Apple faces class action lawsuit over failing Macbook keyboards

[ScratchCat]

23 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Errr, if it was planned obsolescence the next gen of keyabords would not be less prone to failure. 

 

It was a design flaw. 

 

Planned obsolescence:

 

These keybaords can fail randomly at any time or not fail at all. It really is luck and there is no guarantee that every keyboard will fail at some point. 

 

Also do not forget that macOS has an on screen keyboard so if a key does fail, as long as it isn’t something like the spacebar, you can probably survive until you get a whole new machine. Not trying to justify the bad keyboard design, but if you don’t want to pay $700 that is a option. 

 

Also a keyboard cover will prevent the keys from failing. But keyboard covers slow down my WPM. 

My issue is that the keyboard is nearly impossible to replace by anyone but an expert technician.

1. You need equipment to remove the Torx screws, why are conventional screws not good enough?
2. Why is everything soldered even though things like the RAM would cost a millimeter or two?
3. The batteries are glued to the chassis with adhesive designed to withstand a small nuclear war resulting in the purchase of a replacement battery due to damage or perpetual worry that you may have damaged the battery and it could suddenly explode.
4. Why rivets? Why not use screws, which take up similar amounts of room, which would make warranty repair cheaper for Apple?
5. The occasional blocking of third party parts such as disabling TouchID on iPhones with replacement displays due to "security concerns". The last time I checked the display could not communicate secretly with apps in the first place.

Even things which fail randomly rather than blowing up 366 days after purchase count as obsolescence. If I manufacture my device such that some proportion would fail due to adverse conditions/effects such as dust it would still count as such. If I design my device such that due to close proximity to heat sources such as a GPU the battery fails regularly and actively continue such as design after I was made aware of the issue it would count as planned obsolescence.

 

Both of these "solutions" are irrelevant - let me cover my $2000 laptop in tacky plastic so it doesn't break is not an excuse. Additionally having to switch from mouse to keyboard every few strokes will annihilate someones WPM. 

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

Both of these "solutions" are irrelevant - let me cover my $2000 laptop in tacky plastic so it doesn't break is not an excuse. Additionally having to switch from mouse to keyboard every few strokes will annihilate someones WPM.

Then you don't have to buy the laptop. I personally have stopped using a keyboard cover and have no serious issues with my 2016 13" keyboard. 

 

The worst thing that happens is my x key sometimes double taps and recently I have not been able to get it to do it. 

[ScratchCat]

4 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Then you don't have to buy the laptop. I personally have stopped using a keyboard cover and have no serious issues with my 2016 13" keyboard. 

 

The worst thing that happens is my x key sometimes double taps and recently I have not been able to get it to do it. 

Some people have to buy this laptop due to work related requirements, shrugging the issue off as an "only if you buy it" issue will not help.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, ScratchCat said:

Some people have to buy this laptop due to work related requirements, shrugging the issue off as an "only if you buy it" issue will not help.

Nothing will help other than the class action encouraging Apple to offer an extended warranty program (which they have a history of doing). 

 

 

[mynameisjuan]

1 minute ago, DrMacintosh said:

Then you don't have to buy the laptop. I personally have stopped using a keyboard cover and have no serious issues with my 2016 13" keyboard. 

So your solution to the problem is if you dont want it to break just dont buy the laptop. Genius. 

 

How about they just repair the laptops

[DrMacintosh]

51 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

So your solution to the problem is if you dont want it to break just dont buy the laptop. Genius. 

 

How about they just repair the laptops

That’s why I’m in favor of the lawsuit

[mynameisjuan]

2 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

That’s why I’m in favor of the lawsuit

oh...nevermind then...my bad lol

[TroubleKlef]

Love my Apple products but the new keyboard is a let down. 

 

My MacBook Air has been through so much shit and it keeps chugging along. I don't think a new MBP could undergo the same stress. I hope there's a redesign along with maybe adding the SD card back.

[The Physicist]

On 5/12/2018 at 11:15 PM, DrMacintosh said:

It should be just that easy to replace the switch. But that’s not how the keyboard is designed unfortunately.

And who designed it again ?

[DrMacintosh]

3 hours ago, TroubleKlef said:

My MacBook Air has been through so much shit and it keeps chugging along. I don't think a new MBP could undergo the same stress. I hope there's a redesign along with maybe adding the SD card back.

I mean what are you doing to your keyboard that would break one of the new ones?

 

Also the SD card is not coming back. Thunderbolt 3/USB-C is a better standard. If you need an SD Card reader get a USB SD Card reader. Alternatively plug your camera directly into the machine. What cameras can't transfer their data over USB? 

[Zodiark1593]

12 hours ago, mynameisjuan said:

oh...nevermind then...my bad lol

Being a "real" (and not a braindead) fan means wanting the company to continue to better itself and improve, even if that requires slapping them ocassionally for doing something stupid.