Earlier this week, Apple agreed to a proposed $50 million settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging that the butterfly keyboard used on certain MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models is defective, which may lead to usability issues.
Image via iFixit
The deal still needs to receive final court approval. In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the currently proposed deal.
Eligible customers
The proposed settlement applies to any US resident who meets all three criteria:
- You purchased any MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro equipped with a butterfly keyboard between 2015 and 2019 in the United States (except for resale purposes)
- Obtained a qualified keyboard repair from Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider
- Repair did not resolve your keyboard issues
The class action lawsuit does not apply to MacBook models sold outside of the United States.
Eligible MacBook Models
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
- MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
To identify your Mac, click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen and click “About This Mac” from the drop-down menu.
payment amounts
Eligible class members can receive a payment of up to $395 from Apple, but it depends on how many people file a claim and other factors.
- Class Members who obtained two or more top case replacements from Apple or an Authorized Service Provider within four years of purchasing an eligible MacBook model, according to Apple’s records, will receive an automatic payment without to file a claim, in accordance with the proposed settlement. . Apple’s payment to each class member in this group is estimated to be between $300 and $395.
- It is estimated that class members who obtained a top case replacement from Apple or an authorized service provider within four years of purchasing an eligible MacBook model, and who attest on a claim form that the repair did not resolve their keyboard problems, they will receive up to $125 .
- Class Members who obtained one or more key cap replacements (but not top cap replacements) from Apple or an Authorized Service Provider within four years of purchasing an eligible MacBook model are estimated to , and who attest that the repair did not resolve their keyboard problems to receive up to $50.
If you received a record of the repair from Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, it will specify whether you received a top case replacement or a key cap replacement. The top case refers to the component that includes the keyboard, trackpad, glued-on battery, and speakers of a MacBook. Key caps refer to individual keys.
Each of the 12 named plaintiffs/class representatives will receive up to $5,000 as an award for their time and effort, and the attorneys will receive up to 30% of the Settlement Fund in attorneys’ fees, under the proposed settlement.
Settlement payments are only available to Class Members who received repairs performed by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. The settlement does not provide reimbursement for any repairs performed by unauthorized third-party repair providers or for any other out-of-pocket expenses, in accordance with the proposed settlement.
Exclusion Request
All persons who fit the description of the proposed class have the right to exclude themselves from the settlement. By excluding yourself from the settlement, you are not eligible to receive a payment as part of the settlement, but you retain your individual rights to sue Apple for the same allegations described in the class action lawsuit.
Class Members may submit an opt-out request through the upcoming settlement website or by US mail to the Settlement Administrator. The term for the exclusion will be 95 days after the preliminary approval of the settlement.
Apple denies wrongdoing
Despite accepting a $50 million settlement, Apple said it denies all of the allegations made in the lawsuit, according to the proposed settlement:
Apple denies all of the allegations made in the lawsuit, denies that any MacBook is defective, and denies that Apple did anything improper or illegal. Apple asserts numerous defenses to the claims in this case. The proposed settlement to resolve this case is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing of any kind by Apple.
However, Apple concluded that a settlement “is in its best interest” to avoid additional time and legal expenses related to lengthy litigation.
Given the settlement, the court did not rule in favor of Apple or the plaintiffs.
Next steps
Provided the proposed settlement receives final approval from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, a settlement website will be created where class members can file a claim, submit an exclusion request, and get additional information.
Apple will provide the Settlement Administrator with the email addresses of each Class Member for whom it has an email address on file. The Settlement Administrator will then notify Class Members by email in a timely manner. Certain class members may also receive notice by U.S. mail. If you do not receive notice but meet the description of the proposed class, it will be possible to file a claim through the settlement website once it is active. .
A final hearing to decide the fairness of the settlement will be held at least 130 days after preliminary approval of the settlement, so there will likely be several more months until things are finalized and payments to members of the settlement begin. class.
Apple’s Free Keyboard Service Program
In 2018, Apple released a keyboard service program after determining that a “small percentage” of keyboards on certain MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models may exhibit one or more of the following behaviors:
- Letters or characters are repeated unexpectedly
- No letters or characters appear
- Keys feel “sticky” or don’t respond consistently
As part of the worldwide program, Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will repair eligible MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro keyboards, free of charge, for up to four years after the first retail sale of the affected laptop. However, one problem with the repair program is that Apple replaces the butterfly keyboard with another butterfly keyboard, which means that the same problems can reoccur over time.
Apple says that customers who believe their MacBook was affected by this issue and paid to have their keyboard repaired can contact Apple for a refund.
In March 2019, Apple apologized for the matter. “We are aware that a small number of users are experiencing issues with their third-generation butterfly keyboard and we are sorry,” an Apple spokesperson said. The Wall Street Journal. “The vast majority of Mac notebook customers are having a positive experience with the new keyboard.”
Starting with the 16-inch MacBook Pro in November 2019, Apple ditched the butterfly keyboard and went back to using a more reliable scissor keyboard. Apple no longer sells Macs with butterfly keyboards, ending years of complaints.