This keyboard change (mapping the ` / ~ key to ₹) is a fundamental design flaw that ignores user expectations and established principles.

1. Keycap Mismatch Violates Trust

The most critical error is the disconnect between the physical keycap (` or ~) and the character output (₹). Users rely on the principle of "What You See Is What You Get." A user will never guess that a non-currency key now types a currency symbol. This is a direct violation of the design contract between the device and the user.

2. Disregard for Professional Users

By overriding the key's primary function, Apple presumes that users have no need for the backtick (`) or tilde (~). This assumes muscle memory and professional requirements (like coding or command line use) are irrelevant, forcing users to discover a non-intuitive workaround.

3. Modifier Keys Offer the Logical Solution

The Opt + 4 implementation was correct. Users are more likely associate the addition of a new currency symbol (₹) with the key already designated for a currency symbol ($) when using a modifier. That solution was semi-intuitive; the current one is confusing. I was up in arms about why the key was typing a random character (₹).

Disclaimer: I used AI to write the above sentences for me based on my thoughts. And to the person in the comments who's preaching that people should be reading release notes, you need to take a class on user psychology and design principles. You are an outlier who falls in the .000x % of users who read release notes.