MBA 2018–NOOO! Keyboard failed...

[AustinIllini]

Oh well... so I guess it was not all made up exaggerations at the end of the day...

https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/27/18284042/apple-macbook-keyboard-apology-issues-bad-design

Have you called Apple yet or are you just here to bother people?

 

[Koh Phi Phi]

Have you called Apple yet or are you just here to bother people?

Apologies, I thought that the point of a discussion board was to debate about a particular topic (in this case, the MBA keyboard). Silly me, I should have figured that the point was to collectively drink koolaid.

Understood, wont happen again.

 

[AustinIllini]

Apologies, I thought that the point of a discussion board was to debate about a particular topic (in this case, the MBA keyboard). Silly me, I should have figured that the point was to collectively drink koolaid.

Understood, wont happen again.

Do you have a MBA keyboard with an issue? You're obviously an expert on the topic

 

[Koh Phi Phi]

Do you have a MBA keyboard with an issue? You're obviously an expert on the topic

No, I had my keyboard problem with the MBP touchbar last year. I hoped Apple had fixed the issue with the MBA but apparently, as per their own admission, the MBA carries the same issues.

 

[AustinIllini]

No, I had my keyboard problem with the MBP touchbar last year. I hoped Apple had fixed the issue with the MBA but apparently, as per their own admission, the MBA carries the same issues.

Different model, last gen keyboard.

The fact is, regardless of the occurrence of the issue, this keyboard is getting a ton of press. Apple had to respond. We still don't know how many people actually have the issue or are going to have the issue and most of the threads on here are one person with a legitimate issue and a bunch of others gloating, whining, or complaining about something they haven't witnessed.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

The fact is, regardless of the occurrence of the issue, this keyboard is getting a ton of press. Apple had to respond.

Just curious - what % of 2018 MBAir keyboards would need to have a problem for it to be considered a "legitimate" issue in your view?

 

[AustinIllini]

Just curious - what % of 2018 MBAir keyboards would need to have a problem for it to be considered a "legitimate" issue in your view?

Based on Apple's response, the "apology" was more press driven than it was customer support driven.

Based on the feedback here, the occurrence is very low. There's a legitimacy, but we would be better off without the whining from people who don't see the issue.

If you have a keyboard issue, it's legitimate. The problem is, this is 7 pages of mostly nonsense. Apple will fix it. Period. It's unclear right now whether or not the failure rate is too high per Apple's standards.

 

[Dave245]

Based on Apple's response, the "apology" was more press driven than it was customer support driven.

Based on the feedback here, the occurrence is very low. There's a legitimacy, but we would be better off without the whining from people who don't see the issue.

If you have a keyboard issue, it's legitimate. The problem is, this is 7 pages of mostly nonsense. Apple will fix it. Period. It's unclear right now whether or not the failure rate is too high per Apple's standards.

The problem is that people don’t just want to wait until they get an issue, yes Apple will fix it for free, but the problem is the inconvenience. I was going to pull the trigger on a new MacBook Air, however I’ve been put off by the keyboard issue.

As a writer I can’t have an issue with a keyboard that I have to send to Apple and wait days or even weeks to come back. As someone who writes daily I have deadlines to meet, am I suppose to tell people who are waiting on scripts or manuscripts to wait because Apple is fixing my keyboard, that would be ridiculous.

It’s a shame because I really did like the new Air when I tried it in store on Monday.

And no I’m not hating on Apple, I’m an Apple fan, but they really need to get their act together with the MacBooks.

 

[AustinIllini]

The problem is that people don’t just want to wait until they get an issue, yes Apple will fix it for free, but the problem is the inconvenience. I was going to pull the trigger on a new MacBook Air, however I’ve been put off by the keyboard issue.

As a writer I can’t have an issue with a keyboard that I have to send to Apple and wait days or even weeks to come back. As someone who writes daily I have deadlines to meet, am I suppose to tell people who are waiting on scripts or manuscripts to wait because Apple is fixing my keyboard, that would be ridiculous.

It’s a shame because I really did like the new Air when I tried it in store on Monday.

And no I’m not hating on Apple, I’m an Apple fan, but they really need to get their act together with the MacBooks.

See, and I totally get that. If you do a lot of writing, I wouldn't go MacBook either, which is definitely a shame.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Apple will fix it. Period.

But their fix is to just replace an unreliable keyboard with the same model of keyboard.

 

[AustinIllini]

But their fix is to just replace an unreliable keyboard with the same model of keyboard.

This seems like a you problem. Your expectation is unreasonable.

That's how customer support works. The failure rate is still too low to justify a recall.

 

[Yvan256]

This seems like a you problem. Your expectation is unreasonable.

He expects his laptop keyboard to just work, like all the pre-2016 Apple laptops and all the laptops from all the other manufacturers since the dawn of laptops, and you think it's unreasonable expectations?

That's how customer support works. The failure rate is still too low to justify a recall.

Only Apple knows the actual failure rate of their 2016+ laptop keyboards. I don't know why people keep saying "it's a low percentage" or similar when even Apple themselves had to put a free repair program in place and are now apologizing publicly about this.

It's okay to say nice things about Apple when they do good things. For example, I really like the specifications of the new iPad mini even though I wish it was less expensive.

But to blindly approve everything Apple does, without being able to criticize them when they do bad things? That's just wrong.

 

[AustinIllini]

He expects his laptop keyboard to just work, like all the pre-2016 Apple laptops and all the laptops from all the other manufacturers since the dawn of laptops, and you think it's unreasonable expectations?

Based on the fact the vast majority of MacBook Air keyboards work fine, it's a reasonable expectation and one that will likely be met by a MacBook Air.

Only Apple knows the actual failure rate of their 2016+ laptop keyboards. I don't know why people keep saying "it's a low percentage" or similar when even Apple themselves had to put a free repair program in place and are now apologizing publicly about this.

It's okay to say nice things about Apple when they do good things. For example, I really like the specifications of the new iPad mini even though I wish it was less expensive.

But to blindly approve everything Apple does, without being able to criticize them when they do bad things? That's just wrong.

I am an avid critic of Apple when warranted. The whining here does not warrant Apple criticism.

 

[Dave245]

I am an avid critic of Apple when warranted. The whining here does not warrant Apple criticism.

But you do agree that this keyboard issue has got people worried? If it wasn’t for said issue I myself would of been buying one very soon.

I’m sure Apple are working on a fix, 4th generation or even a complete redesign. However it’s not good when people have the thought at the back of the mind that if they buy a MacBook from Apple the keyboard could fail.

 

[Ma2k5]

Based on Apple's response, the "apology" was more press driven than it was customer support driven.

Based on the feedback here, the occurrence is very low. There's a legitimacy, but we would be better off without the whining from people who don't see the issue.

If you have a keyboard issue, it's legitimate. The problem is, this is 7 pages of mostly nonsense. Apple will fix it. Period. It's unclear right now whether or not the failure rate is too high per Apple's standards.

Stop being delusional. Show me the threads for failure rates of previous gen MacBooks from before 2016...

Fanboyism blinds people just as nationalism/patriotism.

Funny how you can call out others about being a supposed “expert”, yet here you are telling people about Apple’s supposed “apology” being press driven rather than customer support driven. Do you work for Apple’s PR team? What made you such an expert.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

The failure rate is still too low to justify a recall.

We don't know what the failure rate is. And the failure rate is not the only thing that determines a recall. Apple's concern about its image and it's reluctance to admit problems would also be factors.

 

[AustinIllini]

We don't know what the failure rate is. And the failure rate is not the only thing that determines a recall. Apple's concern about its image and it's reluctance to admit problems would also be factors.

Blind speculation not backed up by fact. Failure rate is what justifies a recall. It has nothing to do with perceived image. High failure rate leads to external influences like lawsuits, for example.

 

[MRrainer]

I'm pretty sure - and as per Phil Schiller's own admission - Apple is very well aware of the anger and frustration in the user base - very visible in forums like this.

However, as with every big corporation, doing such a 180° turnaround ("just use the 2015 design") is very difficult. Apple is an aircraft carrier at this point and far more things than we know hinge on the current design.
The products we see today were designed several years ago. If they had started a redesign last year, it would still take at least another generation of notebooks before a full redesign became visible - if not two or three.

Luckily, I currently don't need a laptop.
I can totally understand the frustration of somebody who feels like they've basically wasted a rather sizable four-figure sum on what looks like a future paperweight.
But there's little one can do but lament here and elsewhere, complain to Apple (in a somewhat civil way - you want to be taken serious, right?)

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Blind speculation not backed up by fact. Failure rate is what justifies a recall. It has nothing to do with perceived image. High failure rate leads to external influences like lawsuits, for example.

The timing of recalls has a lot to do with perceived image.

 

[AustinIllini]

The timing of recalls has a lot to do with perceived image.

Maybe, but probably not. A recall would cause all users have to have send in their Mac for some kind of fix. If the occurrence is low, a lot of working MacBooks would be taken in and Apple doesn't want that. If the occurrence is high enough, they simply won't care and know they have to fix it.

 

[Ghost31]

Notice I wasn't asking you. When people freak out over the quality of these devices on this board, you have to verify they are actually using the devices because the occurrence on the 2018 models have been quite low and this board is no exception.

I repeat, by and large these posts are one person unhappy with a keyboard issue and a bunch of latchers-on lamenting the poor quality on devices they have never seen.

Truth. Most people on here and other media just hear the keyboard are bad and jump on the bandwagon. Some are even outright lying they’ve even had a MacBook before just so they can join in the complaining. It’s getting nauseating to listen to.

I don’t think this issue is super widespread, but I do feel bad for those affected. Apple should extend the keyboard program to 2018 airs

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Truth. Most people on here and other media just hear the keyboard are bad and jump on the bandwagon. Some are even outright lying they’ve even had a MacBook before just so they can join in the complaining.

You use the word "truth" so I assume that when you state "most people" are either jumping on the bandwagon or lying, you must have some evidence to back this up.

 

[Ghost31]

You use the word "truth" so I assume that when you state "most people" are either jumping on the bandwagon or lying, you must have some evidence to back this up.

Am I meant to prove a negative here? First prove it’s widespread and affected a vast vast number of people. Anecdotes don’t count

 

[Koh Phi Phi]

Am I meant to prove a negative here? First prove it’s widespread and affected a vast vast number of people. Anecdotes don’t count

Proof? Ok let me try...

• Due to the number of keyboard failure reports, last year Apple had to provide a WORLD WIDE program to repair FOR FREE all gen-1 and gen-2 keyboards, even if outside of the guarantee window.
• This year, Apple releases a PUBLIC statement via the Wall Street Journal ADMITTING that the issue still affects some gen-3 users.

Well, I'm not sure what kind of numerical proof you're searching for, but it seems to me that THEIR OWN ACTIONS indicate that they're indeed aware that there's some type of problem here...

 

[OdT22]

I bought one anyhow. Not sure if so much speculative analysis is as useful as many here want it to be.

If it does fail, I’ll still survive, probably...

I weighed it against the Surface LT2 last November and ended up trying the Surface for the past 4 months. Now that the fearmongering has died down on the new MBA, I’ll give it a shot too. Initially I like the MBA better due to Mac OS and style. But it’s only been a week or so.

In my own experiences so far, most complaints about the Surface line are null and void. I don’t know yet for sure, but I expect that I’ll find similar results with the MBA.

It’s 2019. The world won’t end by choosing the wrong device to entertain yourself. ...probably
[doublepost=1554088793][/doublepost]And the awesome trackpad. I always forget to mention the trackpad!