Thanks to iFixit, we now can see what Apple has done to “fix” the controversial Butterfly-Keyboard fiasco that plagued many of the 2016-2017 MacBook Pro’s.
In the photo above, we can see a thin silicon film which is meant to “buffer” the audible click that comes from the Butterfly-Key switches. This is the definitive reason Apple has claimed to have made these new “Gen-3” switches. What’s interesting is that this silicon film looks more like it’s meant to funnel dirt and debris away from the mechanism housing, which would cause previous versions to get stuck, and subsequently break, causing an expensive repair from the Genius Bar.
From what we understand, Apple is not admitting they had to find a solution for their faulty initial design. This is probably due to the number of class-action lawsuits slung their way in the wake of the controversy. According to The Verge, Apple declined commenting on how this film causes a quieter sound, and more importantly, declined commenting on if this silicon helps with durability in anyway.
“Apple says. In fact, company representatives strenuously insisted that the keyboard issues have only affected a tiny, tiny fraction of its user base. (There’s now a four-year repair program for the keyboard in case it fails.)” – the Verge reported, which doesn’t do much to calm our nerves.
So what about all the old defected butterfly keyboards out there? Will they be getting repaired with new 3rd Gen ones? No. According to MacRumors, Apple will not be replacing the old bottom chassis with new ones. Maybe this is just a way to cover themselves from that class-action lawsuit, that oddly, their own patent seems to admit. The patent that was filed, seems to be created “prevent and/or alleviate contaminant ingress.” which indirectly admits the problem. Not surprisingly, there have been no reports as of yet on if this film helps in anyway, but we’ll keep you updated.
