Leaked Photos May Show Upcoming MacBook Pro's Top Case With Space for OLED Touch Panel, Four USB-C Ports

[MarvinHC]

Just another word on all the dongles etc.
Those who travel a lot, know how easy it is to lose/forget a dongle/cable in an airport, hotel, office etc. Luckily here in China those dongles cost next to nothing (for example TB to HDMI sets me back less than $3), but otherwise you carry a fortune just in these adapters.
For example:
1 Ethernet adapter - reliable (and safe!) WIFI is not everywhere available
1 HDMI adapter
1 VGA adapter - many offices still use VGA projectors rather than HDMI
1 USB-C to USB-A converter - to use an old USB stick / external harddrive
1 laptop charger
1 SD-Card reader (for those who like to travel with a proper camera) / alternatively the USB cable to plug the camera in directly (plus the USB-A to USB-C converter)
etc. etc.

A lot of stuff to carry just for basic functionality!

 

[simonmet]

My thoughts:

I can't believe it. If this is the direction of the new rMBP I'll be sticking with the current rMBP like 17" die-hards have been holding on to those.

Getting rid of MagSafe is stupid. If you have to make it thinner again, make a MagSafe 3. It's one of the top features I tell people about when I say Apple makes the best laptops.

I love the SD slot and I hate adapters. They should've made it support the faster generation of SD cards.

This new Mac would render all my existing cables and chords mostly useless and I have lots that would cost a decent amount to replace. I really do hate adapters that much! Also, most non-Apple accessories still come with USB-A connections. Yes Apple wants to change this but I can't see the change happening quickly.

This new Mac has fewer ports overall. Excluding a port for power it has only 1 more USB port yet this is partially offset by the current rMBPs additional Thunderbolt and HDMI ports. If they'd kept MagSafe and SD I'd have been happy. They could've done this easily while still making it thinner.

 

[doelcm82]

I don't think anyone is stupid enough to buy an HDMI adapter if they do not intend to connect the laptop to a display using the HDMI port.

Agreed. Why should those who don't need an HDMI connection have to pay for one, either as a dongle, or built in to the computer.

 

[wheelhot]

They should've switched the entire lineup including iOS devices to use at least one USB-C port per device.

USB-C on iOS will not happen anytime soon, Apple doesn't want people to plug in a USB-C thumb drive to jailbreak/hack iPads or allow 3rd party accessory work that easily.

And now with SmartConnector, doubt we'll ever see USB whatever in iPads

People use SD card slots, HDMI cables as well as USB ports very frequently. On the go or otherwise. Making them pay for connectors, when these ports should be standard is ridiculous. Your situation is not everybody's situation. And that is what companies need to keep in mind when making a product. Also, Apple has not been making anything latest and greatest for a while now. They are playing catch up in almost all lines of products.

Apple is historically known to remove ports way ahead of their expiry date. When Apple removed ethernet and DVI ports, back then ethernet port is quite commonly used (WiFi isn't that common in public areas), so I'm not surprised they opt to get rid of HDMI and sadly SD as there's many wireless options to replace HDMI.

Like I used Chromecast to replace my HDMI needs, and I guess to some people, AppleTV and such.

 

[vvs14]

I'm sorry, but while my situation isn't everyone's, neither is yours. In my family there are four different MacBooks and the ONLY person that makes any use of adapters or most of the ports is me. I would say most users don't use much at all. You simply think my "not everybody's situation" is somehow less important or a smaller demographic than yours. Okay. So what?

I honestly can't say that Firewire belongs on a Macbook anymore. There's nothing wrong with niche users having to get adapters.

Even USB-A is becoming less common on Apple's laptops. Users are regularly using Bluetooth for input devices and modern scanners and printers regularly function on networks. The people plugging in directly are becoming the minority



What should be standard?

USB-A? Firewire 400 or 800? Serial? eSATA? VGA? DVI? DisplayPort? Mini DisplayPort? HDMI? Ethernet? Thunderbolt? USB-C?

I currently use every single one of those ports except for USB-C for one task or another. USB-C will ultimately replace all of the above in one way or another. I'm personally thrilled. I already have to use adapters for most of those connections anyway and still had to use plenty even before I transitioned to a Thunderbolt-equipped Air and now rMBP.

You guys are talking about a company that removed arrow keys from their keyboard to force developers to write applications for a windowed, mouse-driven environment decades ago. So while you might be bent about this, I keep seeing comments all over about how this is a Tim Cook thing. This is an Apple thing. This is the same Apple that killed the floppy early and passed on Blu-ray. This is the same Apple that has already adopted Thunderbolt when few others have and forced its initial adoption. This is the same Apple that adopted SSDs across its mobile line long before everyone else, despite gripes about lack of storage for the 1% who had their 1TB media collection on their laptop.



That's a matter of opinion. I know a lot of you rate a computer based purely on the processor, but I don't. OS X is by far the best OS I have ever used and yes, that's subjective, but anything else is a massive downgrade for my use. As my family's chief tech support agent, I can say that since transitioning them to Macs, the frequency of calls has gone down dramatically, so for "average" users, my experience has always been that Macs perform better. The trackpad, one of my main input devices when away from my desk, has been vastly superior for like... almost a decade now.

What's better? Battery life or processor power on a laptop? It depends on needs. I don't measure my computer by GHz. I would probably care more if I was a videographer, but I'm not. As a programmer and a network engineer, I love these machines. The lack of ports has just never been a problem. It isn't on my Pro. It wasn't on my Air. The one Thunderbolt port allowed me to use my Air for everything I needed.

Yes, I needed adapters. Why should the ports or adapters be standard though? The average user ISN'T using them or the ports because they don't need nor use them.

I don't have time for a long reply. All I am trying to say is that a lot of people still use ports that Apple is planning to eliminate according to this rumor. They already charge people premium price. They need to provide connectivity options that people need that are standard on any other laptop worth its salt. Charging people for adapters after charging them premium amount is ridiculous.

 

[abhibeckert]

So now we charge through USB-C instead of the standard MagSafe port?

So whenever it's plugged in I'm down 25% on available ports?

You will charge by plugging into your monitor via a single cable for both power and video.

MagSafe is irrelevant these days anyway - at your desk it's unnecessary, and everywhere else there's no need to charge at all. The battery in my 13" MacBook Pro lasts about 3 to 4 days when I travel. I don't even bother bringing a charger on weekend trips.

 

[sniffies]

From reliable source:

2016: OLED function keys
2017: OLED number keys
2018: OLED Q-P keys
2019: OLED A-L keys
2020: OLED Z-M keys
2021: OLED the rest

 

[aloshka]

The problem with blaming the lack of enthusiasm we "old timers" are suffering on Apple is that it could also be due to us getting old, and our priorities have changed.

Since Steve Jobs died, Hollywood has stopped making movies that are compelling enough for me to see them in a theater.

Since Steve Jobs died, the world has become less interesting to me. Just a couple of international trips, the last in 2013. I let my passport expire. I don't even fly that much domestically. I have million miler status on American Airlines, but I've only made two trips in the past year, both short visits to my employer in another state. In fact, I often don't leave my home for days at a time, except to take out the garbage or make a run to the grocery.

Since Steve Jobs died I spend less time doing "fun" things on my computers. I bought a new 27" iMac after the last refresh. I thought it would give me the joy I remember from previous computer purchases, but weeks go by when I don't even switch it on.

A lot has changed since Steve Jobs died. The arrival of a baby boy in 2012 could have something to do with it. Another baby boy showed up 13 months ago. And the twins made their debut seven and a half months ago.

Four kids under four years old might explain why I don't get as excited about things that used to take up the bulk of my time. But it can't be a coincidence that it all happened since the death of Steve Jobs. Can it?

Either Steve Jobs was your God or you worshipped him for one reason or another. No one person has an effect like that on another unless they are somehow involved with them. Not seeing movies in the theater and/or hollywood not being interesting has nothing to do with Steve Jobs or Apple. I'll go ahead and excuse the crazy and say that it was your kids that changed you. Not Steve Jobs.

 

[doelcm82]

Just another word on all the dongles etc.
Those who travel a lot, know how easy it is to lose/forget a dongle/cable in an airport, hotel, office etc. Luckily here in China those dongles cost next to nothing (for example TB to HDMI sets me back less than $3), but otherwise you carry a fortune just in these adapters.
For example:
1 Ethernet adapter - reliable (and safe!) WIFI is not everywhere available
1 HDMI adapter
1 VGA adapter - many offices still use VGA projectors rather than HDMI
1 USB-C to USB-A converter - to use an old USB stick / external harddrive
1 laptop charger
1 SD-Card reader (for those who like to travel with a proper camera) / alternatively the USB cable to plug the camera in directly (plus the USB-A to USB-C converter)
etc. etc.

A lot of stuff to carry just for basic functionality!

Most of that I don't need. Personally, I'm glad my MBP doesn't have a VGA out port. Can you imagine it?

 

[vvs14]

Agreed. Why should those who don't need an HDMI connection have to pay for one, either as a dongle, or built in to the computer.

Thats not what I meant. Your comment was ridiculous. What the original poster meant was that HDMI cable is something that everyone needs. So having to pay $79 for the connector after paying 1300 dollars for the laptop already is ridiculous. And its not like its a new feature that Apple will have to add. Its already present on it. Not having it is not going to make the laptop any cheaper.

 

[Benny52694]

****
Ming-Chi Kuo

 

[doelcm82]

Thats not what I meant. Your comment was ridiculous. What the original poster meant was that HDMI cable is something that everyone needs. So having to pay $79 for the connector after paying 1300 dollars for the laptop already is ridiculous. And its not like its a new feature that Apple will have to add. Its already present on it. Not having it is not going to make the laptop any cheaper.

Where did you get the idea that everyone needs HDMI output on a laptop computer?

 

[MarvinHC]

Most of that I don't need. Personally, I'm glad my MBP doesn't have a VGA out port. Can you imagine it?

Why would it hurt you to have one?

 

[garya73]

No you don't. You get to an office where there is a projector, normally a cable (VGA or HDMI) is provided. That is why industry standards (that Apple very often likes to ignore) are useful.

We are living in an increasingly wireless world. Ports will eventually be removed from all devices as they will be obselete. Apple is just using their market position to hopefully drag the rest of the market into USB-C. If the industry standard is USB-C, then dongles and adapters will be unnecessary.

Wouldn't it be great to just carry a few cables to connect to a network, power/charge, connect to a tv/monitor, or whatever other need you had, and not have to carry a bunch of different adapters along with the cables? Of course it would obselete a lot of peripherals, but technology is moving at an increasingly rapid pace, and shows no signs of slowing. Devices are getting thinner and faster. I don't think those bendable phones are that far off. Of course they would be too thin for any ports, so you would have wireless charging and wireless file transfer and casting to a tv would mean that the tv would have the built in capacity to receive data from any device wirelessly.

When I saw that the new MBPs would have an OLED touch display, I thought they were talking about the main display, not a tiny strip above the keyboard. Apple is quickly being left in the dust. No wonder India said they aren't cutting edge.

 

[MarvinHC]

You will charge by plugging into your monitor via a single cable for both power and video.

MagSafe is irrelevant these days anyway - at your desk it's unnecessary, and everywhere else there's no need to charge at all. The battery in my 13" MacBook Pro lasts about 3 to 4 days when I travel. I don't even bother bringing a charger on weekend trips.

Well some people actually USE their laptop when travelling, not just use it as a fashion statement on the table at Starbucks

 

[cult hero]

I don't have time for a long reply. All I am trying to say is that a lot of people still use ports that Apple is planning to eliminate according to this rumor. They already charge people premium price. They need to provide connectivity options that people need that are standard on any other laptop worth its salt. Charging people for adapters after charging them premium amount is ridiculous.

So... what? Give the adapters away for free? Include a bunch of unused plastic in every machine where most users won't use them?

How many adapters do you seriously need? And video adapters are CHEAP. Just don't buy the Apple branded versions. It's as simple as that. And if you're a Pro, give it a rest. These are your tools. You pay for them. I have my entire career.

Just another word on all the dongles etc.
Those who travel a lot, know how easy it is to lose/forget a dongle/cable in an airport, hotel, office etc. Luckily here in China those dongles cost next to nothing (for example TB to HDMI sets me back less than $3), but otherwise you carry a fortune just in these adapters.
For example:
1 Ethernet adapter - reliable (and safe!) WIFI is not everywhere available
1 HDMI adapter
1 VGA adapter - many offices still use VGA projectors rather than HDMI
1 USB-C to USB-A converter - to use an old USB stick / external harddrive
1 laptop charger
1 SD-Card reader (for those who like to travel with a proper camera) / alternatively the USB cable to plug the camera in directly (plus the USB-A to USB-C converter)
etc. etc.

A lot of stuff to carry just for basic functionality!

You're already carrying the charger. After that... it depends on your needs. The average person traveling with a laptop doesn't need anything more than the charger and I say this as someone who has a little zip up back with a bunch of adapters (ethernet, Firewire with another adapter for 400, VGA, DVI, serial). I carry this bag when I travel. It takes up less space than my toiletries.

Most of these ports are no longer "basic functionality." "Basic" users—as in the type of people who need "basic functionality"—connect to exactly nothing other than power when traveling.

 

[aloshka]

USB-A? Firewire 400 or 800? Serial? eSATA? VGA? DVI? DisplayPort? Mini DisplayPort? HDMI? Ethernet? Thunderbolt? USB-C?

Are you saying that Apple should keep floppy's around? What about COM ports? Parallels ports for printers that people still use? I mean those are important ports for some people. A lot of keyboards are still PS2. Maybe they should add those in too. All in a laptop.

Wireless is crap, needs to be removed and replaced with more cables and more ports. Bring CRT monitors into their macbook pro line, who cares how big it is. It will make 1% of users happy and that's why they should do it.

I know that's not your point, but some company has to lead technology forward. Otherwise we'd still be using CDROMs. People were against BluRay when they came out. So USB-C is the future and someone has to force all the people that are scared to death of moving forward to be uncomfortable. Someone has to do it. I'm just glad Apple is doing it.

 

[vvs14]

So... what? Give the adapters away for free? Include a bunch of unused plastic in every machine where most users won't use them?

How many adapters do you seriously need? And video adapters are CHEAP. Just don't buy the Apple branded versions. It's as simple as that. And if you're a Pro, give it a rest. These are your tools. You pay for them. I have my entire career.



You're already carrying the charger. After that... it depends on your needs. The average person traveling with a laptop doesn't need anything more than the charger and I say this as someone who has a little zip up back with a bunch of adapters (ethernet, Firewire with another adapter for 400, VGA, DVI, serial). I carry this bag when I travel. It takes up less space than my toiletries.

Most of these ports are no longer "basic functionality." "Basic" users—as in the type of people who need "basic functionality"—connect to exactly nothing other than power when traveling.

Leave the ports in. Again, no idea why you think most users don't use these ports. Most people I know use these ports heavily. And you can always include a couple of USB C ports and allow other technologies to transition to USB C connectivity. Till then, because you are still using those ports through dongles, there will be a speed bottleneck anyways. Once USB C ports become standard get rid of all other ports.

 

[cult hero]

Are you saying that Apple should keep floppy's around? What about COM ports? Parallels ports for printers that people still use? I mean those are important ports for some people. A lot of keyboards are still PS2. Maybe they should add those in too. All in a laptop.

Wireless is crap, needs to be removed and replaced with more cables and more ports. Bring CRT monitors into their macbook pro line, who cares how big it is. It will make 1% of users happy and that's why they should do it.

I know that's not your point, but some company has to lead technology forward. Otherwise we'd still be using CDROMs. People were against BluRay when they came out. So USB-C is the future and someone has to force all the people that are scared to death of moving forward to be uncomfortable. Someone has to do it. I'm just glad Apple is doing it.

Did you read my post at all? That was my point. I was responding to someone else saying that Apple was removing stuff. I was asking what was "standard." Most people griping care about their ports. I've been using adapters for years because I recognize that I am not a "normal" user. And when it comes to "Pro" users, there's no such thing as normal because it encompasses everything from developers to engineers to 3D modelers to videographers.

 

[Brad9893]

Smack Down Applied! Brad9893 is now back in last week, lol.

I can assure you that I am still here in this week.

 

[MarvinHC]

We are living in an increasingly wireless world. Ports will eventually be removed from all devices as they will be obselete. Apple is just using their market position to hopefully drag the rest of the market into USB-C. If the industry standard is USB-C, then dongles and adapters will be unnecessary.

Wouldn't it be great to just carry a few cables to connect to a network, power/charge, connect to a tv/monitor, or whatever other need you had, and not have to carry a bunch of different adapters along with the cables? Of course it would obselete a lot of peripherals, but technology is moving at an increasingly rapid pace, and shows no signs of slowing. Devices are getting thinner and faster. I don't think those bendable phones are that far off. Of course they would be too thin for any ports, so you would have wireless charging and wireless file transfer and casting to a tv would mean that the tv would have the built in capacity to receive data from any device wirelessly.

When I saw that the new MBPs would have an OLED touch display, I thought they were talking about the main display, not a tiny strip above the keyboard. Apple is quickly being left in the dust. No wonder India said they aren't cutting edge.

I agree one standard cable for everything would be great. But so far Apple has failed on delivering that. Where is Thunderbolt these days that was supposed to do that?
When the whole world pushed for micro USB for mobile phones, Apple went to lightning and nobody else followed. Now they will most likely drop this as well. So I am yet to be convinced that USB-C is there to last.

But I still disagree to use USB-C as a charging port for a laptop. First of all it is a security risk, I rather keep data and power ports separated. Secondly i still believe Magsafe is great. Not so much about the tripping risk etc, but which other laptop can you easily plug in with one hand? See at one glance if it is actually charging and if the battery is full?

And with regards to wireless: yes, all wireless is / would be great. But the whole world is not there yet.

 

[accentaudio]

Ugh! Why can't they leave well enough alone? Give us newer/better CPUs, dGPUs, more RAM, faster/larger HDs, and less problematic displays/heat issues and call it good. There is nothing in the world wrong with the current design.

 

[vvs14]

Where did you get the idea that everyone needs HDMI output on a laptop computer?

Most people I know use HDMI ports to connect laptops to displays to watch Netflix, or in classrooms for presentations. If you don't use the HDMI port frequently does not mean everybody else does not use it. I don't understand why there is so much outrage when people don't agree with something that Apple does. If you pay premium price, you need connectivity with multiple platforms that are used heavily without having to buy connectors.

 

[cult hero]

Leave the ports in. Again, no idea why you think most users don't use these ports. Most people I know use these ports heavily. And you can always include a couple of USB C ports and allow other technologies to transition to USB C connectivity.

Because I service multiple offices and personal users. It's my job. I deal with people all the time, configure their networks, etc. I have for years.

Till then, because you are still using those ports through dongles, there will be a speed bottleneck anyways.

This is actually not the case with most dongles. Thunderbolt, in particular, is basically external PCIe. If you're doing something like ethernet over USB you'll see a hit, but it has to do with the different bus types and the conversions being made not because there is a "dongle" involved. That's the whole point of USB-C/Thunderbolt.

Once USB C ports become standard get rid of all other ports.

Apple has regularly forced the industry's hand. Like I said before, this is nothing new. They've done it before and they will keep doing it. They're not going to stop doing it.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Don't assume that just because I have a different opinion that I am finger wagging. And if I am, I'm only finger wagging because I find all of the endless complaining that people do here these days tiresome. I'm not talking about you in particular, of course, but you would honestly think that it was the end of the world sometimes. I guess I just come all of this from a different angle because I am not someone who thinks of the MacBook Pro as a professional machine in any way. All of the people that I know who have MBP's are the furthest thing from professionals (some of who can barely use and troubleshoot the computer in the first place), and it's obvious to me that despite what Apple says, they aren't really catering to the Pro market anymore. It's completely clear to me at least, and I think that everything around here would be much better if people could realize that.QUOTE]

Well, a Chromebook would be a better alternative than a MacBook Pro then. If Apple's intention is to create a thin client for web browsing and basic file system access. Apple could maintain two futures, the MacBook Retina for the everyday user and the MacBook Pro for the core market of professionals in design, business and power user markets.