Apple has announced a $50 million settlement to address issues related to its defective MacBook butterfly keyboards, providing relief to affected customers.
Approved claimants will receive checks as high as $395, depending on the severity of the required repairs. Reports indicate that some recipients have already started receiving their payouts.
If you purchased a MacBook between 2015 and 2019, you might be eligible for a settlement payout of up to $395.
Since the launch of the butterfly keyboard in 2015, users reported significant issues, including keys getting stuck or becoming unresponsive. Complaints also noted that dust and debris could hinder functionality, with some users unable to remove obstructions, leading to unusable keys. In 2019, Apple transitioned to a more reliable “scissor-switch” keyboard design.
To mitigate these concerns, Apple initiated a repair program, which unfortunately only replaced problematic butterfly keyboards with the same design, failing to resolve the underlying issues.
The class action lawsuit, filed in 2018, asserted that Apple was aware of the keyboard’s defects and had hidden this information from consumers. Although Apple reached a settlement for the lawsuit in 2022, the company denied the claims made against it.
According to the settlement’s details, individuals who had two or more topcase replacements within four years of purchasing an affected MacBook could receive between $300 and $395. Those who had only one replacement could qualify for up to $125, while owners requiring only a keycap replacement are eligible for a maximum of $50. Notably, only eligible Apple customers from specific states who needed repairs are able to claim these payouts.
