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

[nviz22]

I am so glad I didn't buy a Macbook regular 2015. One USB Type C port only? Now, the new Pro might have 4? Interesting. I wish the 2016 model didn't have a bunch of differences with the OLED sensor and USB Type C standard. Makes my 2015 model a little different. Oh well....

 

[doelcm82]

Why would it hurt you to have one?

Opportunity cost.

 

[thadoggfather]

DAE like the tactical feel of function keys? I think I would miss those,

I wonder how it would work causing reflection on the screen at times?

hate that the USB-c is so far out from the edge on the side unlike 12" rMB, seems.. improper
And 4 USB-C? So already add a negative aspect to review you have to spend at least $80, to more like mid $100 (for the USB-C to multi port dongle)

I sorta hope this is fake, but it seems.. real :/

More glad I got 2015 rMB when I did (when it first came out), 4 USB-C, even if some are TB3, really makes the rMB seem sorta versatile now since you can do USB-C to multi port USB-3 if you want, how many dang USB related stuffs do you need?

here comes macOS+this announcement soon,

in other news- glad this leak happened anyways, what a drought of apple pipe line rumors

 

[bounou]

Reasons:
1. Having to buy a magsafe adaptor
2. Having to buy two usb adaptors
3. Having to buy a thunderbolt adaptor
4. Having to carry around those adaptors

I would much rather spend a 100$ more on adapters then 3000$ on a laptop with legacy technology, just my 2 cents

 

[MarvinHC]

Opportunity cost.
View attachment 633793

Let's not exaggerate... yes, parallel and serial ports are obsolete. And in principal I can live without VGA (although in many workplaces this is still the one and only connection to a projector!). But at least an HDMI port pretty please....

 

[maxsix]

Gimmicks as expected, its sure to excite the iOS centric users. Perhaps it will bring something useful other that grist for the Apple Hype Machine.

 

[henryaaron]

Oh I understand. Predictive text. They're going to use the panel for predictive text.

 

[Goaliegeek]

The fact that you are still using DVI in 2016 is your problem, not Apple's.

For all the other stuff you mentioned, there are a plethora of 3rd party USB-C hubs that have all those ports for reasonable prices. USB-C is the future and I am happy Apple is not afraid to rip off the band-aid. That's how progress happens.

What is wrong with dvi? My monitor has one hdmi port which my pc is using, a vga port, and a dvi port which my Mac uses. So unless you have a monitor that has a usb c input, you need a dongle for video out.

 

[oldmacs]

Oh ffs Apple, its not any thinner, yet you apparently feel the need to get rid of the magsafe adaptor - one of the best Apple laptop innovations ever.

How about they allow charging over USB-C as well as magsafe, then you'd have the advantages of magsafe for normal charging, but if you left your charger at home etc, you could also charge through the usb 3.0 port.

 

[Santabean2000]

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.

The SD slot goes vastly unused for most folks. Since the iPhone/smartphone has taken over camera duties and the rise of cloud services and wireless technologies, I don't really see the need to make it a feature.

Yes, a few photographers might be pissed, but they're the exception. And there are adapters. And docks.

Personally, I'm stoked on a new design. I also intend on getting a dock for my desktop setup at work. I can then have USB A, SD, ethernet, HDMI etc etc all from one cable.

Not ideal for the most mobile of pros, but again, they are the complete minority. And not so long ago you were hauling a well heavy Mac, charger etc. A couple of little adapters is not a biggie.

 

[antonis]

Where's the rest of the ports ?

 

[PatriotInvasion]

What is wrong with dvi? My monitor has one hdmi port which my pc is using, a vga port, and a dvi port which my Mac uses. So unless you have a monitor that has a usb c input, you need a dongle for video out.

DVI came out in 1999 and has been surpassed by a plethora of new standards including HDMI and DisplayPort (which will now be using USB-Type C). Complaining that a MacBook Pro released in 2016 doesn't natively support a port standard that is nearly 20 years old seemed ridiculous.

 

[doelcm82]

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.

How do you tranquilize a Blue Elephant? With a Blue Elephant Tranquilizer Gun.
How do you tranquilize a Pink Elephant? You twist its trunk until it turns Blue, then use your Blue Elephant Tranquilizer Gun.

I'm not outraged. I think that Apple has discovered that there are many users who never connect their premium MBP laptops to external displays of any kind, and another group that connects to a display that is not HDMI. Rather than provide all the ports necessary to connect to DVI, VGA, HDMI, etc., it makes more sense to support one standard and convert to the others.

Not everyone pays the premium for Apple products to get a Swiss Army knife of ports they probably won't use. Some pay for the simplicity. It's not a new thing at Apple.

 

[raybo]

Why should you carry an HDMI cable? If there is a projector with HDMI-in, there will be an HDMI cable.

Well, I'd carry my own high-end cables if I depend on them - and attach the dongle needed... You do have a laptop bag?

 

[ghost187]

No tapered design?

 

[thadoggfather]

i think this seriously may impact sales insofar as cannibalizing their own with people holding onto what they have

iPhone 6s if 7 has no headphone jack,
MBP or rMBP/Air (even though EOL certainly, all or approaching it in case of rMBP) over these 2016 rMBP's for doing away with all ports..

 

[raybo]

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!

Why do you forget a dongle? Isn't it attached to the cable? Do you forget the whole cable/dongle? Really?

 

[jeremiah256]

USB-C = using docks for those that need to use multiple legacy ports at the same time. Like it or not, that seems to be the future until everything shifts to USB-C. The Pixel and MacBook may have been the first, but I'm guessing the design and manufacturing advantages will lead everyone (both computer and peripheral manufacturers) down this path by 2018.

 

[jhudgins]

There is still hope Apple may do something with MagSafe, but I honestly saw it coming with the 12" MB. With the do-it-all nature of the of USB-C and TB-3, it was pretty easy see Apple going all USB-C as soon as possible.

While magsafe will be missed, as more stuff USB C comes out, having all USB-C ports makes the machine much more flexible. Now, if you never use HDMI or the SD card slot, you get 2 extra USB ports you can do something else with.

Why can't Apple add the iPad Pro Smart Connector, then you'd have Mag Safe/ power and data transfer.

 

[2457248]

How is the headphone jack unusually placed? That's exactly where it is in the Retina MacBook.

No.
i'm talking about the rMBP

headphone jack farther from where you are is ergonomically wrong.
the rMB only has one port per side so the argument doesn't apply to it.

 

[peterdevries]

Can someone explain what this touch panel is about please? Why is it going to be useful? Who even uses function keys that often and why would it be better if they're in a touch panel?...

Because now you can make their use app dependent. Like dedicated software keys for Photoshop, autocad etc. Very useful for pros, but this opinion might be very unpopular here because most would rather complain about the un-pro-ness of removing an sd slot.

 

[drumcat]

Let's not exaggerate... yes, parallel and serial ports are obsolete. And in principal I can live without VGA (although in many workplaces this is still the one and only connection to a projector!). But at least an HDMI port pretty please....

They don't get obsolete until you start leaving them out because there's a superior option.

HDMI has its limitations, but is there not a USB-C -> HDMI cable to be had?
[doublepost=1464755646][/doublepost]Honestly, for all the bitching, is there a connection from a USB-C to something else that won't work?

 

[wozmatic]

ENOUGH WITH THIS THIN CRAP.

Just like the iPhone SE. Apple should make 2 different thicknesses of MacBooks. Those that want 2 hour battery like, and those that want 6 hours.

Honestly, the 12mm body is fine with me. My hands aren't evolving smaller anytime soon...

 

[kreasonos]

I cannot believe how bad things have gotten at Apple since Jobs died. Good thing we have Linux and Thinkpads.

 

[MacDarcy]

If APPLE plans to remove the headphone jack from the iphone 7, why would they keep it in the MacBook Pro? Makes no sense.