New MacBook Pro Models Lack Optical Audio Out via Headphone Jack
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DTphonehome
macrumors 68000
Not for the removal of this feature alone. For this and the dozens of other ways they've gimped a "Pro" machine to the point where the only pros it's useful for are the pro coffee shop latte sippers.
Pretty sure conversations went like this:
Our T3 isn't fully backwards compatible. Some devices won't work/They won't care... they'll get over it
We're not putting in optical audio out/they won't care... they'll get over it
and so on
So your solution is to complain about the complainers.
You realize this is a message board?
You realize that many are customers - some for years, others potential. It's not anti-Apple or useless to discuss where your potential technology shines and/or falters.
Whether one is purchasing, is undecided or is nor purchasing the device - they are entitled to throw their opinion into the ring as part of the discussion.
Might I suggest that if you are tired of the complaining, you skip threads like this and/or refrain from posting instead of suggesting others not. Exercise some self control there. My .02
stanman64
macrumors 6502a
source?
................... god damnit Apple.
And yes I've used this feature at times while using my Mac as a makeshift home theatre.
While it's not a make or break feature for me, you're deluding yourself if you think Apple hasn't earned all of the bad press it's getting.
The quote from the the person in the pro audio industry demonstrates the problem perfectly. This was a feature some people depended on, that has been present in almost every Mac for the last decade. Something that, as long as there is a headphone jack you would just assume is there. And yet Apple ripped it out without even feeling the need to communicate this to consumers in some way.
And yes I've used this feature at times while using my Mac as a makeshift home theatre.
While it's not a make or break feature for me, you're deluding yourself if you think Apple hasn't earned all of the bad press it's getting.
The quote from the the person in the pro audio industry demonstrates the problem perfectly. This was a feature some people depended on, that has been present in almost every Mac for the last decade. Something that, as long as there is a headphone jack you would just assume is there. And yet Apple ripped it out without even feeling the need to communicate this to consumers in some way.
leroypants
Suspended
Gotta love the fanboy cultists defending needing a dozen over priced Apple dongles to make the new MacBook "just work".
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Hanzu Lao
Suspended
Well next time in the keynote they should announce all the garbage instead, because every day i learn about something that's no longer available in the new machine. If there is anything good i'm sure people will find out, but give people a ****ing heads up about the crap in the keynote instead.
Chupa Chupa
macrumors G5
The demo at the event showing how to use emoticons with the new MBP really is starting to seem like more than just something Apple did to waste a few minutes. It was a real tell of their intended market for this machine.
What surprises me most is that even in the face of what is clearly a gimped "pro" machine there are still people that don't work for Apple that vigorously defend it. This has to be the worst thoughtout "pro" laptops from a workflow and utility perspective Apple has ever released -- I've owned one from just about every generation since the Duo so I have a little real world perspective there, not just grazing a Wikipedia page.
If this was a MacBook it would be fine, but it's a MBP, or so the label plate says. Just shows you what lemmings Apple thinks we all are that we could be mesmerized by a shiny touch bar. (I like the touch bar, but attach it to a versitile laptop please).
(And yes, I know what optical audio is. It's not a killer feature, but it is useful and why take it out if the audio port is remaining? Of course the answer is it saves Apple a couple bucks -- a couple bucks they are not reducing the cost of the machine by obviously).
What surprises me most is that even in the face of what is clearly a gimped "pro" machine there are still people that don't work for Apple that vigorously defend it. This has to be the worst thoughtout "pro" laptops from a workflow and utility perspective Apple has ever released -- I've owned one from just about every generation since the Duo so I have a little real world perspective there, not just grazing a Wikipedia page.
If this was a MacBook it would be fine, but it's a MBP, or so the label plate says. Just shows you what lemmings Apple thinks we all are that we could be mesmerized by a shiny touch bar. (I like the touch bar, but attach it to a versitile laptop please).
(And yes, I know what optical audio is. It's not a killer feature, but it is useful and why take it out if the audio port is remaining? Of course the answer is it saves Apple a couple bucks -- a couple bucks they are not reducing the cost of the machine by obviously).
Anonymous Freak
macrumors 603
I agree. While I really like the with-touchbar design; I like it as a "beefed up MacBook". I don't have a need for a "Pro" machine any more. If I still did, I would have been very annoyed at this update. As it is, the things that I would miss are only minor inconveniences, not major issues. (I would like an SD slot, but as infrequently as I need it, I can use an adapter. I would like optical-out, but I use it so infrequently now, it's not a huge deal, and I use AirPlay far more often. Heck, the feature I still haven't been willing to give up is a replaceable battery - I'm still on a late 2008 aluminum MacBook!)
DEMinSoCAL
macrumors 603
Considering the state of things, that would actually be GOOD news.Another bad news story every day.
What next? It secretly runs Windows but not MacOS
Telos101
macrumors regular
Nope. Shows on my system profiler.
DEMinSoCAL
macrumors 603
Yeah, those old HDMI ports that no one used. Those old standard USB 3 ports that I'm sure sat stagnant on everyone's Macbook Pro. And, that pesky SD Card reader slot that probably contained more lint than ever had an SD card! Good thing Apple takes away those ports that no one uses or needed.
This is a PRO laptop. Whatever this means it can be pro-life or pro-choice it's a thing nowadays. If you're not into PRO, something is wrong with you, and if you don't agree with me we got a problem.
Yes. And I won't throw away my $3000 Harman-Kardon amplifier or put clumsy dongles/converters next to it only because Phil decided what I don't need and saved $2 price-wise and 1 gram weight-wise.
How much more stupid can it be to completely arbitrarily remove functionality from a product? More and more prone to leave the Apple platform... Well done Phil!
Unfortunately, I have done just that--and they are priced correctly aka way more for the same price. So hard for me to pull the trigger though, but one thing I do know, is I am going to keep my current rmbp for a bit longer until I absolutely need a new machine--hopefully apple figures their **** out by then re: pro line of computers.
Ps, I am a web developer/programmer that often uses photoshop/final cut/premiere
But are they compatible?
And when will they be released?
Schiller is full of himself. This is just another empty, diversionary statement.
robertcoogan
macrumors 6502a
The lack of a optical port on the Apple TV isn't such a big deal. I connect my speakers to the TV itself.
Fall Under Cerulean Kites
macrumors 6502
They do not collect user data, but do collect usage data. From this, they determine, in aggregate, which features are being used. They cannot tell that you use a particular feature, but they can tell that out of X number of devices which have this feature, Y% of users utilize the feature.
This is a feature that can be turned on or off and that you were asked about when you installed your OS on your particular device.
OldSchoolMacGuy
Suspended
Heck of a lot of complaints from people with ZERO USE for this ability anyways.
So many of you love to cry just to cry.
So many of you love to cry just to cry.
69Mustang
macrumors 604
Death of a thousand cuts. At this point, Apple would be better served by just posting a listing of "Things we took out". That way people could see the list, pick out the things that affect them directly, and express their displeasure. A couple of days of everyone's personal vents and this thing goes away. The constant trickle of "this is missing" only exacerbates and magnifies the negative perceptions of the latest MBP.
Apple is usually pretty darn good at product intros. They couldn't have done a worse job with this one. If one didn't know better, one could be forgiven for thinking it was some sort of self sabotage.
Apple is usually pretty darn good at product intros. They couldn't have done a worse job with this one. If one didn't know better, one could be forgiven for thinking it was some sort of self sabotage.
OldSchoolMacGuy
Suspended
So many seem to miss this.
This is why the SD slot disappeared from the new MBP. Want to guess at what percentage have EVER used that slot? Less than 2% of MBP users. Why include it if so few have use for it? Are we making a device that should appeal to the mass audience or just a very very small, very very specific audience?