For a major multinational company to put such an extensive repair program in place clearly indicates that the issue is far from affecting just a few percent of owners. Situation is very embarrassing for Apple, as once again "they" have engineered themselves back into the corner... Actually, all of Apple's repair programmes over the year are 'extensive' and whilst only affecting a small number of users, that's still a lot of users. However, it does not indicate a clear flaw more than a narrow band of users affected. It's not embarrassing to make mistakes. Everybody does it, even Apple. It's just a group of human people inside. They can make mistakes and in this case, it's admirable that they've went overboard to ensure users are not going to suffer for up to four years.. they don't have to do that. PC manufacturers have been shipping crap for years and abandoning customers when flaws are shipped. It's the popularity and large volume of sales of Apple's notebooks that makes this easy to blow out of proportion for people on here. They're still only a small number of people, like it or not.
Even if the 2019 Butterfly keyboard proves to be reliable the damage to the brand has already been done. Public perception will only diminish as more keyboards fail in time. Apple really needs to move to a rebranded if not new design of keyboard. Nor should the keyboard be so very divisive, it should appeal to the vast majority of users and certainly not prove to be less reliable than any of it's predecessors. The keyboard does appeal to the vast majority of users. Just as many on here love it as hate it. People have always had issues since the move to the bedded keys on the unibody's, same old cry stories on here. Yet, now it's reflected on as a time as being reliable.. At the end of the day, if what you're saying is true and Apple's reputation is screwed and users disliked it so badly, they'd boycott the brand... I don't see sales slumping, do you?
The Butterfly Keyboard was born out of vanity to allow Apple to present a "thinner" chassis to the general public, not improve the typing experience. All I know who used the MBP professionally have dropped the Mac thx to the keyboard, poor thermal management and reduced usability, an audience Apple wont win back easily... Vanity? Get real. It was to make the portable computers more portable, faster to type on for professionals (and the speed is immense with the flatter keys, many users love the speed they can achieve on the flatter keys). Sure, it's a personal preference, but don't pretend they're not good in some ways. Even if you knew 500 people who used the MBP professionally, that'd still be a tiny number of users of the MBP, go figure. The thermal management is unprecedented in the 15" which smokes PC competitors in much beefier envelopes. It's performance for it's form hasn't been matched! Reduced usability, how? It's got incredibly vibrant, bright, high resolution, it's extremely sturdy, long battery life, huge trackback that's also unmatched, great speakers. The thing is a dream to use. Maybe you don't like the keyboard, but don't fool yourself or others into thinking it's a bad product. Apple has lost minimal sales over this, and trust me, when they release a new product even those most affected will give it a go. Because they make damn good notebooks. And you might personally not like certain aspects, but if you think it's a poor product I pity your view on tech. And those who take your advice on here too, as it's incredibly biased and anti-Apple beyond reason.
Apple desperately wants the kudos professional's bring to the MBP, yet only really wants to produce what works for Apple, hence why so few professional's are on the platform... It's not the biggest, most valuable and successful brand on earth today by 'doing what works for Apple', it's what works for the biggest number of people. Sure, people have had select issues (every product has some issues), others just dislike it. But it's a weak case to argue that Apple are a stupid company, doing stupid things and that their profit and popularity/success just comes from thin air... Get real.
Q-6