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Apple apologizes for continued reliability problems with its MacBook keyboards

sarcasmatwork 8y ago
But we have this shiny new credit card that you can use..
- pedalpete 8y ago
  to buy yourself an expensive underpowered new macbook with a slightly less bad keyboard.
pier25 8y ago
Apple didn't apologize in previous widespread issues like Nvidiagate, Radeongate, etc. I guess "a small number of users" is not entirely accurate.
tonyjstark 8y ago
From the feeling the 2018/3rd gen butterfly keyboard is much better. The feedback while typing is much better but if I wouldn't make some of my money with iOS development I wouldn't had bought a MacBook (Air in my case). For my main work where I get a company device I now ordered a non Apple device which is also repairable after the warranty runs out. I fear to become victim of the flexgate where it seems opening and closing your MacBook makes the display cable break... Edit: they also improved the usb-c ports. They have a clip-feeling now while my 2017 MBP sometimes doesn't charge because the ports are already wonky. such a bad hardware
- steve_adams_86 8y ago
  I know it's anecdotal, but I have the most recent MacBook Air and I already get concerning keyboard behaviour like I did with the TouchBar MacBook Pro. I don't have a good feeling about this. Like you, I needed an Apple machine to develop for the App Store. A $2500 computer's keyboard really shouldn't get stuck keys after a month. I'm absolutely crazy about keeping food/drink/any kind of debris away from it after what happened to my MBP (although that wasn't totally preventable anyway). Here's hoping, I guess
  - tonyjstark 8y ago
    Good luck to you then. I'm also really not happy about the hardware that's why I went for the Air, maybe I should have gone for a used 2016 model instead. It's now the 3rd generation of that keyboard and they still couldn't get it right. I want my hardware to last if I have to pay it myself and I wonder how I deal with it when warranty and repair programs end. Also I wonder how that affects the ability to re-sell it in some years.
0815test 8y ago
"Appl apologizs for conttinud rliabilitty problms witth itts MacBook kyboards" FTFY ;-)
- dzhiurgis 8y ago
  On my 2018 MBP backspace is what gave first (3 months vs 1month on 2016 one). It occasionally fires more than once, leaving me with tons of weird problems in code...
gumby 8y ago
Here's the actual apology, unfortunately behind a paywall (that Outline no longer supports): https://www.wsj.com/graphics/apple-still-hasnt-fixed-its-macbook-keyboard-problem/ https://www.wsj.com/graphics/apple-still-hasnt-fixed-its-mac...
melling 8y ago
They could make it a little thicker and use the old keyboard. While they’re at it, add 4 USB-C ports (mouse, keyboard, external SSD) and MagSafe. I bought a 2010 MacBook Pro and another in 2013. I had an Nvidia problem which took a long time for Apple to finally fix. I’ve been reluctant to spend another $2500 for the potential problems and compromises.
- eridius 8y ago
  There are 4 USB-C ports anyway. And MagSafe is not coming back. AIUI, MagSafe unavoidably led to connection problems with the power cable over time and was a big driver of AppleCare support issues. Anecdotally, I've had multiple laptops where the MagSafe connector got to the point of needing to be jiggled around almost every time I plugged it in before it would start delivering power.
  - xnaas 8y ago
    >There are 4 USB-C ports anyway. Only if you buy any MacBook Pro configuration with the touchbar. If you want normal F-keys, you're limited to 2 ports because "fuck you," I guess.
    - eridius 8y ago
      Is "fuck you" a euphemism for "you're buying a computer that costs $500 less and as a result probably doesn't have the internal hardware to support 4 separate USB-C ports"?
      - tazard 8y ago
        2 more USB ports costs an extra $500? It's strange because a $15 USB hub plugged into the USB ports works fine. It must be lack of internal space due to not including a touchbar... Wait that doesn't make sense either...
anth_anm 8y ago
Quit apologizing and just make a machine that is built with reasonable engineering instead of thin above all else.
makecheck 8y ago
The absolute minimum “actions speak louder than words” thing for Apple to do at this point is to ship an external keyboard with every new laptop for free. Every single one. I have a 2013 model that I increasingly worry about. A speaker is dying, the rest is fine but I still don’t know what to buy next. I refuse to buy anything without a brand new keyboard design though, that has a non-Touch-Bar option.
cprayingmantis 8y ago
I'm the biggest Apple fanboy out there, but I think they've lost their way and I hope someone helps them find a way back before I need to replace my laptop. Listen guys and gals I know you've worked hard on your news service, and your shiny new credit card but it's time to buckle down and make something worth spending my money on. Something I can use to make media and apps for your users to consume.

But we have this shiny new credit card that you can use..

pedalpete 8y ago
to buy yourself an expensive underpowered new macbook with a slightly less bad keyboard.

Apple didn't apologize in previous widespread issues like Nvidiagate, Radeongate, etc. I guess "a small number of users" is not entirely accurate.

tonyjstark 8y ago

From the feeling the 2018/3rd gen butterfly keyboard is much better. The feedback while typing is much better but if I wouldn't make some of my money with iOS development I wouldn't had bought a MacBook (Air in my case). For my main work where I get a company device I now ordered a non Apple device which is also repairable after the warranty runs out. I fear to become victim of the flexgate where it seems opening and closing your MacBook makes the display cable break... Edit: they also improved the usb-c ports. They have a clip-feeling now while my 2017 MBP sometimes doesn't charge because the ports are already wonky. such a bad hardware

steve_adams_86 8y ago
I know it's anecdotal, but I have the most recent MacBook Air and I already get concerning keyboard behaviour like I did with the TouchBar MacBook Pro. I don't have a good feeling about this. Like you, I needed an Apple machine to develop for the App Store. A $2500 computer's keyboard really shouldn't get stuck keys after a month. I'm absolutely crazy about keeping food/drink/any kind of debris away from it after what happened to my MBP (although that wasn't totally preventable anyway). Here's hoping, I guess
- tonyjstark 8y ago
  Good luck to you then. I'm also really not happy about the hardware that's why I went for the Air, maybe I should have gone for a used 2016 model instead. It's now the 3rd generation of that keyboard and they still couldn't get it right. I want my hardware to last if I have to pay it myself and I wonder how I deal with it when warranty and repair programs end. Also I wonder how that affects the ability to re-sell it in some years.

0815test 8y ago

"Appl apologizs for conttinud rliabilitty problms witth itts MacBook kyboards" FTFY ;-)

dzhiurgis 8y ago
On my 2018 MBP backspace is what gave first (3 months vs 1month on 2016 one). It occasionally fires more than once, leaving me with tons of weird problems in code...

gumby 8y ago

Here's the actual apology, unfortunately behind a paywall (that Outline no longer supports): https://www.wsj.com/graphics/apple-still-hasnt-fixed-its-macbook-keyboard-problem/ https://www.wsj.com/graphics/apple-still-hasnt-fixed-its-mac...

melling 8y ago

They could make it a little thicker and use the old keyboard. While they’re at it, add 4 USB-C ports (mouse, keyboard, external SSD) and MagSafe. I bought a 2010 MacBook Pro and another in 2013. I had an Nvidia problem which took a long time for Apple to finally fix. I’ve been reluctant to spend another $2500 for the potential problems and compromises.

eridius 8y ago
There are 4 USB-C ports anyway. And MagSafe is not coming back. AIUI, MagSafe unavoidably led to connection problems with the power cable over time and was a big driver of AppleCare support issues. Anecdotally, I've had multiple laptops where the MagSafe connector got to the point of needing to be jiggled around almost every time I plugged it in before it would start delivering power.
- xnaas 8y ago
  >There are 4 USB-C ports anyway. Only if you buy any MacBook Pro configuration with the touchbar. If you want normal F-keys, you're limited to 2 ports because "fuck you," I guess.
  - eridius 8y ago
    Is "fuck you" a euphemism for "you're buying a computer that costs $500 less and as a result probably doesn't have the internal hardware to support 4 separate USB-C ports"?
    - tazard 8y ago
      2 more USB ports costs an extra $500? It's strange because a $15 USB hub plugged into the USB ports works fine. It must be lack of internal space due to not including a touchbar... Wait that doesn't make sense either...

anth_anm 8y ago

Quit apologizing and just make a machine that is built with reasonable engineering instead of thin above all else.

makecheck 8y ago

The absolute minimum “actions speak louder than words” thing for Apple to do at this point is to ship an external keyboard with every new laptop for free. Every single one. I have a 2013 model that I increasingly worry about. A speaker is dying, the rest is fine but I still don’t know what to buy next. I refuse to buy anything without a brand new keyboard design though, that has a non-Touch-Bar option.

cprayingmantis 8y ago

I'm the biggest Apple fanboy out there, but I think they've lost their way and I hope someone helps them find a way back before I need to replace my laptop. Listen guys and gals I know you've worked hard on your news service, and your shiny new credit card but it's time to buckle down and make something worth spending my money on. Something I can use to make media and apps for your users to consume.