Apple hit with class action suit over MacBook, MacBook Pro butterfly switch keyboard failu...
A class action lawsuit filed in federal court on Friday takes Apple to task over an allegedly flawed keyboard design deployed in MacBook models from 2015, claiming the company knew about the defect at or before the product's launch.
Lodged in the Northern District Court of California, the complaint levels multiple claims targeting MacBook models manufactured from 2015 and MacBook Pro models produced from 2016. Both laptops feature the company's butterfly keyboard mechanism, an ultra low-profile switch advertised as both more responsive and robust than traditional scissor-type components.
According to the filing, "thousands" of MacBook and MacBook Pro owners have experienced some type of failure with Apple's butterfly keyboard, thus rendering the machine useless. Specifically, the suit claims the design is such that small amounts of dust or debris impede normal switch behavior, causing keystrokes to go unregistered.
In extreme cases, the key fails, forcing owners to take their laptop in for service at a Genius Bar or authorized Apple repair facility, a trip that could cost hundreds of dollars if the machine is out of warranty.
One named plaintiff, Zixuan Rao, purchased a new 15-inch MacBook Pro in January and began to experience problems with the laptop's "B" key about a month later. After attempting to clean out the key on his own, Rao ultimately sought help from the Apple store in April. Representatives were unable to fix the issue and suggested repair under Apple's gratis one-year warranty.
Not able to wait the one week it would take to fix the machine, and unconvinced that a repair would permanently solve the issue, Rao declined the offer and purchased an external keyboard.
A second named plaintiff, Kyle Barbaro, went through a similar experience with his 2016 MacBook Pro. Unlike Rao, Barbaro opted to fix unresponsive space bar and caps lock keys through Apple's repair process, which worked for a few weeks before space bar failed a second time.
Barbaro returned to his local Apple store, but the Genius Bar representative was unable to solve the issue using conventional tools. As Barbaro's MacBook Pro was at this point out of warranty, he was told it would cost more than $700 to repair. He decided not to pursue the costly fix.
The suit also cites numerous complaints users posted online, including Apple's own Community Support forums.
Apple introduced the butterfly mechanism with its 12-inch MacBook in 2015. Touting the new hardware technology onstage, SVP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller characterized the keyboard as "much more precise, and accurate. In fact it is four times more stable than that scissor mechanism."
Butterfly mechanism switches made their way to Apple's professional laptop lineup with the redesigned MacBook Pro in 2016. A second-generation design, the keyboard was advertised as being more responsive and comfortable than the previous version.
Last month, an AppleInsider investigation into the issue, collecting data from Genius Bar locations and authorized third-party shops to find the 2016 MacBook Pro's keyboard failed roughly twice as often in its first year of use as 2014 and 2015 MacBook Pro models with scissor-type switches. Current 2017 model year versions fair a bit better, though the model has not been available for a full year.
Shortly after the report, a Change.org petition -- cited in today's class action -- called on Apple to recall all MacBooks with butterfly switch keyboards, saying the hardware design is inherently flawed. The petition garnered 17,000 signatures in just over a week.
Apple has in some ways acknowledged the problem, though not directly. For example, support documents detail a method of cleaning the keyboard with a can of compressed air, a technique that rarely works, according to those who have experienced serious complications.
Plaintiffs assert breach of express warranty, breach of covenant of good faith, breach of the implied warranty, violation of the Magnuson-Moss and Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Acts, violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, violation of California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act and fraudulent concealment.
The suit seek damages, legal fees and demands Apple not only publicly disclose the keyboard design flaw, but pay to remedy or replace defective units. The latter demand includes reimbursement for the purchase of replacement laptops. Plaintiffs are represented by Girard Sharp.
Lodged in the Northern District Court of California, the complaint levels multiple claims targeting MacBook models manufactured from 2015 and MacBook Pro models produced from 2016. Both laptops feature the company's butterfly keyboard mechanism, an ultra low-profile switch advertised as both more responsive and robust than traditional scissor-type components.
According to the filing, "thousands" of MacBook and MacBook Pro owners have experienced some type of failure with Apple's butterfly keyboard, thus rendering the machine useless. Specifically, the suit claims the design is such that small amounts of dust or debris impede normal switch behavior, causing keystrokes to go unregistered.
In extreme cases, the key fails, forcing owners to take their laptop in for service at a Genius Bar or authorized Apple repair facility, a trip that could cost hundreds of dollars if the machine is out of warranty.
One named plaintiff, Zixuan Rao, purchased a new 15-inch MacBook Pro in January and began to experience problems with the laptop's "B" key about a month later. After attempting to clean out the key on his own, Rao ultimately sought help from the Apple store in April. Representatives were unable to fix the issue and suggested repair under Apple's gratis one-year warranty.
Not able to wait the one week it would take to fix the machine, and unconvinced that a repair would permanently solve the issue, Rao declined the offer and purchased an external keyboard.
A second named plaintiff, Kyle Barbaro, went through a similar experience with his 2016 MacBook Pro. Unlike Rao, Barbaro opted to fix unresponsive space bar and caps lock keys through Apple's repair process, which worked for a few weeks before space bar failed a second time.
Barbaro returned to his local Apple store, but the Genius Bar representative was unable to solve the issue using conventional tools. As Barbaro's MacBook Pro was at this point out of warranty, he was told it would cost more than $700 to repair. He decided not to pursue the costly fix.
The suit also cites numerous complaints users posted online, including Apple's own Community Support forums.
Apple introduced the butterfly mechanism with its 12-inch MacBook in 2015. Touting the new hardware technology onstage, SVP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller characterized the keyboard as "much more precise, and accurate. In fact it is four times more stable than that scissor mechanism."
Butterfly mechanism switches made their way to Apple's professional laptop lineup with the redesigned MacBook Pro in 2016. A second-generation design, the keyboard was advertised as being more responsive and comfortable than the previous version.
Last month, an AppleInsider investigation into the issue, collecting data from Genius Bar locations and authorized third-party shops to find the 2016 MacBook Pro's keyboard failed roughly twice as often in its first year of use as 2014 and 2015 MacBook Pro models with scissor-type switches. Current 2017 model year versions fair a bit better, though the model has not been available for a full year.
Shortly after the report, a Change.org petition -- cited in today's class action -- called on Apple to recall all MacBooks with butterfly switch keyboards, saying the hardware design is inherently flawed. The petition garnered 17,000 signatures in just over a week.
Apple has in some ways acknowledged the problem, though not directly. For example, support documents detail a method of cleaning the keyboard with a can of compressed air, a technique that rarely works, according to those who have experienced serious complications.
Plaintiffs assert breach of express warranty, breach of covenant of good faith, breach of the implied warranty, violation of the Magnuson-Moss and Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Acts, violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, violation of California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act and fraudulent concealment.
The suit seek damages, legal fees and demands Apple not only publicly disclose the keyboard design flaw, but pay to remedy or replace defective units. The latter demand includes reimbursement for the purchase of replacement laptops. Plaintiffs are represented by Girard Sharp.
Butterfly Keyboard Class Action by Mikey Campbell on Scribd
Comments
I hated the keyboard first but strangely enough as you keep typing on it, the keys respond better and better. So usability isn’t as bad as I thought it was.
But it’s very delicate. And noisy. The space bar got stuck twice. Can’t have that on a laptop, especially a ‘Pro’. I got the 2nd generation butterfly keyboard. They better come with a 3rd...
However, what I find completely unacceptable is that the keyboard is essentially unrepairable. If just one keys breaks, the whole thing is a write-off and you've got to pay for a new top case, including battery! It's ridiculous that people at Apple think that this is an acceptable design! With most moving parts now gone from laptops, the keyboard is probably the most likely thing to fail.
If you noticed last year Apple had an issue with the supply of topcases for 2012 15" MacBook Pro retinas, they were offering free repairs or a new computer for awhile.
Those computers had the same design of the topcase having the keyboard and battery all one part.
Then the courts will determine whether a lawsuit is frivolous or has merit.
They finally replaced it with a 2017 model and I haven’t had an issue since. I’m not sure if it’s a better design or if I’ve just lucked out.
I love the action of the keyboard and even purchased a new Apple keyboard with the low profile design. It has nothing to do with “hitting the key wrong”. It’s a bad design if it fails even once during clean room scenarios and light use.
So a company takes $1500 off you and gives you a defective product which becomes a further $700 problem at some point down the track. So when you're $2200 in the hole and it happens a third time, sure the company will be rewarded in the future, but you have tipped $2200 into something that's now worthless, or now you're up to $2900 to get back in business. Tell that person to suck eggs in person, randominternetperson, and see how far that gets you.
The keyboard is the fundamental input device for the laptop - if it's not capable of withstanding a speck of dust or some breadcrumbs then clearly it's not fit for purpose and therefore defective. It's a portable device and should be designed to handle being treated as one.
Now - not saying that it is or isn't but anecdotally there is some significant issue with it and the company that took all the money off you is making you pay, again and again, to replace a defective component. I don't know how the Apple Genius can keep a straight face.
Colleagues are forced to use an external keyboard. Sadly.
Hope the lawsuit will bring some solution!
Apple's obsession with making products thinner forces them to make bad design decisions and the butterfly keyboard with its integration with body/battery is the stupidest one ! These computers supposed to work way beyond their short period limited warranty and it's ridiculous they ask for one third or one quarter of the products price for a god damn keyboard failure! Never in my long term experience with Apple products I've seen such thing! More and more i feel they are moving in the wrong direction! I really hope I'm wrong cause it might one day force to leave the echo system and i hate to do it as i really don't like Android and Windows operating systems! The major thing that has glued me to Apple is their operating systems, not laptop thinness or other craps. I hope Apple gets slapped by this lawsuit, they need a wake up call!!!
P.s: to be honest at first i thought it's another nonsense lawsuit against the money making company but after reading the whole thing and the $700 repair cost, it really pissed me off and changemy mind about it!!!