Apple reportedly plans to shift to a new keyboard design for future MacBook models. Key sources indicate that Apple plans to ditch the current buttefly mechanism design in the future that is used in current MacBooks. Instead, next-gen MacBook models will use scissor switch style keyboards. Notably, scissor style keyboards is what Apple used before employing the butterfly mechanism in 2015. Now, this seemingly appears that Apple is taking a step backwards if it indeed decides to use scissor sytle keyboards in future MacBooks.
With that being said, butterfly keyboards are known for all the wrong reasons despite their slim and durable build. MacBook users have consistently reported of dropped keystrokes with butterfly switch based keyboards.
The reason being that butterfly keyboards have a tendency to let debris accumulate under the keys which essentially affects normal functioning. With external debris under the keyboard, it usually led to individual keypresses going unregsitered or cases of multiple keypresses. Besides, it also led to overheating issues with MacBook keyboards.
Apple tried to rectify this issue by redesigning the keyboard with added silicon layers around the keys. However, to no avail as it could barely prevent external debris entering the insides of the keyboard. The company also announced an extensive repair program because of this issue, which applied to all MacBook models manufactured in 2015 and later. Sadly, all these efforts did little to negate such keyboard issues.
Now, it appears Apple could finally ditch butterfly mechanism and employ scissor-switch style keyboards for MacBook models to be released in 2020 and later. The switch to new keyboard design could improve the typing experience with longer key travel.
