crwdns2936637:0crwdne2936637:0 crwdns2853008:0crwdne2853008:0 crwdns2918746:0crwdne2918746:0

crwdns2933803:08crwdne2933803:0

crwdns2933797:0Jeff Suovanencrwdnd2933797:0crwdne2933797:0

crwdns2936043:0crwdne2936043:0 crwdns2933505:0crwdne2933505:0 Jeff Suovanen

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-[* black] What else changed? We think the metal dome switch may have. Let's take a closer look.
- [* black] The dome is like a really fragile [https://www.fillmorecontainer.com/media/catalog/product/r/l/rl-070_bong.jpg|jam lid|new_window=true]—you press down and it springs back up. Like a [https://www.snapple.com/images/snapple_facts/snapple_fact_fbpreview.jpg|Snapple cap|new_window=true], if you press too hard or too many times, the cap will eventually stop popping back up.
- [* black] If anything changes about the dome—if it's cracked or deformed—the key may behave erratically. Likewise, if the two center prongs break or bend, the key will stop working.
-[* black] There are myriad reasons for the switch to crack or wear out—plain old fatigue, rapid heat cycling, prolonged exposure to heat, moisture, outgassing from other parts, and corrosion are all possibilities.
-[* black] With multiple problems caused by several failure modes acting together, Apple may be chasing a solution for a few more years.
- [* black] Beaton admits that this stainless steel is a better choice than say aluminum, but even with heat treatment and specialty alloys, steel can still fail over time. If this ''is'' an issue of fatigue, failed keys will likely display cracking. (Anyone care to donate a busted butterfly to science?)
+[* black] What else changed? We think the metal dome switch may have. Let's look closer.
+ [* black] The dome is like a really tiny [https://www.fillmorecontainer.com/media/catalog/product/r/l/rl-070_bong.jpg|jam lid|new_window=true] or [https://www.snapple.com/images/snapple_facts/snapple_fact_fbpreview.jpg|Snapple cap|new_window=true]—you press down and it springs back up.
+ [* black] If anything changes about the dome—if it's cracked or deformed—the key may behave erratically. Likewise, if the prongs break or bend, the key stops working.
+[* icon_note] There are myriad possible reasons for this switch to crack or wear out—manufacturing defects, plain old fatigue, prolonged heat, moisture, outgassing from other components, and corrosion are all common culprits.
+ [* black] It's entirely possible that ''several'' of these factors are contributing to switch failures, which could explain why Apple is having such a hard time untangling the problem. Fourth time's the charm?
+[* icon_reminder] These switches are also magnetized from the factory. Best guess as to their composition: ferritic stainless steel, with a thin polymer coating on the bottom. The difference in surface finish from the 2018 version (left) to the 2019 (right) indicates Apple may be using a revised heat treatment, or alloy, or possibly both.