Apple has formally ended its complimentary repair initiative for MacBook models that feature the troublesome "butterfly" keyboard. This program had been available for a range of MacBook models released between 2015 and 2020, encompassing various configurations of both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, reports AppleInsider. Also Read: Asus unveils ROG Phone 9 Pro and ROG Phone 9 featuring Snapdragon 8 Elite chip Apple Ends Butterfly Keyboard Repair Program for MacBooks https://t.
co/TjZXKtvid8 pic.twitter.com/ZyX7C4p0KA — MacRumors.
com (@MacRumors) November 19, 2024 With the conclusion of this repair initiative, users can no longer obtain complimentary repairs from Apple for these devices. This development is likely to lead to dissatisfaction among some users, who will now need to seek repairs from third-party service providers at their own expense. The butterfly keyboard has been widely criticized for its durability issues, with significant defects emerging within a year of its launch.
In 2015, Apple introduced the 12-inch MacBook, featuring a keyboard that utilized a distinctive butterfly switch mechanism, which differed from the traditional scissor mechanism found in earlier MacBook models. The butterfly keyboard was engineered as a unified structure, reinforced by a stainless steel dome switch. At that time, Apple executive Phil Schiller remarked that the newly introduced butterfly keyboard was 40% thinner than its scissor mechanism counterparts and claimed it offered four.