Jul 05, 2019 11:50:00

Leak when a new MacBook is re-evaluated for its unpopular keyboard design

by

Ian Dick

The butterfly-structured keyboard , which has been adopted for four generations since the 2015 model of the MacBook, is thin and stylish, but has the problem that it is easily broken when dust accumulates, and it has developed into a class suit in the past. Meanwhile, Minchi Kuo , an analyst familiar with Apple's leak information, predicts that the keyboard design will be renewed in the MacBook Air and next-generation MacBook Pro, which will be released at the end of 2019.

Guo Ming: 2019 lower half year new article MacBook possible 舍弃 蝴 郭 | Macbook | 键盘 _ industry _ _ _ _ _ 网
https://tech.sina.com.cn/it/2019-07-04/doc-ihytcerm1268274.shtml

Kuo: Apple to include new scissor switch keyboard in 2019 MacBook Air and 2020 MacBook Pro-9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2019/07/04/kuo-new-keyboard-macbook-air-pro/

Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple set to ditch finicky butterfly keyboard | Philip Elmer-DeWitt
https://www.ped30.com/2019/07/04/apple-butterfly-scissor-keyboard/

A butterfly keyboard is a keyboard that supports keys at four points, which has the advantage of being able to make the keyboard extremely thin, but also has the disadvantage of being prone to failure if dust accumulates in the gaps in the keyboard. As a result, in the past, consumers have entered into a class action lawsuit saying that 'the MacBook Pro keyboard has a problem,' and Apple has implemented a free keyboard repair program in recognition of the problem.

Analyst Mintii Kuo, who is familiar with new product information from Apple, pointed out that the butterfly-structured keyboard was 'not easy to break down and not popular with users because it has few keystrokes.' And because it's 250 to 350 percent more expensive to manufacture than an average keyboard, it's combined with the implementation of a free keyboard repair program, which has significantly impacted Apple's profits.

Read the following articles to learn more about butterfly keyboard problems and the problems they cause.

'Apple will make a big deal with MacBook Pro keyboard defects,' said iFixit CEO-GIGAZINE

Kuo also predicted that 'The MacBook Air will be released at the end of 2019 and its keyboard design will be reviewed, and a glass fiber reinforced scissor switch keyboard will be adopted.' The scissor switch method was adopted in the previous MacBook that adopted the butterfly structured keyboard, and this change makes it a keyboard that has higher durability and keystrokes than the current model.

Of the images below, the left shows the scissor switch method and the right shows the butterfly keyboard.

The key is higher to secure the keystroke, but Kuo says, 'The difference is small and most users are indistinguishable,' and the impact on the design is minimal. is. In addition, Kuo expects that cost performance will be greatly improved by the abolition of the butterfly structure keyboard which was 250 to 350% more expensive than the average keyboard. Shipments of MacBooks with new keyboards are estimated to increase by 500-700% by 2020.

The redesigned keyboards of the MacBook Air will appear at the end of 2019, and the MacBook Pro will appear in 2020.