Apple agrees to $50 million settlement over butterfly keyboard complaints

A class-action lawsuit represented customers seeking to repair the troubled MacBook keyboard released on certain laptops from 2015 to 2019. Many were frustrated with errors of hitting.

Apple on Monday agreed to pay a $50 million settlement in a class action lawsuit over so-called butterfly keyboards, a component of some laptop computers MacBook that has left many users furious. shattering frustration on miss-typing.

The butterfly keyboard, a slim design that was meant to provide more precision, ultimately wasn't as graceful as the wings beating nectar - Searching creature. Many customers have complained that characters were repeated when pressed or didn't appear on their screens at all. Some said the devices had keys that felt sticky and didn't respond consistently. led to the settlement filed Monday night after four years of litigation in the San Jose Division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Apple said the agreement does not represent an admission that it was at fault.

U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila has yet to approve the proposal, said Simon S. Grille, an attorney for the plaintiffs.

"The plaintiffs are pleased to submit to the court approval of their $50 million settlement with Apple that would resolve years of litigation over the MacBook's butterfly keyboard," Mr. Grille and Steven A. Schwartz, a plaintiff, said in a statement. "Buyers of MacBooks across the country are eligible to participate."

With the agreement, Apple could soon make amends to MacBook users who got repairs on a computer laptop with a defective butterfly keyboard from 2015 to 2019. Customers said the company was aware of the defect in these MacBooks; Apple offered free repairs to customers with the defective keyboards in 2018, then phased them out. /p>

The company offered to pay amounts ranging from $50 to $395 to customers who were affected. .

The lawsuit represents buyers of approximately 15 million computers, according to court documents.

Apple "vigorously denies liability," the court documents say. The company did not respond to a request for comment.

"The proposed settlement to resolve this case does not is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing of any kind by Apple," the agreement said.

Anyone in the United States who has received repairs for keyboard issues for MacBooks purchased from 2015 through 2017, MacBook Pros from 2016 through 2019, and MacBook Airs from 2018 through 2019 may claim a portion of the settlement. a "topcase" - which includes the battery, the tactile pointing device known as the trackpad, the speakers and the keyboard - or a "keycap", which refers to the covers for the letters on the keyboard.

"All Settlement Class Members who have been to Apple or a service provider licensed and received a 'topcase replacement' or 'keyboard replacement' within four years of the date they purchased their classroom computer are eligible for a cash payment,” the court documents state.

>

Customers will be classified into one of three groups, based on the extent of repairs their devices received at the time.

The first group includes people who got two or more topcase replacements, according to court documents. They will receive a maximum of $395.

The second group — users who received a topcase replacement that did not resolve their issues — will receive up to $125 $. The third group includes people who have replaced a keycap but not the entire topcase. They will be eligible for up to $50.

Many customers will be contacted by Apple, but people can also submit claims with documentation proving repairs were made .