Since April 2015, Apple has been using buttons with a butterfly mechanism (versus traditional scissors) in laptops (starting from the 12β³ model), and since then they have been changed several times. The second generation of the mechanism (introduced in October 2016) improved usability and responsiveness, but found a problem with sticky keys, after which the company initiated a program to repair MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards.
Apple's third generation keyboard (July 2018) with the butterfly key mechanism was expected to improve durability and address sticky issues. However, a recent publication by The Wall Street Journal by Joanna Stern suggests that the flaw is still present in the latest laptops.
The author, who was clearly pissed off by the problem, deliberately left the text typed on the MacBook with missing letters in order to clearly demonstrate the abnormality of the situation with the expensive mobile computers of the Cupertino company. The article, written with humor, includes a statement from an Apple representative in which the manufacturer acknowledges the current problems.
Specifically, the statement includes an apology to customers who are experiencing typing difficulties: βWe are aware that a small number of users are experiencing issues with the XNUMXrd Generation Butterfly Keyboard Mechanism, and we are sorry for that. The vast majority of Mac laptop users have a positive experience with the new keyboard.β
The XNUMXrd generation butterfly design is the biggest change, contributing to a quieter typing experience. At the same time, it was believed that a special plastic membrane under the keycaps was designed to prevent the keys from getting stuck during constant active use. Apple acknowledges the latter in its internal documents but does not publicly discuss the changes.
The latest Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air use this new keyboard mechanic design, with some users experiencing double actuation even on freshly purchased computers. That said, both the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro without Touch Bar still ship with keyboards that rely on the old version of the butterfly mechanism.
As mentioned, Apple has a keyboard recovery program. The company replaces either the keys or the entire keyboard free of charge within four years from the date of purchase if there are problems. However, replacement keyboards can also suffer from problems. In addition, 3rd generation butterfly computers are still not included in the program (however, until a year has passed since the start of sales, so problems with them should be covered by the usual warranty).
There is also a software solution - for example, 25-year-old student Sam Liu (Sam Liu) from the University of British Columbia presented the Unshaky utility to eliminate repeated clicks that work milliseconds after the usual ones. You can try cleaning your MacBook keyboard following the instructions provided by Apple. Finally, you can purchase an external keyboard or, in the most radical way, another laptop.
Source: 3dnews.ru