In a significant development, Apple’s long-standing nightmare involving its unreliable butterfly keyboard design may finally be coming to an end, as the US has granted approval for the tech giant’s $50 million settlement.

The lawsuit stemmed from Apple’s failure to adequately address repair and troubleshooting concerns raised by numerous MacBook users who experienced issues with the controversial butterfly keyboard between 2015 and 2019. Over the course of those years, Apple made multiple revisions to the butterfly keyboard design until it was eventually replaced by the Magic Keyboard, which adopted a similar design to the one used in the Retina MacBook Pros from 2012 to 2015. The transition took place towards the end of 2019, coinciding with the launch of the MacBook Pro 16.

Under the terms of the settlement, Apple has allocated $50 million to address the butterfly keyboard problem, covering over 86,000 individual claims. Depending on the extent of repairs conducted on the keyboard, claimants can expect to receive compensation ranging from $50 to $395.

However, the settlement faced certain challenges along the way. Critics argued that the proposed compensation of $125 for a single replacement fell short of covering the actual repair costs incurred. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding the fairness of the settlement for MacBook owners who never had their keyboards repaired. Consequently, it is crucial to note that individuals can only partake in Apple’s settlement if they were among the 86,000 individuals who filed a lawsuit, as this is a prerequisite for claiming a share.

With the approval of the $50 million settlement, Apple has taken a significant step toward resolving the butterfly keyboard debacle. While challenges and debates have arisen during the process, the settlement aims to provide compensation to affected MacBook users who experienced frustrations with the keyboard’s reliability. While challenges and debates have arisen during the process, the settlement aims to provide compensation to affected MacBook users who experienced frustrations with the keyboard’s reliability.