Technology 3 min read

Apple to Replace its Controversial Butterfly Switch Keyboard

blackzheep / Shutterstock.com

blackzheep / Shutterstock.com

Back in 2015, Apple re-introduced the MacBook into the market. While it was as beautiful as any Apple product can be, the 2015 Macbook came with a lot of compromises.

At first, users were dissatisfied that the laptop came with a single USB-C port. But, with time, the real problem showed up – the keyboard.

To make the MacBook thinner, Apple had replaced the traditional chiclet-styled keyboard with the butterfly switch mechanism. The new arrangement was supposed to provide more balance and stability while making the component 40 percent thinner – and it did.

But it was far from reliable.

In a statement to Cult of Mac, an Apple engineer wrote:

“If contaminants such as chip crumbs reach internal areas of key assemblies, the contaminants may be broken down by the crushing components during motion of the key assemblies.”

The new keyboard design frequently failed when a single speck of dust got into the wrong part of the keys. Hence, the beginning of an epidemic. Within a day, over 1,000 users signed a petition on Change.org to have the keyboard replaced.

While Apple has released three generations of the butterfly switch design since 2015, many users still report having keyboard issues. That could change real soon.

Killing the Butterfly Switch Keyboard

Earlier this year, Apple issued a rare apology for creating the controversial keyboards. While the company admitted that only a few computers still have issues with unresponsive or sticky keys, the excuse raised the hope of possible new keyboard design.

Well, it’s happening.

According to an analyst at TF Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is creating an all-new scissor-switch. The design, which reportedly features glass fiber to reinforce the keys, should offer more travel time and reliability.

Apple has a culture of presuming what it believes its users need. This makes them deaf to what its consumers actually want.

So, is the Cupertino-based company finally listening? No -not exactly.

Although the numerous user complaints are reason enough to change the keyboard mechanism, Kuo suggested that it’s more than that. According to the analyst, butterfly keyboards are pricey to manufacture due to low yields.

While the new keyboard design will be more expensive than a Windows’ laptop keyboard, it’ll still be cheaper than the butterfly switches.

When should we expect to see the all-new scissor-switch design on a Mac?

Kuo suggested that Apple would include the design in the MacBook Air refresh that’s coming out later this year. Then, we’ll get it in 2020 on the MacBook Pros.

Read More: Apple Files Patent For Watch Band with Built-In Camera

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Sumbo Bello

Sumbo Bello is a creative writer who enjoys creating data-driven content for news sites. In his spare time, he plays basketball and listens to Coldplay.

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