Apple customers finally set to receive share of $50,000,000 MacBook settlement over issue affecting thousands

Many Apple customers will be thrilled to know they will get their funds from the ongoing settlement.

This comes two years after Apple agreed to pay $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over faulty MacBook butterfly keyboards.

Though the settlement was reached in 2022, a court has only recently issued the payment order.

According to a notice on the MacBook Keyboard Litigation Settlement website, payouts for approved claims will be made this month.

'Claims were accepted through March 6, 2023, and the settlement was ultimately approved on May 25, 2023,' MacRumors wrote.

But it’s not clear why it’s taken so long to start sending out the money.

Dmitry Chernyshov/Unsplash

The tech issue itself came down to the butterfly keyboards on MacBooks, MacBook Airs, and MacBook Pros sold between 2015 and 2019.

These keyboards were poorly designed and prone to failure -

with 'thousands' reporting problems with sticking or repeating keys, or failing completely, according to MacRumors. One customer even wrote a song about it on YouTube only for it to become a hit.

MacBook owners who needed at least two keyboard replacements from Apple within four years of purchase will receive a payment of up to $395. Whilst those who had to replace one keyboard can expect to receive up to $125.

And customers with smaller issues involving one or more keys can receive up to $50.

NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty

Emails to eligible MacBook owners were sent out in December 2022 - so it's likely many customers will seek some type of compensation.

The tech giant tried to improve the butterfly keyboard design but even the third generation had issues.

Finally, in late 2019, Apple swapped the butterfly keyboard to a conventional scissor-switch mechanism that’s more robust and reliable.

The iPhone manufacturer has always denied the allegations made in the lawsuit, and so claims the settlement is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing.

This isn't the only tech giant compensating its customers in recent news.

Google is also dealing with a $700 million lawsuit that may result in Android users getting a payout.

The lawsuit claims that the Alphabet-owned company made game developers use its proprietary payment system for apps downloaded from the Play Store, taking a 15 to 30% cut on all transactions.