Apple Confirms, iFixit Tests: The 2018 MacBook Pro Keyboard

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When Apple first announced the 2018 MacBook Pro, they specifically mentioned that the changes to the keyboard were for dampening the loud clack of the keyboard. I’ve got a few coworkers in my office who have the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro, and I can confirm, they were noisy beasts. You couldn’t get away with doing real work during a meeting with one of those (reason #12 that I’m keeping my 2015 at work).

However, after iFixit did a teardown, people began to suspect the true motivation behind Apple’s new keyboards. Apple added a layer of silicone membrane between the keycaps and the mechanism beneath them. While it’ll likely disappoint those who liked the firm, almost mechanical feeling of the old keyboard, it would clearly block dust from getting under the keys. This was a large problem for MacBook Pro owners, as the keyboards often fail and require the replacement. Replacing the MacBook Pro keyboard means replacing the entire top casing. This includes the battery, a perfect example of Apple’s new disgustingly wasteful designs. Keyboard repair is expensive and time consuming. Apple only recently started a repair program, but has neither admitted fault, nor agreed to replace all eventually doomed keyboards. They wouldn’t even admit that the new keyboard was created to alleviate this issue.

Until now.

Apple’s Admission

Of course, Apple didn’t outright admit that the membrane in the new keyboards is for dust protection. Instead, we got a leak. Service documentation provided to Apple Store employees by Apple show that Apple acknowledges that the membrane is to “prevent debris from entering the butterfly mechanism.” In lawsuits against Apple over this keyboard, such an admission would bolster a case against Apple.

AppleInsider verified the source with MacGeneration, however, they weren’t able to find the same documentation with their own U.S. source. While this does seem to confirm Apple’s true intentions for the membrane on the new MacBook Pro keyboard, it’s not definitive proof.

iFixit’s Testing

iFixit initially found the membrane under Apple’s 3rd generation butterfly keyboard during their teardown of the 2018 MacBook Pro. They theorized that the keyboard membrane was added to the keyboard specifically to prevent dust and debris from reaching the svelte and delicate butterfly mechanism. To prove it, iFixit did what they always do: they went above and beyond your average test. They did a full takedown of the keyboard, used iridescent paint fleck additives, and even coated it in sand.

I don’t know how they sleep at night after destroying new computers like this, but I thank them for their service.

iFixit found that the silicone cover over the mechanism protects the keyboard from debris ingress, but it’s not perfect. The membrane attaches at the edge of the key opening on the MacBook Pro chassis to the keycap, without directly attaching to it. This does leave some space for fine dust, like sand, to enter the enclosure, but it’s much more difficult than before. It doesn’t seem as durable as Apple’s old keyboards. My 2006 MacBook keyboard, for example, is still in perfect working condition, 12 years after it was manufactured. Sure, dust could easily get in them, but it wouldn’t be enough to permanently damage the key mechanism. On these slim butterfly keyboards, a tiny amount of dust is enough to irreparably damage it.

Conclusion: Apple Doesn’t Want a Keyboard

Apple has improved the on-screen keyboard for the iPad over the years. They introduced the key-free iPhone in a world where every device had a full hardware Qwerty keyboard or at least a physical numerical keyboard. Apple replaced the perfectly functional Function keys with a TouchBar that is universally disliked. They’ve shrunk the keyboard on the MacBook to the point that it can be destroyed by small flecks of dust. It seems obvious: Apple doesn’t want devices to have keyboards. The problem is, users still prefer their full-sized keyboards to be tactile, and curse the inaccuracy of autocorrect. Against usability, Apple has slimmed their devices and keyboards beyond their usefulness, a problem that’s becoming dire for the company.

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Sources:

• Juli Clover, MacRumors
• Sam Lionheart, iFixit
• Malcolm Owen, AppleInsider
• Mike Wuerthele, AppleInsider