1 port to rule them all

[Abazigal]

Well you do need more then 2. 1 USB for thumb drive, 1 USB for Monitor (if the monitor doesn't have USB extension), 1 USB for mouse, 1 USB for external hard drive, so that's already 4 USB in usage and we can swap the monitor to external memory card reader. So I really hope Apple use logic on this one.

Well, there's always bluetooth for mice. As for multiple external storage units, I suppose a hub could be used, especially some sort of USB-C to USB-A hub. Apple has this penchant for giving people barely what they want, and expecting us to use hubs and workarounds if we want more ports and the like. After all, they introduced thunderbolt and expected users to get adaptors for VGA, HMDI, DVI and ethernet separately.

 

[wheelhot]

Problem with hubs when it comes to external storage units is the speed is slower, though I guess if it's a Thunderbolt 3 hub, this will not be an issue but lets see how it goes, the current rMBP has quite practical number of ports and it's selling well (in fact I'll say it's the best selling Apple lineup for computers?), so I'm pretty sure Apple will be more conservative in their updates to the MBPs.

My guess is we'll probably see 2 USB Type-C and 2 USB Type-C w/ Thunderbolt. Then Apple will brag about how this is the most extensible MBP ever. Or we might see a 1 USB Type-C and 2 USB Type-C w/ Thunderbolt (honouring Apple philosophy that less is better, lol).

 

[Freyqq]

looks like USB c and thunderbolt 3 will use the same physical connector. so, it'll either be a swap of displayport for USB c or just all will be USB c.

 

[IllmasterMath]

Look at how many times they changed the connector for the monitor.
An incomplete listing of what appled had used over the years.

• Apple Display Connector (ADC)
• mini-VGA connector
• DVI connector
• micro-DVI connector
• mini-DVI connector
• mini DisplayPort
• Thunderbolt

There was a lot of complaining when apple dropped the ADB connector for USB and dropped the Floppy disk in the Bondi Blue mac. I don't see the USB-C being any different. Apple embraced a standard well before anyone else did, and when they did that, there was a lack of peripherals

There are in excess of 20 billion USB (type A) devices out there. Its ubiquity is unprecedented and it's not going anywhere anytime soon.

USB-C will replace the Mini-DisplayPort connectors with Thunderbolt 3. That's all that was announced and that's what you should expect on the next MBP.