MacBook Pro Owners With Faulty Butterfly Keyboards Now Receiving Emails About $50 Million Lawsuit Settlement

[MacRumors]

Back in July, Apple agreed to pay $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over the faulty butterfly keyboards that were used in MacBook machines between 2015 and 2019, and now emails about the settlement are going out to MacBook Pro owners eligible for a payment.

Dear MacBook Owner,

You are receiving this email because you previously reached out to our firm regarding your MacBook laptop. On November 28, 2022, the Court granted preliminary approval of $50 million nationwide settlement that would benefit MacBook purchasers who had their "Butterfly" keyboard repaired. You can find more information about the settlement, eligibility, the approval process, and your options at www.KeyboardSettlement.com.

MacBook Pro owners who had at least two topcase replacements from Apple within four years of purchase are considered Group 1 Settlement Class Members and will be receiving an automatic payment as well as an email about the settlement.

MacBook Pro owners who had a single topcase replacement will need to submit a claim form to get compensation, and they are considered Group 2 Settlement Class Members. Those who had a keycap replacement can also submit a claim form to get a small settlement as part of the third group of Settlement Class Members.

Monetary awards will be based on the number of repairs required, with amounts up to $395 provided to those who had two or more topcase replacements. Mac owners who fall in to this category will be receiving their class notices this month. Claims will be accepted through March 6, 2023, and a final approval hearing will take place on March 16, 2023.

The lawsuit dates back to 2018, when a group of customers sued Apple over the butterfly keyboard, claiming that the company concealed the defect from consumers in order to continue to sell Macs.

Butterfly keyboards were used in Macs between 2015 and 2019, and while Apple iterated on the design several times to try to improve durability, a design flaw made the butterfly mechanism prone to failure. Throughout those four years, thousands of customers had problems with repeating keys, sticky keys, and full keyboard failures.

Apple launched a keyboard repair program in June 2018, covering MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models for four years after purchase. Apple was only replacing butterfly keyboards with another butterfly keyboard, so there was no real fix.

Apple ultimately did away with the butterfly mechanism and swapped back to a scissor switch mechanism, and today, all Macs use a scissor switch keyboard that is much more durable and able to stand up to small crumbs and dust.

Article Link: MacBook Pro Owners With Faulty Butterfly Keyboards Now Receiving Emails About $50 Million Lawsuit Settlement

 

[Razorpit]

I have one, I'm more upset about it no longer receiving OS updates than anything else... 😔

 

[dohspc]

Doesn’t seem to cover people who have one of these but have never had a replacement! I want my check for $14.32 like everyone else!

 

[CalMin]

Wow. After my second repair on my 15" MBP I sold it and moved to a 16" Intel without the butterfly keys before the repair program expired.

The 16" was just a bit too big heavy and I never really bonded with it. It was powerful, but I really missed that 15" which I would have probably kept a lot longer if not for those blasted butterfly keys.

 

[icanhazmac]

Good, that keyboard was a complete dumpster fire. My 2017 had multiple replacements.

Edit: Got my email.

 

[sorgo †]

Butterfly keyboard = crime against humanity. #NeverForget

 

[RakEgg]

In Australia under our Consumer Laws you get your whole purchase price back say within 2-3 years for a 'major failure' of an item as expensive as a MacBook Pro. In the USA greedy lawyers take most of what the consumer should receive.

 

[RakEgg]

And it's got nothing to do with how many times you need 'replacement'.

 

[jsalda]

I had two replacements for my 2017 under AppleCare, hope I qualify.

Side note: After the second replacement ordered a $10 skin cover for it and my son still uses it to this day.

 

[now i see it]

Its curious that defects in Apple design or assembly seem to always come down to lawsuits.

 

[Lapidus]

Mine is now broken for the 3the time. It's over 4 years old so it's not covered by the service programme anymore and Apple wants to charge me €400 for it.

 

[project_2501]

Shame this doesn't benefit anyone outside the US. We suffered from the butterfly keyboard in the UK too - I had to take Apple to the Small Claims Court here after a very long and protracted painful support experience - Kafkaesque hell.

I also remember the usual Apple cultists here belittling reports of issues, denying there was a problem.

I'm now using the 2021 MBP but the keys are not as nice as the classic 2015 - but at least they work.

 

[TravelsInBlue]

Like, I don’t want to victim blame or anything but if you purchased anything but the 2016 MacBook before this keyboard became a known issue, I feel like that’s kind of on you at that point.

I avoided these models entirely because of both the keyboard and Touch Bar and went with a ThinkPad instead. I only recently purchased a MacBook again (first in 7 years) getting the 16” Pro largely because they finally ditched the butterfly keyboard.

 

[sorgo †]

Like, I don’t want to victim blame or anything but if you purchased anything but the 2016 MacBook before this keyboard became a known issue, I feel like that’s kind of on you at that point.

I avoided these models entirely because of both the keyboard and Touch Bar and went with a ThinkPad instead. I only recently purchased a MacBook again (first in 7 years) getting the 16” Pro largely because they finally ditched the butterfly keyboard.

Yeah, the whole fiasco really left a bad taste in my mouth. I ended up taking a ten-year break between a first-gen 2012 Retina MacBook Pro (which I exchanged for a Surface Pro 2 the following year) and my current M1 MacBook Air.

 

[t0rqx]

These people deserve a new Macbook Pro period. I stopped buying Macbook because of the butterfly keyboard.

 

[Arctic Moose]

Shame this doesn't benefit anyone outside the US.

Where did you find this information?

I skimmed the FAQ, but couldn’t find anything about it.

Must the person submitting the claim live in the US, must the computer have been purchased in the US or must the repairs have taken place in the US, or some combination of these three?

 

[iMacDragon]

Where did you find this information?

I skimmed the FAQ, but couldn’t find anything about it.

Must the person submitting the claim live in the US, must the computer have been purchased in the US or must the repairs have taken place in the US, or some combination of these three?

These class action things are always US only, and it will probably only apply to purchased in US.

 

[russell_314]

As usual the lawyers will make millions and each person will probably get $15 or something

 

[Apple_Robert]

Like, I don’t want to victim blame or anything but if you purchased anything but the 2016 MacBook before this keyboard became a known issue, I feel like that’s kind of on you at that point.

I avoided these models entirely because of both the keyboard and Touch Bar and went with a ThinkPad instead. I only recently purchased a MacBook again (first in 7 years) getting the 16” Pro largely because they finally ditched the butterfly keyboard.

Unless one is a hardcore Apple nerd, the chances of one previously knowing about a problem before purchase would be slim to none.

 

[geartau]

issues butterfly keyboards were wildly overblown IMO.

they were trashy keyboards, for sure. but media made it sound like it was guaranteed to fail on you.

 

[russell_314]

Unless one is a hardcore Apple nerd, the chances of one previously knowing about a problem before purchase would be slim to none.

Also if you’re buying the product new from Apple then there shouldn’t be some sort of major defect. I shouldn’t have to know what products have defects. This being said there’s only so long people can hold this up as a reasonable expectation of support. If there was some defect on my refrigerator from the 90s I can’t sue General Electric because it broke today

 

[Shirasaki]

Butterfly keyboard is the exact reason why I avoid buying any MacBook between 2016 and 2019. 2020 M1 MBP release, I buy that one instead, with Touch Bar (I know weirdo but heh).
Sad for folks who got one during that period. This $50M is like pocket change to Apple and the majority won’t even go to consumer pocket. Cursed US law system.

 

[Scipster]

Its curious that defects Apple in design or assembly seem to always come down to lawsuits.

Most likely because Apple charges a premium for its product. If a company charges top dollar, people rightfully expect a smooth, seamless, and defect-free experience. Unfortunately, the butterfly keyboard catastrophe was anything but!

So glad I held out to M1 MBP... my 2012 MBP was getting old haha

I don't expect people would have sued had Apple charged Acer or Chromebook prices for their machines.

 

[thadoggfather]

I’m glad I got the base 13” 2016 non Touch Bar MacBook Pro and rode it out until 2020

Had the first gen 12” MacBook before that from 2015 and if it had more horse power wouldn’t have even moved to the 13” one

Still a one and done for me essentially

Had to replace top case once cause of key issues and also screen flash light effect at the bottom from display cable being too short and breaking

Still use the 2016 occasionally for Homebrew on windows side and just to fuss around with the old macOS it’s on I think sierra

 

[H2SO4]

In Australia under our Consumer Laws you get your whole purchase price back say within 2-3 years for a 'major failure' of an item as expensive as a MacBook Pro. In the USA greedy lawyers take most of what the consumer should receive.

No.
Greedy Apple keeps most of what the lawyers are left to apportion to the class members