About a week ago, the a key on my MacBook Pro broke.
Once flat and useful, the poor little guy now looks like a mini ski slope and barely works.
Several of my friends have similar keyboard problems on their overpriced laptops.
This is my broken “a” key.Photo: Adam Clark Estes (Gizmodo)
So it felt like a relief earlier today when Apple announcedan expansion of Keyboard Service Program.
Now, the company will repair pretty much any MacBook Pro with the problematic butterfly mechanism for free.
Apple even announced a design upgrade that will hopefully ensure new keyboards dont break.
Good job, Apple.
Apple first introduced this technology with the release of a new 12-inch MacBook in late 2015.
A second version of the butterfly key design came in early 2016 when Apple announced the redesigned MacBook Pro.
The Wall Street Journals Joanna Sternlater reportedthat the third-generation butterfly keys were also prone to failure.
Apple did not expand the repair program to cover the new models.
Repair programs, in general, sort of suck.
But still, the free repair program only applied to certain MacBook models.
With todays announcement, Apple has now, finally, done the right thing.
All MacBook models with butterfly keyboardsall three generations of the designqualify for free repairs.
There are a couple of caveats.
The repair program only covers MacBook models for four years after the original purchase.
It turns out Apple is reckoning with other defects, too.
This issue doesnt seem to be nearly as widespread as the keyboard fiasco, though.
Ill update this post if I hear back.
Its all a little bit dizzying, isnt it?
Were not talking about any computer company here, either.
Were talking about Apple, the companythats famous for its obsessionwith perfection!
Maybe that obsession is what kept Apple from dealing with this keyboard properly sooner.
The whole debacle reminds me ofthe recent controversy over Apple secretly throttling iPhonesin order to extend battery life.
It took Apple a few years to address that issue and ultimatelyto offer discounted battery replacementsto certain iPhone customers.
Its taken Apple years to admit that it screwed up the first three generations of the butterfly key design.
And now, well just have to wait and see if the fourth generation fails, too.
Nevertheless, its a good thing that more people can get their keyboards fixed.
Ive actually come to expect some mild disappointment with every Apple product I buy.
Theyre honestly great most of the time.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
Meta Pissed Off Everyone With Poorly Redacted Docs
Meta is being very transparent on accident.
Apple, Are You Okay?
I need Apple to blink once for yes and twice for no, because it’s getting weird.
