SD slot? Stupid. Please no more 90s trends.
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Bloomberg: Next MacBook Pro to Feature SD Card Reader
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Yeah, but if you look inside any mac, the area where the ports are couldn’t be used for battery. And the batteries haven’t really gotten any smaller since the ”port” days, even though the machines have.
Buy a card, keep it in the slot, and use it for time machine backups. No dust, extra redundancy.
My theory for why it would make sense for them to bring back older ports:
For the first time since I can remember, the Mac laptops actually represent a value proposition vs. PC's, even based purely on raw performance specs (more peformance per dollar).
[To my mind, they've always been a value proposition, because being in an OS that is much more pleasant, and allows you to be much more productive, is worth far more than any spec. But I digress.]
Given this, Apple probably hopes to convert a lot of PC users. Providing the basic ports they're used to (HDMI, USB-A, SD) helps with this. PC users are used to being able to connect their peripherals, like mice, external keyboards, webcams, etc. which are mostly still USB-A (especially, I suspect, the ones PC owners have), directly to their computers.
I can report from my own experience that ports like HDMI and USB-A, which I have on my 2014 MBP, really are nice, even today. HDMI means I can connect with a projector in nearly any lecture hall without needing to worry about an adapter. And (while, granted, you can use a dock at home to obviate this), being able to connect an enormous array of basic peripherals (e.g., my Logitech hR400 Wireless Presenter: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Presenter-Presentation-Pointer/dp/B002GHBUTK ), which are mostly still USB-A, directly to my laptop, is very convenient.
For the first time since I can remember, the Mac laptops actually represent a value proposition vs. PC's, even based purely on raw performance specs (more peformance per dollar).
[To my mind, they've always been a value proposition, because being in an OS that is much more pleasant, and allows you to be much more productive, is worth far more than any spec. But I digress.]
Given this, Apple probably hopes to convert a lot of PC users. Providing the basic ports they're used to (HDMI, USB-A, SD) helps with this. PC users are used to being able to connect their peripherals, like mice, external keyboards, webcams, etc. which are mostly still USB-A (especially, I suspect, the ones PC owners have), directly to their computers.
I can report from my own experience that ports like HDMI and USB-A, which I have on my 2014 MBP, really are nice, even today. HDMI means I can connect with a projector in nearly any lecture hall without needing to worry about an adapter. And (while, granted, you can use a dock at home to obviate this), being able to connect an enormous array of basic peripherals (e.g., my Logitech hR400 Wireless Presenter: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Presenter-Presentation-Pointer/dp/B002GHBUTK ), which are mostly still USB-A, directly to my laptop, is very convenient.
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@theorist9 makes a good point about converting PC users. Apple has been making good inroads into the enterprise space for PCs. Microsoft provides full support for Office for macOS, so there are no issues with the main productivity software. With the expanded number of people working from home, I'm guessing that a lot of orgs are refreshing a lot of their office machine inventory this year. The M1 MacBook Air is a very attractive option given its price. But I can speak from personal experience that IT depts hated the issue of purchasing the correct dongle to issue with post-2016 MBs and MBPs. It became more difficult last year trying to accommodate MB users who had varying home setups. For example: external keyboards and mice. My org was constantly running out of USB-A to USB-C adaptors to issue out because most people preferred to not use a dongle. But sometimes people had to wait 2 weeks before a new shipment of adaptors could arrive so they could use USB-A equipment with their company-issued MBs.
It's a huge selling point to potential enterprise group sales customers that they won't have to also purchase a bunch of 3rd party dongles to issue out along PCs to their employees.
It's a huge selling point to potential enterprise group sales customers that they won't have to also purchase a bunch of 3rd party dongles to issue out along PCs to their employees.
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Future is definite USB4 / TB with Type-C connectors. Bringing back a single SD card slot won’t change. And I don’t agree with others that that USB-A or HDMI will make a return.
A terminally stupid idea just for the dinosaur luddites out there. USB-C works perfectly, the very few adapters needed are cheap and tiny. I moved all my cables etc to USB-C three years ago and have never ever looked back. My cameras with a variety of cards are plugged in directly. I never use USB-A. The 2-ports on my M1 MBP Pro are fine about 95% of the time. This is a made-up problem, let's bring back petrol cars, biplanes and Sasparilla at the same time.
Yeah, I'm still glad my MBP has the SD slot, but I understand why it'd be considered not an average use case. On a trip, you could use a flash drive, not quite as convenient but good enough.
It's because the current Apple Silicon chips are for computers with only two Thunderbolt ports. Once the more powerful MacBook Pros and desktop Macs are out, I strongly doubt we'll only have a single Thunderbolt controller.
I'd be surprised if it wasn't a dual CF type A/SD slot like Sony is using. Ingenious.
I already like USBC. SD cards are dead on arrival and everyone already has the dongle.
USB-C only was a big gamble for Apple. As it turns out, it never lived up to it's potential. The reality is that people still need those ports, especially an SD card. Users just dealt with using dongles for the time being and they never truly adapted to them, and rightfully so! It continues to be a ridiculous inconvenience. The fact that users still have to resort to dongles or some kind of hideous hub sticking out of the side of the computer proves that USB-C never made it to the mainstream. No one can argue with those facts. Don't even try it. Apple will never admit the mistake that is the 2016 MacBook Pro. All they can do now is slowly phase out all of Its flaws generation after generation. First the Keyboard and the Cooling. Next will be the Touch Bar and ports. I say yes please! It's time to make the Mac great again. Someone is finally waking up and they will reap the benefits when sales skyrocket.
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