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"We're getting rid of the USB-A port because USB-C is the future!!"

-- the company that brought you Firewire and Thunderbolt
The fact that Thunderbolt is now going to live on through the USB C port, making TB enabled USB C effectively a properly universal port that can carry anything, kind of defeats the point you're trying to make.
 
I think (sad to say) that my 2012 retina macbook pro is actually my longest lasting laptop. I got it Christmas of 2012, and it still practically runs like new (minus a little bit of decrease in battery life since I often use it as a desktop), and surprisingly still pretty fast with Sierra.

Same here. Mine has 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD in the main bay, 1TB HD in the CD-ROM bay. I can run several servers natively and in two different Linux VMs and code to my heart's content. That said, I definitely want to upgrade to a new machine after holding out this long.

I really hope the Thunderbolt displays can be used with the new MBP with a USB-C to Thunderbolt dongle that also keeps the back ports active. If the magsafe is truly gone, I'll have to get a extra, stationary power brick to pair with the monitor. Plus dongles to continue using USB3 devices (USB2 and F/W devices can continue to plug into the TB display).
 
Well today is the 18th. Next week is the last full week of the month. If this is suppose to be a major update with all the "special event" trimmings then invitations need to drop today or tomorrow. I'll remain skeptical until I see an invitation. If the next MBP is just a quiet press release launch then it's because it's more flash than dash or Apple doesn't give a crap about computers anymore and it's just an obligatory release, not ready to get out of the computer business just yet.

The invites can drop as late as Friday for an event next week. Apple knows the press will jump at any opportunity to attend an Apple event.

I do wonder if Apple intends to have it at their new campus auditorium, but not sure if it will be ready in time?

Regarding the MacBook Air.

If Apple does update it (a big if, lets be honest..) - are we expecting a redesign? I have not heard a single word about it. On the other hand, I can't see them going through the hassle of changing its I/O (removing MagSafe, adding USB-C, perhaps even removing the SD-port) and then leaving everything else the same way as it has been for the last 7 years. It would make no sense.

I see two possible scenarios:

1. There is no 13" MBA with USB-C coming. The line-up will consist of the old 13" MBA, 12" rMB, and the new 13/15" rMBP. The rumors got it all wrong, the 13" MBA with USB-C is actually the same device as the 13" rMBP.

...OR

2. There is a brand new 13" rMB coming, featuring USB-C only.

What do you think?


No, the MBA would not be a redesign. They would most likely remove magsafe, and switch the USB-A & Thunderbolt 2 ports with USB-C, with a processor upgrade -- this would not be so different than the mid-cycle upgrade of the iPad 3 to 4 for a similar port change. Also, I would not be surprised to see mag-safe replaced by the Lightning port, and have Apple announce that they've provided compatibility with Lightning across all of their products. They would likely leave the headphone jack until the model is discontinued. The main question in my mind is if they would leave one of the two USB-A ports (treating it similar to the 2012 MBP with a DVD drive).

Maybe something like this:

29786008083_64a90c265d_o.jpg


Also, I fully expect the rMB to quietly have its headphone jack replaced by Lightning as well in a mid-cycle update, possibly also with a processor bump.
 
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And every day people purchase HASWELL processors they don't use at even 70% of their capacity in their entire Rmbp life. But you just love saying stuff like this as if you know so much about it.
The processor is one of the last things that need to be updated to accommodate to 95%of their customers.


Thank you!!!
 
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is 'manageable' a desirable standard for you?

i managed to travel before my gold card, before smartphones, before i had a laptop, before there was even wifi. there is nothing miraculous about that.

'managed' as in 'I was doing fine without any constrictions or drawbacks'. Not a native-speaker here and I'm pretty sure you got my point and still decided you twist my words ;)

Yes, I missed a second USB-port on that machine once in a while but never once did I wish for any of the other ports or were compromised by the dongles - which, as I said, I hardly ever used.
 
And every day people purchase HASWELL processors they don't use at even 70% of their capacity in their entire Rmbp life. But you just love saying stuff like this as if you know so much about it.
The processor is one of the last things that need to be updated to accommodate to 95%of their customers.

Not only that, but even the as-yet unreleased Kaby Lake processors will only be marginally faster than the 'really old' CPUs in the current line.
 
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- Can we please stop calling Thunderbolt 3 ports USB-C ports? It's like calling Thunderbolt 2 ports Mini DisplayPort ports. It's confusing and inaccurate. Nobody did it with Thunderbolt 2; why with Thunderbolt 3?
You are not the only person confused. USB Type C (commonly USB-C) is the connector which tells you nothing about what that connector is capable of. USB-C is simply a connector, nothing more, nothing less. It is the hardware connected to that connector that defines what you can do with it. For instance, a USB-C connector can support Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 but just because you have a USB-C connector doesn't mean you have Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 (see the MacBook, for instance). I have seen PCs with USB-C connectors that only support the USB 2 protocol; imagine that users potential disappointment.

Intel choose the USB-C connector as the connector for Thunderbolt 3. Calling the port USB-C is accurate if only that it is describing the connector, not the capability. So, though all Thunderbolt 3 devices will use USB-C connectors not all USB-C connectors are capable of Thunderbolt 3.

Heads up, if Thunderbolt 3 IS supported in the new MBPs USB-C connectors you can't use just any USB-C cable for Thunderbolt; you guessed it, you need a proper Thunderbolt cable. Oh, and be aware you can buy USB-C cables that actually only support the USB 2 standard, so if you try to connect an actual USB 3.1 device you are in for a disappointment. In fact, there are a number of absolute crap USB-C cables and devices out there which could potentially cause damage to the host device (read: your brand new MacBook Pro). Amazon is taking a stand to ensure what they are selling meets the standards set out by the USB council.

Hope this helps.
 
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You are not the only person confused. USB Type C (commonly USB-C) is the connector which tells you nothing about what that connector is capable of. USB-C is simply a connector, nothing more, nothing less. It is the hardware connected to that connector that defines what you can do with it. For instance, a USB-C connector can support Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 but just because you have a USB-C connector doesn't mean you have Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1 (see the MacBook, for instance). I have seen PCs with USB-C connectors that only support the USB 2 protocol; imagine that users potential disappointment.

Intel choose the USB-C connector as the connector for Thunderbolt 3. Calling the port USB-C is accurate if only that it is describing the connector, not the capability.

Heads up, if Thunderbolt 3 IS supported in the new MBPs USB-C connectors you can't use just any USB-C cable for Thunderbolt; you guessed it, you need a proper Thunderbolt cable. Oh, and be aware you can buy USB-C cables that actually only support the USB 2 standard, so if you try to connect an actual USB 3.1 device you are in for a disappointment. In fact, there are a number of absolute crap USB-C cables and devices out there which could potentially cause damage to the host device (read: your brand new MacBook Pro). Amazon is taking a stand to ensure what they are selling meets the standards set out by the USB council.

Hope this helps.
- Thanks. I'm not confused, though. I'm trying to prevent everyone else getting confused by pointing out the inaccuracy of the information in the article.
 
This is getting out of hand. I do not want to carry around bag for all of the chargers and dongles I'm going to need to operate apple devices.
 
These courageous decisions render the new MacBooks so far ahead of their time that their one-year warranty does not start until 2020.
 
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Very interested, but not preorder interested. Gonna have to play with one in store. I hated the keyboard on the MacBook.
 
The fact that Thunderbolt is now going to live on through the USB C port, making TB enabled USB C effectively a properly universal port that can carry anything, kind of defeats the point you're trying to make.
OK, but meanwhile the vast vast majority of everything you can buy plugs in via USB-A. I'll believe in future of this miracle port when stuff actually is, you know, available for it? Until then it's just going to be a pain in the @** to have as the only option on your Mac.
 
Something less convenient...like...battery? o_O Especially since you plug your sd card in at home? Oh come on, guys.
I currently use many things on my laptop like removable battery (not on this laptop, already gone) DVD (well used to since it doesn't have one), HDMI, USB-A, SD card slot, magsafe, replaceable memory (not now on this laptop), network port (not on this one, already gone) and now Apple is taking them away, I don't see why you think its not ok for me to be pissed off.
 
it's that making due isn't an improvement.

For people like my parents and my girlfriend, it's definitely an improvement. They like using a computer, but can't remember connectors and how you insert them. In a USB-C world, which a new MBP would presumably enter, there wouldn't be any confusion whatsoever for them -- there's just one port.

A counterpoint to that would be that the MBP is meant for the pro, not the regular user.

I really hope the Thunderbolt displays can be used with the new MBP (...) I'll have to get a extra, stationary power brick to pair with the monitor. Plus dongles

Perhaps it'll make much more sense to buy new monitors with USB-C. That setup will be much more future-proof, too. And your Thunderbolt displays can currently still be resold for good money.

Not only that, but even the as-yet unreleased Kaby Lake processors will only be marginally faster than the 'really old' CPUs in the current line.

I agree with you, the gains per CPU generation are rather marginal. SSDs have improved, though. And when you combine that with two generations of CPUs (from Haswell to Broadwell to Skylake), then all in all I feel you get a decent speed upgrade from, say a 2012 to a 2016 rMBP.

However the awesome 25% speed increases we used to get 7-8 years ago are gone.
 
The fact that Thunderbolt is now going to live on through the USB C port, making TB enabled USB C effectively a properly universal port that can carry anything, kind of defeats the point you're trying to make.
But I wonder if manufacturers will just default to USB-C and largely ignore TB at this point. TB hasn't caught the world by storm and now by using the USB-C port, it may be just the excuse for drive makers and others to ignore it and go straight to USB-C
 
But I wonder if manufacturers will just default to USB-C and largely ignore TB at this point. TB hasn't caught the world by storm and now by using the USB-C port, it may be just the excuse for drive makers and others to ignore it and go straight to USB-C
Are Macs important enough for everyone to move to USB-C though? I'm probably wrong but I can see producers releasing 30 USB-A models and 1 USB-C model at twice the price. Some motherboards nowadays come with 6xUSB-A and 1xUSB-C but it's not quite a standard yet.
 
Are Macs important enough for everyone to move to USB-C though?
I think USB-C is being embraced, not because of Apple but because of the industry as a whole. Intel/Apple decided to hop on that bandwagon and use the USB-C port for Thunderbolt, which in my book is an admission of its failure and such a move will not stave off the inevitable
 
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