US Federal Court Approves Apple’s $50M Settlement
The legal storm surrounding Apple’s controversial “butterfly” keyboards has reached its final act. A US federal court this week bestowed ultimate approval to the tech giant’s $50 million class-action settlement from July of last year. This verdict conclusively resolves the accusations that Apple consciously concealed defects of the keyboards found in MacBook models released between 2015 and 2019. Judge Edward Davila lauded the resolution as “fair, adequate, and reasonable,” according to Reuters (via 9to5Mac).
Butterfly Keyboard – From Innovation to Legal Battle
The now-infamous butterfly keyboard first made its appearance with the 12-inch MacBook in 2015. Former design chief Jony Ive vaunted the innovation, asserting that it would let Apple create ever-thinner laptops without compromising stability or typing experience. However, the butterfly keyboard soon faced criticism for its susceptibility to dust and debris. This led Apple to revise the design several times for enhanced resilience before ultimately reverting to the traditional keyboard design in the 16-inch MacBook Pro in late 2019.
Terms of the Settlement and Future Outlook
Apple avoids admitting any wrongdoing in the settlement. Some class members previously challenged the settlement, asserting that the proposed $125 payout for one subset was insufficient. This appeal was dismissed by Judge Davila, who also denied requests for compensation from MacBook owners who didn’t have their units serviced by Apple. While there’s no confirmed timeline for the payout, lawyers of the case expressed eagerness to distribute the settlement funds to their clients soon.
