Tech

Apple agrees to $50 million settlement in Butterfly keyboard complaints


On Monday, Apple agreed to pay $50 million in a class-action lawsuit over the so-called butterfly keyboard, a component of some MacBook laptops that frustrates many users when typing because typing error.

The butterfly keyboard, a slim design that aims to provide more precision, is ultimately not as graceful as the flapping wings of a nectar-seeking creature. Many customers complain that characters are repeated when pressed or do not appear on their screen at all. Some indicate devices with keys feel sticky and not responding consistently.

The typo prompted a class action lawsuit filed in 2018, leading to the settlement being filed Monday night after four years of litigation in the San Jose Chamber of the United States District Court in the Northern District of California. . Apple said the agreement did not represent an admission that it was at fault.

U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila still has to approve the proposal, said Simon S. Grille, the plaintiffs’ attorney.

Grille and Steven A. Schwartz, a plaintiff, said: “Plainants are pleased to submit to court approval their $50 million settlement with Apple that will settle years of litigation. about the butterfly keyboard of the MacBook,” said Grille and Steven A. Schwartz, a plaintiff, in a statement. “MacBook buyers nationwide are eligible to participate.”

As a result of the agreement, Apple may soon be able to provide repairs to MacBook users who repaired laptops with faulty butterfly keyboards between 2015 and 2019. Customers said the company was aware of the problem. these MacBooks; Apple offered free repairs to customers with faulty keyboards in 2018 and then phased them out gradually.

The company proposed payments of $50 to $395 to affected customers.

Court documents say the lawsuit represents buyers of about 15 million computers.

Court documents say Apple “strongly disclaims liability”. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

“The proposed settlement to resolve this case is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing by Apple of any kind,” the settlement said.

Anyone in the United States receiving keyboard problems repairs for MacBooks purchased between 2015 and 2017, MacBook Pros from 2016 to 2019 and MacBook Airs from 2018 to 2019 can request a partial resolution. The company will consider customers who have received a replacement of an “uppercase” – which includes batteries, touch-pointing devices known as trackpads, speakers, and keyboards – or “keyboard covers”, using to indicate the caps for the letters on the keyboard.

“All members of the mediation class went to Apple or an authorized service provider and received a ‘top replacement’ or ‘keycap replacement’ within four years of the date they purchased their computer. class are eligible for cash payment,” the court document said.

Customers will be sorted into one of three groups, depending on the size of the repair their equipment is receiving at the time.

The first group consisted of those who obtained two or more uppercase substitutions, the court documents said. They will be paid a maximum of $395.

The second group – users who received uppercase replacements that didn’t solve their problem – will receive up to $125. The third group includes those who have replaced the keycap but not the entire topcase. They will qualify for up to $50.

Many customers will be contacted by Apple, but people can also submit a request with documentation proving that the repair has been performed.

Plaintiffs representing consumers plan to apply for awards of up to $5,000 each from the settlement amount, court documents said.

Apple introduced troublesome keyboards with a “brand new MacBook” in 2015. The butterfly refers to a new switching mechanism that extends like wings under the keys, different from the more common types of switches. thicker and thicker shaped like scissors. The keyboard is billed as “34 percent thinner” and “four times more stable” compared to the previous scissor model. But it also seems susceptible to dust and other problems. Soon the customer complaints started.

For the next 5 years, Apple attempted to modify the keyboard in updated models before abandoning it altogether in 2020, when all their laptops included a redesigned and well-received keyboard restored scissor switches.

Jesus Jimenez contribution report.



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