When Apple abanded the CD-ROM, most software still came on it. Sure, downloads were becoming more popular, but not the standard. Read any of the comments on the iPhone and see how many comments are there complaining about the removal of the headphone jack. I have 5 pairs of wireless headphones. It seems that they are widely available and tend to be the future, but still the complaints.
Thanks for a rather thoughtful post!
But once again, just because an alternative exists (bluetooth headphones), that does not mean it's an unquestionably best option, nor going to be a quickly adopted happy alternative for many. Like the "time will tell" saying goes, perhaps 2-3 years after the shift away from onboard optical drives, it became clear that it was a rather good stretch. But after several years of continued balking over USB, headphone jack, and magsafe ethnic-cleansing, might there be a even a shred of legitimacy that perhaps those forced changes in the name of "gotta innovate" went just a bit too far? Let's see if the balking continues for the next few years.
Another angle: moving towards digital downloads for music & software as one reason to ditch optical drives increased the speed and convenience to the user for obtaining the goods, further helping the value proposition and good reputation of the bold move, and of course, adoption/adaptation. Compare my driving 20 minutes away to the Apple store to buy late 00's OSX upgrade vs. clicking a download...genius. And now there's no longer a box/CD to store...more convenience.
Now look at bluetooth headphones/speakers. Although they do offer conveniences, unlike digital downloads, bluetooth this or that are not without frequent noticeable inconveniences. For me and many, the pros/cons of a wireless-only iPad/iPhone nearly balance out, unlike the optical drive move. Bluetooth connectivity loses the "instant access" option a wired connection alternative provides. I frequently run into issues of uncharged earbuds/phones/speaker, I often need take time to pair to a new system, say at my girlfriend's or friend's speaker or a rental car, I often have to get the local "owner" to disconnect their paired phone/iPad from a speaker first so I can then connect... Bluetooth speakers and headphones offer conveniences but are hardly clear-cut faster & more convenient, thus the pain for many that probably won't go away soon.
Not quite the same thing. The pain may be accepting change and changing old habits. Technology moves on. I really like MagSafe and was disappointed in hearing it wasn’t on the redesigned MacBook Pro. There are some great advantages of going USB C. If something happens to the cable, where the MagSafe ends always started to come apart, you can simply buy a new cable for $10. No need to throw away the entire charger. You can buy a 60W USB charger that will work perfectly with the MacBook Pro for $30 from Anker. The MacBook Air still has the headphone jack for those who prefer them. Other than losing the legacy USB A ports, which can be solved with a single hub or a $3 adapter there really isn’t any broken eggs for breakfast.
Much of that is just Apple's frequent poor design decisions (in contrast to some good decisions). Why couldn't a separable, replaceable MagSafe cable have been created years ago, with a more robust size/rubber/casing, such that any broken cable could be replaced w/o having to buy a brand new $79 brick? Was the baby with the bathwater approach of going USB-C the *only* option? Pshaw... Why couldn't at least one MBA port have been USB-A just like the cutting-edge new mini's? Pshaw again... The fact that a hub is needed at all is proof positive that more ports and A/C ports would have been very valuable for years to come.
In summary, as there get to be fewer and fewer ripe low-hanging fruit for the picking, these forced changes aren't nearly as clear-cut as, say, the bold changes from 5-10 years ago. It's only common sense that the less you have to choose from, the higher the risk of making more unhappy & happy. If a large subset of unhappy customers are the new norm, compared to Apple's can't-do-much-wrong and It-just-works halo before ~2013, I'd find it amazing if Apple continues growing w/o focusing on raising prices first & foremost over putting out true, useful, gotta-have-it innovation.
Changes for the sake of change without bigger-picture user conveniences high in priority. Design for the labs & marketing folk first & foremost.
🙂
