As some have suspected, however, any re-engineering may have taken a "why not both?" approach. iFixit found a new silicone barrier around the switch that would help make it quieter -- and keep potential contaminants from gumming up the works. Another link is a patent Apple received for something like this to help keep dust and dirt out of its keyboard switches. With lawsuits already filed and a service program for older computers in place, Apple has more than enough reasons to be coy about its updates, but only time will tell if these new keys are truly more reliable.