Bloomberg: Next MacBook Pro to Feature SD Card Reader

[MacRumors]

Last week, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo outlined his expectations for new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models later this year, including the return of the MagSafe charging connector, the removal of the Touch Bar, a new flat-edged design, and the return of more ports built into the notebooks for expanded connectivity.

A concept of a modern MacBook Pro with an SD card reader​

Kuo did not specify which ports might be making a comeback, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today reported that the next MacBook Pro models will feature an SD card reader for transferring photos shot with a digital camera and other files:

The upcoming MacBook Pro is an example of Apple's renewed focus on Mac loyalists. The company is planning to bring back an SD card slot for the next MacBook Pros so users can insert memory cards from digital cameras. That feature was removed in 2016, to the consternation of professional photographers and video creators, key segments of the MacBook Pro user base.

The latest MacBook Pro models only have Thunderbolt ports, forcing photographers to use an adapter or dock to gain access to an SD card reader.

In his research note last week, Kuo mentioned that "most users may not need to purchase additional dongles" for the next MacBook Pro, so it is possible that an SD card reader will not be the only port that returns. As recently as 2015, the MacBook Pro was also equipped with an HDMI port and USB-A ports, but it would certainly be surprising to see the latter make a comeback given the tech industry's transition to USB-C.

Kuo expects the new MacBook Pro models to launch in the third quarter, which spans July through September. They would replace the higher-end 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in May 2020 and November 2019, respectively. The base model 13-inch MacBook Pro was already updated with Apple's custom M1 chip a few months ago.

Article Link: Bloomberg: Next MacBook Pro to Feature SD Card Reader

 

[Dydegu]

I am shocked.

 

[bollman]

Either Apple is backtracking all of their decisions since 2016, or they have sent out the specs for the late 2015 MacBooks as decoys to find leaks.

 

[ruka.snow]

Why bring back an obsolete slot? We are on CFExpress A and B now, with SD Express coming to fight CFExpress A. SD is dead.

 

[anthonyjr]

Curious if the power savings of the new chips allows Apple to finally able to reduce battery size by just the smallest amount to fill in these ports again. Excited to see them adding back some of the ports creatives want in their day-to-day laptop.

 

[SuprUsrStan]

Either Apple is backtracking all of their decisions since 2016, or they have sent out the specs for the late 2015 MacBooks as decoys to find leaks.

Either that or Engineers have better utility sense than Jony Ive in what customers actually want.

Who would have thought.

 

[MacFather]

12 years ago.

3:21

 

[DHagan4755]

Skip the USB-A; add HDMI & card slot.

Also Gurman said in a previous report that the new MacBook Pro models would launch around the middle of the year. A little closer than the third quarter range. Here's hoping WWDC brings the goods.

 

[HeavenDynamic]

Now we're talking.

 

[ghostface147]

One HDMI and one USB-A port would be great too.

 

[xnu]

So sad that this makes me very excited. Take something away, then make me happy when they give me small things back. It is like an abusive relationship.

 

[verniesgarden]

Why bring back an obsolete slot? We are on CFExpress A and B now, with SD Express coming to fight CFExpress A. SD is dead.

SD still has a life for at least 5 years. Camera manufacturers are being very slow to go all in on CFExpress, and even when they do they keep an SD card as the second slot. And this isn't even getting into the consumer grade cameras or micro SD devices

 

[NMBob]

Someone must have slipped something into their Kool-Aid.

 

[thadoggfather]

I honestly don’t care

got a small anker usb-c to micro or standard SD was $10

it’s tiny and works great. Wish I knew about it years ago instead of just last year

 

[djc6]

I think this is just to make up for fact their Apple Silicon SoC only has one thunderbolt controller.. To keep you from tying up limited thunderbolt ports with the common low bandwith accessories people often use.

If I had four thunderbolt ports, I still have ports to spare if one of them is tied up with an SD card reader.

 

[SuprUsrStan]

Why bring back an obsolete slot? We are on CFExpress A and B now, with SD Express coming to fight CFExpress A. SD is dead.

SD is not dead by a long shot. You're probably thinking of old SD UHS-I or UHS-II cards.

UHS-III and SD-Express cards have speeds that rival CFExpress A cards and have theoretical maximums of 4GB/s transfer rates. There's no cards that can come close to that but the standard is there.

 

[obargy]

Wow what an innovation

 

[zorinlynx]

I think this is just to make up for fact their Apple Silicon SoC only has one thunderbolt controller.. To keep you from tying up limited thunderbolt ports with the common low bandwith accessories people often use.

I'm betting this is a temporary limitation since they likely repurposed the SoC from the iPad Pro as the M1. The next generation Apple Silicon will probably have much better I/O support.

 

[zorinlynx]

SD is not dead by a long shot. You're probably thinking of old SD UHS-I or UHS-II cards.

UHS-III and SD-Express cards have speeds that rival CFExpress A cards and have theoretical maximums of 4GB/s transfer rates. There's no cards that can come close to that but the standard is there.

I know right? I work with this stuff semi-regularly and have never even SEEN a CFExpress card in person, much less actually used one. SD is everywhere.

 

[iJustines]

It better be not the Apple SDXC proprietary slot..

 

[axantas]

Did someone at Apples usability-department have an appointment with Tim Cook?

I am refusing, replacing my 2015 MacPro since the loss of useful ports. Unfortunately for Apple, this beast still runs like a charm. But I might consider a replacement, if they finally have discovered, that shrinking the thickness down to 2 mm is not the way to go.
Sounds like a useful machine without the need to carry a suitcase of adapters with you.

 

[bluespark]

Wow what an innovation

There's always someone who dismisses any feature that might be useful to some as meaningless because it doesn't qualify as "innovation" in their view. Not everything useful or desirable has to be innovative.

 

[KPOM]

Why bring back an obsolete slot? We are on CFExpress A and B now, with SD Express coming to fight CFExpress A. SD is dead.

Maybe it will be SD Express.

 

[DAC47]

Is it a coincidence that Jonny Ive is no longer in charge of design at Apple and useful ports suddenly start returning?

 

[Lemon Olive]

I think this is just to make up for fact their Apple Silicon SoC only has one thunderbolt controller.. To keep you from tying up limited thunderbolt ports with the common low bandwith accessories people often use.

If I had four thunderbolt ports, I still have ports to spare if one of them is tied up with an SD card reader.

Yeah I don't think people have caught on to this yet. They're blinded by the fact that rumors take the shape of "Apple giving back ports they took away that no one needs but still pine for regularly".

When in fact, Apple wouldn't be doing this if not for the fact that they're forced to by another overarching decision (Apple Silicon). They've found a clever way to mask the necessity of limiting the device to 1 TB port.