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"We are continuing both keyboard designs” - Phil Schiller
- Thread starter pcd213
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It's clear they don't want to halt sales of the other models, but I don't see any reason why they won't eventually migrate everything to this new keyboard.
I sincerely hope that you are correct. If not, however, it's shocking that Apple would leverage the new magic keyboard to command a premium in the MacBook Pro.
I sure hope they bring the new keyboard to the 13-inch MPB and the MBA line, otherwise I'll exclusively be buying 16-inch models.
Think it is pretty clear the new keyboard will be going in other MacBooks down the line when they update next, he just can't say that now.
Fairly obvious a 14" Pro will follow in the spring. No reason to keep two sets of inventory for a keyboard moving forward. Just can't publicly say that at Christmas time.
This, it really is all about preventing a stall in sales where people will sit and wait it out. Whilst I had issues with the existing keyboard the 3rd gen did appear to fix things. That said I would want that new magic keyboard, I can tell just from the initial reviews its way better.
I'm sure it will trickle down to a new 14" MBP. Instead, I'm concerned that it won't trickle down to the MBA. In the article, Phil explains that the new magic keyboard was designed exclusively for Pro customers.
“But a few years back, we decided that while we were advancing the butterfly keyboard, we would also — specifically for our pro customer — go back and really talk to many pro customers about what they most want in a keyboard and did a bunch of research.
That’s been a really impressive project, the way the engineering team has gotten into the physiology of typing and the psychology of typing — what people love. As we started to investigate specifically what pro users most wanted, a lot of times they would say, “I want something like this Magic Keyboard, I love that keyboard.” And so the team has been working on this idea of taking that core technology and adapting it to the notebook.”
“But a few years back, we decided that while we were advancing the butterfly keyboard, we would also — specifically for our pro customer — go back and really talk to many pro customers about what they most want in a keyboard and did a bunch of research.
That’s been a really impressive project, the way the engineering team has gotten into the physiology of typing and the psychology of typing — what people love. As we started to investigate specifically what pro users most wanted, a lot of times they would say, “I want something like this Magic Keyboard, I love that keyboard.” And so the team has been working on this idea of taking that core technology and adapting it to the notebook.”
I think one year from now there will be no butterfly Keyboards on any new models.
If it's reliable then it's in Apple best interest to put the new KB in every new machine going forward.. I am sure the 4-year KB replacement program for the crappy butterfly KB is going to cost Apple a lot of moola...
I took Phil's answer as more "political" than really meaningful... I'm sure there are a whole lot of reasons he wouldn't commit to that. If nothing else, they probably want to make sure these new keyboards hold-up and are accepted.
It sounds like the 2019 butterfly keyboards may have finally solved the failure issue. Wouldn't it be ironic if these new keyboards had some flaw, and the butterfly design was now more reliable? LOL.
It sounds like the 2019 butterfly keyboards may have finally solved the failure issue. Wouldn't it be ironic if these new keyboards had some flaw, and the butterfly design was now more reliable? LOL.
Definitely. The new on has twice the travel (from 0.5 to 1.0 mm) so there is that. The key spacing and shape looks like the magic keyboard and they changed the arrow key layout to match.
Well, if they are "continuing both designs", I am afraid they might be wanting to use this as a differentiator and a possible reason for people to upgrade to a computer with scissor mechanism within their lineup.
I hope they are "continuing" both designs till stocks last on the old ones.
I hope they are "continuing" both designs till stocks last on the old ones.
1. Scissor costs less than butterfly due to higher yields.
2. Kuo already told us a new Air would be coming with scissor.
This is probably why they might want to continue both designs - to get people to take their top-of-the-line offering. Although I know that down the road, if this new design holds well, it is going to come down to all models in the lineup.
I use the magic keyboard on my iMac at work and i think it's the best keyboard i've ever typed on, i LOVE it!!! The butterfly keyboard on my 2018 MBA however, that's a piece of junk.
We decided that we'd give all of our customers the great feel and look that our Pro customers demanded and we are now making the new Magic keyboard available to all of our MacBook customers.
That's completely silly. If Apple wanted to sell only expensive machines, there would be no MacBook Air.
Apple doesn't want to continue replacing entire top-cases for keyboard failures. Not to mention the bad rep.
There is no need for you to be so dismissive.
I only suggested that till the next redesign, it stands to reason they might continue the 13" variants with the 2019 butterfly mechanism, since they are not replacing their entire lineup today. It is not about their wanting to continue with replacing entire top cases for keyboard failures. They designed it that way, they probably just did not anticipate the number of issues they would face and the number of free replacements they will have to dole out.
On the other hand, you are sounding sure as to what Apple does not want to do, without knowing if the new 16" machines have the same "entire top case replacement policy" or do they have enough modularity to allow for individual replacements. Again, it would stand to reason that they would have a decent level of modularity for keyboard and battery at least, but till there is a teardown, we do not know.
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