iFixit: Apple has added anti-dirt coating to MacBook Pro keyboard

Apple has added an extra layer of plastic to the new MacBook Pro, which iFixit says is intended to keep dust out. The keyboards of MacBook Pro laptops to date had a problem that dirt could prevent them from working as well.

The layer of plastic was discovered while iFixit was tearing down the new MacBook Pro. The company found a layer of plastic covering the Butterfly mechanisms of the keys and suggests that this plastic is intended to prevent dirt and dust from accumulating under the keys.

To back up its claim, iFixit references a patent filed by Apple in 2016 and published in March. The patent describes a key that is equipped with an extra layer of protection to keep contaminants away from the key.

The Butterfly keyboard of the MacBook Pro models of 2016 and newer has been in the news for a while now, as many users complain that their keyboards are having problems. After it came to a lawsuit, Apple has decided to repair the keyboards for free.

Apple announced the new MacBook Pro this week. The changes are largely limited to specbump to eighth-generation Intel Core processors and an improved display. The laptops also feature a third-generation Butterfly keyboard, but Apple only mentioned that it types quieter than its predecessor.

IFixit speculates that the extra silence is just a side effect of the plastic film. The company says it will investigate whether the membrane actually helps keep dust away and will release more information next week, along with the full teardown of the new MacBook Pro.