If you owned a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro model from 2015 to 2019, then you’re eligible for a payout from a settlement. Noted by Reuters, Apple will be paying out $50 million to impacted parties as part of a class-action lawsuit that concerned the butterfly keyboard mechanism on these Mac models.
The lawsuit contended that Apple knew the butterfly keyboards were faulty, but not only sold them but concealed the problems from consumers. The suit also contended “Apple’s service program was inadequate because the Cupertino, California-based company often provided replacement keyboards with the same problems.”
Apple denied wrongdoing but agreed to pay the $50 million to settle the case.
A settlement in this case was reached back on July 17 and only applies to California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Washington.
While Apple didn’t comment, the company did previously offer a repair program where impacted customers could swap out keyboards. As you probably know, though, the replacements still had the same problems, where dust and debris would cause keys to stick, making typing hard.
Apple stopped including the butterfly keyboard on new MacBook models after 2019. Anyone who was part of the class action settlement could get payouts of $395 for replacing keyboard multiple times, $125 for replacing one keyboard, and $50 for replacing keycaps.