Apple (kinda) confirms that the keyboards on the new MacBook Pros are more reliable

Earlier this week iFixIt disassembled one of the new MacBook Pros and found that Apple has cocooned their butterfly switches in a thin, silicone barrier.

The tech giant says the new MacBooks sport an updated, “quieter” keyboard, but haven’t mentioned a fix for the problem of butterfly key failures. Apple downplays the number, but some MacBook and MacBook Pro owners have experienced some type of failure with Apple’s butterfly keyboard, thus rendering the machine useless. Specifically, small amounts of dust or debris impede normal switch behavior, causing keystrokes to go unregistered.

Internally, Apple is telling authorized service providers that the new keyboard prevents dust and debris from entering the keys, suggesting the problem is solved. MacRumors obtained the passage from the 2018 MacBook Pro Service Readiness Guide.

Apparently, the keyboard has a membrane under the keycaps to prevent debris from entering the butterfly mechanism. The procedure for the space bar replacement has also changed from the previous model. Repair documentation and service videos will be available when keycap parts begin shipping.