According to information from Apple, payments for approved claims will be sent in August. The amount that eligible MacBook owners will receive varies depending on the extent of repairs their device needed. Some may receive checks up to $395.
The butterfly keyboard was introduced by Apple in 2015 but faced numerous complaints about "sticky" and unresponsive keys, susceptibility to debris, and other issues. Apple eventually began phasing out this design in 2019.
The lawsuit in 2018 alleged that Apple knew its keyboard had issues but concealed this from consumers. Although Apple denied the allegations and did not admit any wrongdoing, the company still agreed to pay $50 million to settle the lawsuit.
Under the settlement agreement, those who replaced two or more keys on the keyboard within four years of purchasing one of the affected MacBooks are expected to receive between $300 and $395. MacBook owners who replaced only one key may receive up to $125.
To receive the payment, users need to submit claims before the deadline specified in the settlement agreement. When the settlement was first announced in 2022, Reuters reported that it only applied to customers who purchased affected laptops in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Washington (USA).
During the lawsuit settlement process, Apple faced significant criticism from users as well as technology experts. The compensation payments are an important step to rectify design flaws and rebuild customer trust.
