Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, at least that’s what everyone at Apple thinks. Each year, Apple releases new products, and in the quest of making things simple, they are exploring all the avenues possible.
Yesterday, Apple released the new MacBook line-up and following their tradition – they took one, or perhaps more than one step further, to make things uncomplicated and as always ended up looting all of their users and making things more complicated. Let’s take a look at everything Apple sacrificed for the love of so called simplicity.
What Users Lose
USB Ports
This might excite you that Apple is heading towards the future with the inclusion of 4 USB Type C ports. However, in doing so, Apple removed not one, but all of the standard USB 2.0/3.0 ports from their new machine.
MagSafe 2
Apple has also killed its iconic MagSafe 2 charging port and it has been replaced with one of the USB Type-C ports. MagSafe, as the name suggests, was safer because the charger connected with the Macbook using a strong magnet. However, now you have to be careful not to pull the wire and accidentally rip off something or break your macbook.
HDMI
Cupertino giant thinks you don’t need an HDMI port anymore. The new MacBook Pros do not come with any HDMI port and just like the rest of the ports, it has also been replaced by USB Type-C Thunderbolt ports. Yes its a new standard, but it isn’t the go to standard yet and HDMI is prevalent all over the globe.
SD Card Slot
Apple has been known for having vexatious relations with the expandable storage and SD cards. This time they have probably tried to kill the whole idea of SD cards by removing the SD cards slot from the MacBook Pro. Obviously, SD cards weren’t meant to expand storage on Macbooks, but it was tool for professional photographers to readily transfer their data onto the Macbook without wasting anytime. Unfortunately, it wont happen anymore.
Escape Key
Apple has been on a killing streak. So, for the new Macbook Pro, Apple has removed the Escape key from their keyboard. In place, a thin strip of OLED touchscreen a.k.a Touch Panel has replaced the 14 individual keys that sit at the top of your keyboard usually.
Apple Fails to Maintain A Standard
Back in 2012, Apple ditched its 30-pin connector to replace it with a new port which used a lightning connector at one end and standard plug at the other. Few months ago, Apple released its new iteration of iPhone – the iPhone 7 which and the new iPad which used the same lightning connector.
For a couple of products being released a few weeks apart it is completely senseless for a company to set different standards, such that their own products need to make use of adapters to connect their gadgets.
For some reason, Apple decided not to replace the lightning port with a Type-C port which means iPhone users won’t even be able to connect their iPhones to Apple’s latest macbooks. Heck, they don’t even have a standard USB Type A port to easily connect their devices.
Well there is a way that you can connect these devices. All you need to do is buy a new $25 adapter for that. It’s simple, right? Well it isn’t.
For a company which speaks of cohesion, simplicity and a singular ecosystem where all its devices are seamlessly connected, this sure ain’t simple. You need to make use of an adapter to connect your iPhone or iPad to your Macbook, how is that simple? Wasn’t the previous way simple? All you had to do was plug a cable into the right port. Now you have add an additionally step of connecting an adapter.
Apple made a similar mistake with the new iPhone. They removed the headphone jack in favour of their expensive ear pods. Even the earplugs the make with a lightning port and you won’t even be able to connect them to the latest flagship laptops. Thankfully, however, the execs at Apple gave a green signal to the headphone jack for the Macbooks.
One port to rule them all
By axing all the ports, Apple has made it clear that future belongs to USB Type-C and they are headed towards the future. The death of headphone jack in iPhone 7 and now the killing of USB ports paints a clear picture of the future where the idea of ‘one port to rule them all’ will be followed.
If that is the case, why didn’t they replace lightning port with USB Type-C?
Is it the right time?
Sure, they’ve replaced them with type-C ports but is it the right time? What about the photographers who will have to live without an access to the SD card slot? Or if anyone is trying project his work but can’t do so because he doesn’t have the dongle that can connect to the HDMI? You’ll have to carry a dongle at all times to connect the devices to things you need.
Apple made the right decision but definitely at the wrong time. Replacement of USB Type-C was inevitable, it’s the future and they have to follow it to be in the game. However, the decision to abandon legacy and alternative ports for the sake of the future and simplicity is controversial and non user-friendly, and they need to realize it before it’s too late.
Great Article. And also the price hike was uncalled for considering their hardware. The only thing they did well was design. For the price, and especially considering the competition on the PC side of things, the pros a highly underpowered.
Im hoping apple will die from its own fire =) sure it takes balls to ditch old and opt for new,but this is just madness..this show apple doesn’t give a damn about customer satisfaction.. Only about the dollars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmTSN4zWeQ0
Apple company just can’t let go of any source of income. Jerry has explained about their USB Type-C and other stuff.
And which other company has ever let a chance of making money slip away ?
can you please name one ?
Money is the game…. its all about Money.
Allah wastay koi Company nhn kaaam karti
“and they need to realize it before it’s too late.”
LOL okay calm down there cowboy.
Apple just want to do something that can put them little different from others so unconsciously they are making blunders.. Little funny u cant conect ur iphone to your apple MacBook by the way interesting article.
I am confused here. The rest of the world says that the new MBP has 4 thunberbold ports while Apple on their website stats that two of these are USB-C and two are USB 3.1 compatible. If these are 3.1 compatible then it means you can insert whatever tf you want.
Just trying to clear things off. Maybe I am wrong, but totally not trying to be a fan boy.
Another thing, I read your earlier article as well. On one side, people are greeting the Touch Bar but when it comes to ranting, then Touch Bar is the weakness for putting out Escape and function keys.
You guys might have not realized but the world is going towards portability. When you carry it, it must be light and compact. It’s something else that Samsung is still stuck with micro USB, like common. Remember RAZOR and AlienWare making medium spec laptops and providing portable GPU units as add ons so you do not have to carry around 6kg laptops full of GPU and cooling units.
Short version; I think it won’t hurt to have a simple USB-C to other ports converter. When it comes to standards, people first rant Apple for what they do and then appreciate later when they realize. Just calm tf down and enjoy your life. Love the product if you can buy it and don’t rant about it if you can’t.
Exactly.
Think of the USB-C connector kind of like a duplex. It has a USB-side and a Thunderbolt 3-side
The base Macbook pro 13 model has
2 Type-C ports and both are additionally Thunderbolt as well.
and everything above that has same 4-Type C and all 4 have Thunderbolt controller too.
Another Expensive Piece of Junk
Apple lead the way… Leading is a lonely journey and others are always catching up!