i use my MBP afterwards... I really don't know what to do now. They will never go away from this keyboard, but i don't wanna say goodbye to the MBP forever. Hmm, man, this is just so stupid >.>.

 

[dfee]

Yeah, it's a brand new MBP (about two months old).

 

[bababooey9]

I've been a Mac guy since '91. Got my first Mac laptop in '95. Never had one I didn't like UNTIL these new keyboards.

I bought a MBP last year and immediately had the keyboard problems. Quickly downgraded to a 2015 model.

I cannot believe they are continuing to market a laptop w/ a keyboard that will malfunction for most users. I would like to buy another one but there is no way. I'm a coder and typing is my living!

 

[Powermax]

I guess I'll have to hold onto my 2012 rMBP for another year. Unbelievable...

 

[Jinx Mac]

Yeah, it's a brand new MBP (about two months old).

View attachment 809912

Well, not surprised, all 6 of mine have been 2018's. Have you taken it in yet? I think that if you do you can get en entirely new machine still rather than having to wait for a repair. Please let us know what they say. I am wanting to know when Apple will extend their keyboard repair program to the 2018's as well. Thanks!

 

[Plutonius]

I had it for over two weeks, and i still can't really get used to it. It's fine when i just type whole day only on the MBP, but i use many other Computer/Laptops in work, and it always feels weird when i use my MBP afterwards... I really don't know what to do now. They will never go away from this keyboard, but i don't wanna say goodbye to the MBP forever. Hmm, man, this is just so stupid >.>.

If you use it at a specific location, keep an external keyboard there.

 

[Queen6]

I've been a Mac guy since '91. Got my first Mac laptop in '95. Never had one I didn't like UNTIL these new keyboards.

I bought a MBP last year and immediately had the keyboard problems. Quickly downgraded to a 2015 model.

I cannot believe they are continuing to market a laptop w/ a keyboard that will malfunction for most users. I would like to buy another one but there is no way. I'm a coder and typing is my living!

Very much agree, personally I dumped Apple for any professional use as it's hardware is mostly inadequate and or problematic, currently I see little value in what Apple offers.

I've frequently stated that I've never seen so many switch away from Apple, equally all professional's (designers, engineers, geologists, etc.) Apple is fast tracking to being little more than a fashion brand where reliability, performance, stability all play second fiddle to being thinner and looking pretty.

Apple has only one direction now as markets plateau and that is do exactly what it's doing; increasing margin, reduce it's bottom line, with associated diminishing value to the customer. For many professionals the Mac is dead in the water, nor are they likely to come flocking back even if Apple gets it's collective finger out it's ass, as it's hard earned reputation is fast being depreciated...

Q-6

 

[Demis013]

Hi guys,

My first post here. I've been following the forum closely for the last couple of weeks. I bought the MBP 2018 13'' 2,5 weeks ago. I could get a good deal by buying it through my job so I basically took the jump before really reading into the keyboard issues. My girlfriend got the 2018 Air around the same time, and after 2 days she concluded it's useless for her because of the key repeating issues. She returned it, got a new one, same exact issues (and obviously returned it and got her money back). She wanted to use it mostly for typing, so a 100% functioning was crucial (but obviously in this price range it is crucial for all of us).

So from my/our experience the 2018 Air and the 2018 MBP have the exact same issue: it always starts with key repeats around the area of the letter e and then it spreads. As said, I've had mine for 2,5 weeks now and I experienced the same issues that people here have described. Besides the keys repeating, a few days ago I also noticed that the letter e would simply not register a couple of times, but after a bit of twisting and turning that's not happening anymore.

I have installed this small tool that I read about on reddit called Unshaky. It cancels out a good amount of the double registrations, and I must say for me this works for now. It says that it has ''prevented'' more than 200 double strikes until now. So it seems to help. But the thing is, I know that the keyboard will further deteriorate and that it's not an issue of dust or any of that nonsense, no it's a design fault. And I hate that I'm basically waiting for that further deterioration to happen. It is my first experience with a MBP so maybe I am a bit naive for asking but is there anyone who believes that they will actually come with a new - working - 4th variant of the keyboard and that our 3rd gen keyboards will be replaced with that one?

I can still return it and get my money back without any problems if I decide to do so within the next week. But I simply love the rest of the MBP and I actually enjoy the keyboard as well, in the 80-90% of the times that it works. But 80-90% is just ridiculous in 2018. I'll make my mind up at the end of next week, but will follow your experiences and any possible responses from Apple (have we had any respons that points towards a solution!?) closely until then.

 

[c0ppo]

4th variant of the keyboard and that our 3rd gen keyboards will be replaced with that one?

3 gens in 3 years, and that didn't fix the issue. 4th gen won't help either. Sure, there is a chance Apple will manage to fix it, but a very slim one. And even if they do, I highly doubt they will replace your keyboard with 4th gen.

I can still return it and get my money back without any problems if I decide to do so within the next week.

Just return it. Wait for redesign in 2020/21 if you really want a mac. This issue isn't going away, and your keyboard is already affected.

 

[Mythos99]

If you use it at a specific location, keep an external keyboard there.

I take it mostly with me to the library, so that's not really an option, but i can try it at home.

 

[Queen6]

Hi guys,

My first post here. I've been following the forum closely for the last couple of weeks. I bought the MBP 2018 13'' 2,5 weeks ago. I could get a good deal by buying it through my job so I basically took the jump before really reading into the keyboard issues. My girlfriend got the 2018 Air around the same time, and after 2 days she concluded it's useless for her because of the key repeating issues. She returned it, got a new one, same exact issues (and obviously returned it and got her money back). She wanted to use it mostly for typing, so a 100% functioning was crucial (but obviously in this price range it is crucial for all of us).

So from my/our experience the 2018 Air and the 2018 MBP have the exact same issue: it always starts with key repeats around the area of the letter e and then it spreads. As said, I've had mine for 2,5 weeks now and I experienced the same issues that people here have described. Besides the keys repeating, a few days ago I also noticed that the letter e would simply not register a couple of times, but after a bit of twisting and turning that's not happening anymore.

I have installed this small tool that I read about on reddit called Unshaky. It cancels out a good amount of the double registrations, and I must say for me this works for now. It says that it has ''prevented'' more than 200 double strikes until now. So it seems to help. But the thing is, I know that the keyboard will further deteriorate and that it's not an issue of dust or any of that nonsense, no it's a design fault. And I hate that I'm basically waiting for that further deterioration to happen. It is my first experience with a MBP so maybe I am a bit naive for asking but is there anyone who believes that they will actually come with a new - working - 4th variant of the keyboard and that our 3rd gen keyboards will be replaced with that one?

I can still return it and get my money back without any problems if I decide to do so within the next week. But I simply love the rest of the MBP and I actually enjoy the keyboard as well, in the 80-90% of the times that it works. But 80-90% is just ridiculous in 2018. I'll make my mind up at the end of next week, but will follow your experiences and any possible responses from Apple (have we had any respons that points towards a solution!?) closely until then.

Another; just return it you don't want to be stuck with costly repairs and inconvenience down the line. Frankly the only thing Apple currently understands is $$$$.

More people that send the message that such poor design is simply unacceptable the faster Apple will actually do something. Time Apple went back to it's roots and produced the best it can to serve it's customer's, not what simply allows the highest margin with obsolescence built-in.

Q-6
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I take it mostly with me to the library, so that's not really an option, but i can try it at home.

Sorry don't care what brand it is or the price point, if I had such concerns/issues with the keyboard it would be going back...

Q-6

 

[navaira]

I used Unshaky for a bit before deciding a 2989 euro laptop shouldn't require this.

Two days is a new record though! I wondered if the Airs would do better.

If I could be arsed I'd make a compilation of the best posts in this thread and send it to tcook@apple.com, but now that I'm down to a Hackintosh I only come to this thread for the lulz. (Sorry, fellow sufferers. By the way, Yoga C930 has a really good keyboard.)

 

[Code cookies]

Just taken my MacBook Pro 2018 into the apple store due to it repeating keys ('O' and Spacebar). They popped the keycaps off and said there was a fair amount of dust on the membrane, they have cleaned it up and all seems to be working ok now, no idea how long this will last. If it happens again I will be pushing for a full/partial refund. At least the keycaps can be removed on this model unlike before.

 

[SDColorado]

Just taken my MacBook Pro 2018 into the apple store due to it repeating keys ('O' and Spacebar). They popped the keycaps off and said there was a fair amount of dust on the membrane, they have cleaned it up and all seems to be working ok now, no idea how long this will last. If it happens again I will be pushing for a full/partial refund. At least the keycaps can be removed on this model unlike before.

My guess is it will last approximately as long as it did from new, before the errors began, give or take