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Apple revealed an updated 2018 MacBook Pro with an updated butterfly keyboard. I recently had my 2016 MacBook Pro keyboard replaced under the keyboard service program that was recently opened. Is Apple replacing older keyboards with the new keyboards under the keyboard service program?

bmike
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Christopher Garcia
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  • I just compared my newly replaced keyboard to this Techcrunch video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMyJlJV7XdI, and although it was just replaced, it sounds like the old one to me. Hopefully its a revision of the old one that doesn't fail as often, or at all. – Christopher Garcia Jul 13 '18 at 23:00
  • Updated canonical question/answer: https://apple.stackexchange.com/q/298853/119271 – Allan Jul 17 '18 at 14:02

2 Answers2

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Nope, sadly not.

From here:

Apple has been servicing affected keyboards free of charge, with the process involving the replacement of one or more keys, or the whole keyboard. For the MacBook Pro, the replacements are second-generation keyboards -- often the 2017 variant with slightly different markings on the Control and Option keys.

When asked if Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will be permitted to replace second-generation keyboards on 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models with the new third-generation keyboards, if necessary, Apple said, no, the third-generation keyboards are exclusive to the 2018 MacBook Pro.

user7886229
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    These “keyboard repairs” are more like a hermit crab getting an entirely new shell and not just repairing one or all the keys. It’s a pretty major operation in almost all cases. – bmike Jul 16 '18 at 03:37
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    They replace the entire top case assembly which is supposedly different for the 2018 model. Now, why they can't use the 3rd gen keyboard pieces/parts in the 2106/17 models remains a mystery. – Allan Jul 16 '18 at 13:48
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This tangentially answers the question but not directly. @JBis's answer is a better answer to the question, my answer provides supporting info.

Teardowns on the new 2018 MBPs have started. iFixIt has posted their analysis and an image of the keyboard.

Apple is calling this "the new 3rd-generation keyboard". It appears to be the same as the 2nd-gen keyboard with the addition of a thin, rubberized membrane under the keycap.

enter image description here

In an interview with The Verge, Apple also stated "this new third-generation keyboard wasn’t designed to solve those [dust] issues.”

iFixIt will continue its teardown of the new MBPs and will post more info in the coming weeks. This membrane will help make the keyboard quieter, at least, and hopefully address some of the failure issues.

fsb
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    I’m not sure why this got a couple down votes out of the gate. It’s clearly an answer and helps with information that the asker might benefit from knowing. – bmike Jul 16 '18 at 15:24
  • Thanks, @bmike. I probably wasn't clear enough in my answer by directly addressing if the older MBPs get the same keyboard as the 2018 version. I can see how I can edit it to improve the answer. – fsb Jul 16 '18 at 17:17
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    Yes, what does this answer have to do with Apple's policy on replacing older keyboards? – Tom Gewecke Jul 17 '18 at 14:35
  • @TomGewecke I already acknowledged the problem with my answer and my need to improve it. I'm not sure as to the purpose of your comment; can you please clarify? – fsb Jul 17 '18 at 14:52
  • I don't see how you could edit it to make it answer the question. Perhaps clarify your purpose by putting in a preface like "This doesn't relate to the question of Apple's replacement policy, but has info that the asker and others might benefit from knowing." – Tom Gewecke Jul 17 '18 at 16:14
  • Yeah, there's nothing factually inaccurate here but there's nothing here relating to the question, which is whether the new keyboards will be used with 2016/2017 laptops. – Ezekiel Jul 17 '18 at 20:09