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Still wonder people 2017 users could argue out the replacement... of a new machine
 
How about using keyboard covers to protect the keyboard from dust. Is that effective in this case?
It would help, but we tried it on my partner's 2017 and it constantly left marks on his screen. It also further worsens ventilation...
 
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I wonder if this is an interim fix before we see a redesigned chassis & keyboard or if Apple will adopt the internal silicon barrier for all future keyboards.

Which is cheaper (or "more profitable" depending on one's point of view)?
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Not only redesign everything Mac but also change the management and those product designers.

Or just get rid of the physical keyboard per "what's a computer" mentality. iDevices virtual keyboards are completely dust-proof "keys" :eek:
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as we haggle here, dust and sand all over the world is conspiring to incapacitate the keyboards of all MBP.

For example, Texas is being swamped by a huge Saharan dust storm, that travelled all across the Atlantic to fall upon MBP keyboards.

I've heard Samsung has huge industrial fans in the Sahara desert blowing that dust into the atmosphere.

Jokes aside: as a Florida resident, Saharan dust is an actual thing. We get that dust sprinkling on us on a regular basis. Leave an object outdoors, stationary and not somewhere where wind/rain will "clean" it and it takes only a few days to get a thin coating.

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Is it not possible to take off one of these keycaps and just blow out of the dust if the keyboard stops working?

Thinner man, THINNER! No self service. No fix-it-yourself. Make things so thin nobody can do anything in the way of self-repair. When they fail, sell them a new one. If they gripe, at least 5 guys on websites will jump in with "I've never had any such problem with my keyboard" (implying that you can't either) and/or redirect toward cheap Chinese chargers or similar (in short, any problem with any Apple offering is USER error... or a Samsung/Microsoft/Google plot... or the user is a shill for such companies... or it's just one big conspiracy out to do harm to Apple, etc). ;)
 
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Did I miss the part where the article says „but it still fails easier than any other keyboard on the planet“? Because almost everybody here seems to read it that way.
 
Apple has not publicly confirmed that the new third-generation butterfly keyboard was introduced to enhance reliability and to cut down on the the key failures that were seen in 2016 and 2017 machines

Try doing a bit of research next time. They publicly disclosed this back in September of 2016. See:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US20180068808A1/en

And I quote:
The described embodiments relate generally to keyboards. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to structures that prevent ingress of contaminants such as dust or liquid into keyboards.

The purpose of the membrane is clearly spelled out in the patent application. The words "noise" and "quiet" don't appear anywhere in the patent. I don't see anyone can believe the "quieter keyboard" marketing BS Apple are trying to push.
 
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Instead, in its 2018 MacBook Pro marketing materials, Apple claims the new silicone barrier was added to introduce a quieter typing experience, an issue that few people seem to have had with the original keyboards.

"few people" is a gross understatement... In short, more julipuli editorializing. o_O Please stop.

Dust leading to keyboard malfunctions affects a fraction of the MacBook Pro users.

Noise from loud typing affects not only every user (because every user has to type), but also people around the user, including coworkers in the same office, passengers on the same bus/train car/plane, students in the same library, classmates in the same classroom. That's not "few people," it's "a lot of people." It's disturbing to others, it breaks the zone of a writer or researcher, and that leads to a self-conscious typing.

C'mon Juli, we expect better than this. Don't impose your perception on your readers. Just because you work from home in isolation, or forgo public transportation, or don't regularly take classes, doesn't mean everybody else lives the same lifestyle. :( Noise is a major problem. Not to say dust isn't, but if I had to highlight which problem I solved in marketing material, I'd choose the one that affected more people, hence I'd choose noise.
 
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Wow, a lot of information here....this confirms for me the question I raised, did the spacebar also contain the membrane and this confirms the answer is yes but I'm also surprised the whole spacebar has been re designed. I think this is all the evidence we need to confirm that Apple made these changes because there were issues from customers on the 2016/2017 models some say these are minor but to me these are major changes to fix previous issues/defects.

I can remember back in 2016 and 2017 there were still many many people who were still having issues with the spacebar, woobley, not pressing right, left side acting different than right side, sticking etc...this confirms they have addressed this issue too. WOW. sucks for people that bought the 2016/2017.

It also sounds like to me the 2018 owners should still keep a can of pressed air because they are not out of the woods entirely on this dust issue.
 
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In sum, snorting coke while using MacBook Pro 2018 models won't ruin your keyboard.
Thank goodness.

But seriously, how does this happen? I keep my place spotless, always have clean hands (or wash them before I open my clamshell), and don’t use my MBP outdoors.

Are users, in general, slobs? Do people really have filthy houses and live in dust/dirtbowls? Do people really eat while typing on a multi-thousand dollar investment?

These are all questions that both fascinates and disgusts me.
 
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This redesign caused more harm than good. No ports, garbage keyboard to an over-engineered keyboard, expensive $$$$, no magsafe, a tacky touchbar..

Not sure what good came out of this redesign. Go back to the 2015 design with fresh internals..
 
This redesign caused more harm than good. No ports, garbage keyboard to an over-engineered keyboard, expensive $$$$, no magsafe, a tacky touchbar..

Not sure what good came out of thi redesign. Go back to the 2015 design with fresh internals..
A lot of good came out of this. Sure, I dropped several hundred in USB-C cables to replace all of my type-A fittings, but once you step into modern times, you’ll understand what you’ve been missing out on... or not. There are plenty of ports. There are four (4!) 40Gb/s ports. Holy cow.

Yeah, they’re expensive. Great keyboard, more akin to my “flat experience,” in touch-screen typing. It’s thin, light, and doesn’t hurt being on my back for 15+ mile bike commutes. Only idiots trip over their cords, or lack the self awareness on where they’re putting said cords in public spaces.

I see no issues with these Macs.
 
A lot of good came out of this. Sure, I dropped several hundred in USB-C cables to replace all of my type-A fittings, but once you step into modern times, you’ll understand what you’ve been missing out on... or not. There are plenty of ports. There are four (4!) 40Gb/s ports. Holy cow.

Yeah, they’re expensive. Great keyboard, more akin to my “flat experience,” in touch-screen typing. It’s thin, light, and doesn’t hurt being on my back for 15+ mile bike commutes. Only idiots trip over their cords, or lack the self awareness on where they’re putting said cords in public spaces.

I see no issues with these Macs.

Are you being sarcastic? It's difficult to tell on these forums.
 
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I'm typing this on my trusty MacBook Air 2011. Given the keyboard mechanics, the lifespan of silicone, and the non-replaceable keyboard design, I wonder if anyone will type anything in 2025 on a MacBook Pro 2018.
 
So the takeaway is to avoid using your MacBook in the middle of dust or sand storms? I'll try to remember that.
 
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