It is widely known that Apple added silicone membranes to the keyboards on its third generation MacBooks in order to prevent debris from getting in. Nevertheless, the feature does not seem to be as functional as Apple would have customers believe. Users have complained about the keyboard functionality on the new MacBooks and as a reply to The Wall Street Journal highlighting the issue, an Apple spokesperson has said that the company was aware of a “small number of users” who are facing issues with their butterfly keyboards and that it was “sorry” for the problem. The company did not admit the issue to being a systematic error, however–it took on the claims saying that “vast majority” of MacBook Air or Pro users were just fine and the users who are facing any issue should contact support service.
Notwithstanding, companies like iFixit and Simple Mac are most likely to disagree. According to these companies, the butterfly keyboard system–which allows for very thin yet stable keys, is inherently flawed, and that even the slightest amount of debris might kefuffle the functionality of the keyboard. It has also been suggested that weak springs under the key render them vulnerable and they are more likely to break down. Although the third generation of MacBooks are still under warranty, it is still a problem to have the laptops submitted at an Apple support center, especially if users are dependent on their laptops for their livelihood. There is no guarantee that Apple will institute a special repair program.
It is unclear as to what number of MacBooks are affected by this issue, although the problem is widespread enough for users to ask Apple to ditch the butterfly keyboard altogether. According to users, Apple replaced reliable and tactile feel of the keyboards in favor of thinner design, and the situation is not expected to alleviate unless Apple rethinks its strategy.
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