MacBook owners who had to replace their faulty butterfly switch keyboards have until March 6 to claim their share of Apple’s $50 million settlement for the same issue, according to tech outlet The Verge.
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Around eight years ago, Apple changed its MacBook keyboards from the scissor-switch version to the butterfly design, for slimmer keys. However, a number of users complained that the keys quickly got stuck, repeated letters, or stopped functioning after even slight exposure to dust.
Apple admitted on its website that a “small percentage of the keyboards” in certain models had some issues, and offered a free servicing. However, lawsuits quickly followed and Apple agreed to settle in July 2022 for $50 million. Four months later, the settlement was approved.
There are several classes of payments. MacBook owners who had to change their entire butterfly keyboards more than once are entitled to a maximum payment of $395. Those who replaced the keyboard once or replaced individual keys can claim up to $125 and $50 respectively. The deadline for the same is reportedly March 6 this year.
However, according to the website collecting users’ claims, international Apple customers may not be eligible. The settlement class included people in the U.S. who purchased a first-hand Apple MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro between 2015 and 2019 which had the butterfly keyboard.
Despite the multi-million dollar settlement, Apple did not admit to any fault, liability, or wrongdoing with regards to the butterfly keyboard, according to the settlement filing.
