Short List of Why Apple Made the Right Decision Pioneering USB-C

[Fishrrman]

The thread's premise is that USB-c is "simpler" than what came before.

It IS NOT "simple" when you have one connector, but 5 or 6 dongles/adapters that you much choose from to connect your device to the MacBook. Picking the wrong one might even damage the device you wish to connect.

It is quite simple when one has numerous ports, with different form factors. Now it's easy to look and understand "which port is for what", and easy to find the appropriate cable with which to connect -- no dongle adapter needed.

It has been quite common to see posts in this forum from individuals who cannot comprehend that thunderbolt and displayport are DIFFERENT types of connections but connect to the same port.

Now one has to buy a USB-c or thunderbolt 3 dock to "get the ports back".

Not-so-fearless-prediction:
USB-c will probably become as prevalent in the laptop computer market as was thunderbolt before it.
That is to say -- not all that successful.
Given a choice, I sense many (most?) users (on the PC side) will buy a new laptop with the ports they need to use TODAY, rather than USB-c ports they -might use- at some indeterminate point in time in the future.

My personal solution:
Buy a new MacBook Pro -- but a 2015 model. All the ports I'll need, good-enough performance, and WAY less money!

 

[bniu]

What I do not understand is why they did not transfer the magnetic stuff from the laptop to the charger. I mean... That would be proprietary, can do a lot of money with broken cables as Apple loves to and on top of that you could still charge the laptop with a standard usb-c charger.

With laptop batteries lasting longer and longer these days, the need to always be plugged in is less essential. How often do we have our iDevices plugged in while using them? Plus laptops are lighter these days, so even a magnetic port would still pull a laptop a bit.

I used to have an 11" air, the MagSafe wasn't that effective with it, whereas my old 17" MBP wouldn't even budge.

MagSafe was made in a different time, and since it was a dedicated charging port, it made sense to design it that way. Now, USB-c is a universal port and needs to do more than just charge, and at the same time, the effectiveness of a magnetic connection has diminished, so no surprise MagSafe is in the past now.

 

[maflynn]

MagSafe was made in a different time

I disagree, I travel and there's been plenty of times where someone pulled the power cord and if it weren't for magsafe, my MBP would have ended up on the floor.

I think its a need that is still relevent today. I was at Oracle OpenWorld this past fall, and the number of people hugging the walls to charge up their phones, and computers was significant.

 

[GBlansten]

With laptop batteries lasting longer and longer these days, the need to always be plugged in is less essential. How often do we have our iDevices plugged in while using them? Plus laptops are lighter these days, so even a magnetic port would still pull a laptop a bit.

I used to have an 11" air, the MagSafe wasn't that effective with it, whereas my old 17" MBP wouldn't even budge.

MagSafe was made in a different time, and since it was a dedicated charging port, it made sense to design it that way. Now, USB-c is a universal port and needs to do more than just charge, and at the same time, the effectiveness of a magnetic connection has diminished, so no surprise MagSafe is in the past now.

How did the world evolve beyond people tripping over cords. Did people become ephemeral?

 

[nebo1ss]

I know what you're implying but , Apple did indeed help to invent USB-C .

http://www.cultofmac.com/315671/it-turns-out-apple-invented-usb-c/





At the moment a TB3 host (not just Mac, but ANY host with TB3 plus an appropriately wired video) can support ANYTHING. Into my Mac I can plug in

USB 1.1
USB 2.0
USB 3.0
Firewire 400
Firewire 800
DVI
VGA
HDMI
Displayport
Ethernet (via USB, USB-C or TB)
PCI Express (via TB)
Power (of course)

and if you want to go retro
PS2/Serial via USB-A

You see that it's "not there" but I see it as it's "there if I want it". Joe up the street demands that the 2016 MacBook Pro have Firewire 400, but 99% of customers don't need that function. Still, Joe up the street has the option for FW400 while the rest of us are using 10 GBe ethernet adapters and 5k displays on the same port. And when we're using neither, we're left with an extremely thin and sleek machine. Fixed function ports are nice and convenient but USB-C provides extreme flexibility.

Well lets just correct that impression that Apple invented USB C. Don't believe rumours started by one web site, particularly where John Gruber is involved.

Here is a better take on it.

http://www.intelfreepress.com/news/usb-type-c-history/9346/

Would also be more convinced that Apple is really going the right way with the standard if they put it on their phone and got rid of existing lightning.

 

[protoxx]

As for whether they should have left at least one legacy port in there to make the transition easier, I think what they've done is correct - short term pain for long term gain. Let's imagine that they have left one legacy port in there. People will continue to use it because they can. Why change if I can continue using what I already have?

Why force your customers to spend more money and make their experience worse?

Oh yea, It's the "Cult of the USB-C". Yet another weird phony religion. Dietary hint, never drink the Kool-Aid at a Apple event.

With the current situation, what Apple has done is using its massive influence to drag everybody (kicking and screaming) into the future. Early adopters will have to deal with dongles/adapters, but the ports should become a new standard in a not-so-distant future.

Ahh early adopters. You need to put the sign in the Apple Store "Only Early Adopters admitted"

It's funny how all of the bitching about past transitions no longer exist. Do you really miss loading dvd's and cd's into your optical drive? The problem hasn't changed and the technology to allow it existed back then.

It's still a stupid idea to eliminate from the desktop systems. Space/weight savings there a joke.

More and more I see offices (law offices, clients of different segments, etc) with AppleTV to mirror iPhones/iPads/macs. Don't know if ATV can display/mirror Windows laptops. Projectors are too clumsy and installation too costly.

Interesting observation since these days since it seems most conference rooms have projectors or large monitors installed in them.

I used to have an 11" air, the MagSafe wasn't that effective with it, whereas my old 17" MBP wouldn't even budge.

Physics must work different in your universe. Works like a champ for my 11" Air.

MagSafe was made in a different time, and since it was a dedicated charging port, it made sense to design it that way. Now, USB-c is a universal port and needs to do more than just charge, and at the same time, the effectiveness of a magnetic connection has diminished, so no surprise MagSafe is in the past now.

Different time? Since when you're off power the laptop runs on a power saving profile, reducing screen brightness and reducing computing power I still today prefer to use power to get the most from my computer.

Apple could of looked better if they weren't so cheap as to not include at least a usb-c to usb-a adapter.

Usb-c is nice because you could when at a home/office base make one hookup for power, display, storage and ethernet. Instead of 3 connections. Which means you actually could of put one usb-c port in place of the Lightning port and kept the rest and still of had 90+% of the benefit and still had all of the old functionality.

 

[thesaint024]

Well lets just correct that impression that Apple invented USB C. Don't believe rumours started by one web site, particularly where John Gruber is involved.

Here is a better take on it.

http://www.intelfreepress.com/news/usb-type-c-history/9346/

Would also be more convinced that Apple is really going the right way with the standard if they put it on their phone and got rid of existing lightning.

Agree about a better way to push the standard, but I don't think it's relevant to discuss who invented it. As we know, it doesn't really matter who invents anything, just who gets mass adoption. Going back to GUI, yes, Xerox invented it and gets credit, but who cares. No one would use it if Apple didn't implement it in a usable way.

I don't know about other opinions, but I think Apple is going all in on the standard. The 12" MB was insane to only include one usb-c port and nothing else. I thought so too, but the more I thought about it, it was just better. We'd have to live with dongles and new cables for awhile, but the end result is a much better setup. Phones are different, they need one plug and we've seen it doesn't really matter what kind. It's nice that phones have jumped on the usb-c bandwagon, but going with some other random standard wouldn't have changed much.

Computers are very different. Forcing people to adopt the standard by not including any other option, forces the industry and consumers to adopt it, despite all of us having devices that use the other mish mash of standards. It really is for our benefit. Sure it's arrogant for Apple to presume what is good for me, but you know what, they're right in this case. My setup is so much cleaner and lighter and flexible now. I like being minimalist, and I don't like lugging around ports that I don't use normally when mobile like an hdmi, ethernet, SD reader. This is a big pain for some, but I think for most of us, we'd just like a laptop. Re-thinking my setup for this usb-c revolution has made me think about what I really need. I'm a light packer. I don't put into luggage items for every possible scenario. I go with what I'm likely to use, and I'm willing to buy something if a need suddenly arises. That rarely happens, but I'm not traveling to the African bush, I'm going to places that have stores. Same thing here. In a couple months, there will always be a dongle somewhere to borrow or buy should the need come up. The rest of the 365/24/7, I don't want to carry around useless crap.

I don't get why people bitch about buying new cables or dongles. You bought a MBP. You overpaid for a computer because it's nicer than similarly equipped and cheaper PC's. Spend a few bucks on cables. I have tons of expensive peripherals, but you know what, they all work with some adapter, hub, or cable. And it all works better now. I can go mobile by removing one cable. Laptops with 6 cables going in and out of them look ridiculous, not to mention it's just inefficient if this is how you setup on a daily basis. Also, if this is "too soon" to go all in on usb-c, you have options - refurb 2015's, PC's. If you don't want to be an early adopter and embrace this new minimalist world, vote with your wallet.

Don't hate on me. I agree with their decision and others don't. No problem with that. I have issue with people who bitch this issue to death (not anyone in particular, just in general). Getting others to agree with you may give you some short term validation of your feelings, especially after you've returned your 2016 MBP. Apple is not going to change for you. Apple failed you, so move on. I won't hate on you when you come back in a year or two. It's just a computer (that some of us love).

 

[protoxx]

Going back to GUI, yes, Xerox invented it and gets credit, but who cares. No one would use it if Apple didn't implement it in a usable way.

Pretending it wouldn't happen if Apple didn't do it is a "true believer" comment. Ignores others. Workstation world was going there. Openlook, X11, Motif, GEM, etc. If apple didn't do it we might be typing Amiga's, or Apollo's or Indigos..... right now. )

Don't hate on me.

That would take all the fun out of the internet. (

 

[thesaint024]

It's still a stupid idea to eliminate from the desktop systems. Space/weight savings there a joke.

Apple could of looked better if they weren't so cheap as to not include at least a usb-c to usb-a adapter.

Usb-c is nice because you could when at a home/office base make one hookup for power, display, storage and ethernet. Instead of 3 connections. Which means you actually could of put one usb-c port in place of the Lightning port and kept the rest and still of had 90+% of the benefit and still had all of the old functionality.

No idea why they would get rid of optical drive on desktops. I didn't say I understood or agreed with all their decisions.

Sorry to sound harsh, but who cares if they didn't include an adapter? I bought 2 pairs for $14. That is $3.50 each. I wouldn't want them to include an adapter because I might not use the one they include (waste). iPhone 7 is a different story since zero lightning headphones existed at launch (ok, one or two). For usb-c, some people already have peripherals, dongles, cables, and may not need an adapter.

+1 on usb-c desktop setup. One plug docking.

 

[protoxx]

Sorry to sound harsh, but who cares if they didn't include an adapter?

Besides the fact that the vast majority of buyers cannot connect to their existing devices out of the box. Excepting ones you can get to via wifi (or power). For someone spending $1500 to over $4000 you look like a money grubbing chiseler. Like going to an expensive restaurant and getting an additional charge for silverware.

 

[thesaint024]

Pretending it wouldn't happen if Apple didn't do it is a "true believer" comment. Ignores others. Workstation world was going there. Openlook, X11, Motif, GEM, etc. If apple didn't do it we might be typing Amiga's, or Apollo's or Indigos..... right now. )

So hard to have a discussion with the macrumors nerdery. I am talking about consumer level computers. Just saying they led the way. Apple didn't cure cancer or AIDS or anything else that really matters. However, my life is a little easier. Those of us on the consumer side remember f'n DOS vs. what Mac did. You can argue all you want that some other obscure computer company was at the brink of a GUI for the mass market. I saw this happen before my eyes, and I was paying close attention.
[doublepost=1480106054][/doublepost]

Besides the fact that the vast majority of buyers cannot connect to their existing devices out of the box. Excepting ones you can get to via wifi (or power). For someone spending $1500 to over $4000 you look like a money grubbing chiseler. Like going to an expensive restaurant and getting an additional charge for silverware.

As I and others have noted, Apple could care less if you buy an adapter from them. Rounding error on financials. Not money-grubbing more than an afterthought. Apple is not a flea market merchant trying to nickel and dime. Good lively discussion with @protoxx, but I will chill out on the thread hijacking.

 

[protoxx]

You sho

I saw this happen before my eyes, and I was paying close attention.

Then you should of reconsized the Amiga for one. Was a consumer machine that ran GEM at the same time as the early Macintosh's. Was even more brilliant that it had a rom socket that you could pull a rom chip from a mac and it was then could be booted as a Amiga running GEM or as a Mac. iirc at first you could order a rom chip from parts that was quickly removed from parts list. If you knew the right person you could actually burn a copy of it, though that was copyright infringement.

 

[thesaint024]

Then you should of reconsized the Amiga for one. Was a consumer machine that ran GEM at the same time as the early Macintosh's. Was even more brilliant that it had a rom socket that you could pull a rom chip from a mac and it was then could be booted as a Amiga running GEM or as a Mac. iirc at first you could order a rom chip from parts that was quickly removed from parts list. If you knew the right person you could actually burn a copy of it, though that was copyright infringement.

You were clearly paying closer attention than me. I'll pour out a little liquor for the venerable Amiga. The only thing I remember about the Amiga is playing games on it. I have no recollection of said operating system.

 

[protoxx]

You were clearly paying closer attention than me. I'll pour out a little liquor for the venerable Amiga. The only thing I remember about the Amiga is playing games on it. I have no recollection of said operating system.

May of actually been the Atari ST instead of Amiga.
GEM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_Environment_Manager
Like the interesting history of Lee Lorenzen writing much of the code. Having been at Xerox Parc. Direct dna.

Someone would of popularized the GUI if not Apple. Apple can't be considered the inventor, that honor belongs to Xerox Parc.

The first 35 year of the personal computer industry from mid-70s to y2k is rife with would of, could of, should of. Industry would of been radically different if any of a dozens of seemingly insignificant decisions or choices had been made by many different people or companies.

 

[JohnnyGo]

While we old timers reminisce, Apple charges forward.

Just like in the early days when everyone, including Woz, were saying the Apple II is a huge success, SJ was creating the Mac, an overpriced peace of equipment that could say "Hello" (if you had double the RAM).

Cmon guys. Apple has always been this way. In with the new, out with the old. At least now the new is an industry standard, not some Apple-esque conector. In the near future (12 months?), chargers and cables will be much cheaper.

Apple is not strong arming people to upgrade from their current setup.

Hopefully they'll ditch Intel and go all-in on their A series chip. That beast is moving past Intel (sub 15w, not desktop) in 2017. Who knows where it goes in 2018 ?

 

[thesaint024]

May of actually been the Atari ST instead of Amiga.
GEM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_Environment_Manager
Like the interesting history of Lee Lorenzen writing much of the code. Having been at Xerox Parc. Direct dna.

Someone would of popularized the GUI if not Apple. Apple can't be considered the inventor, that honor belongs to Xerox Parc.

The first 35 year of the personal computer industry from mid-70s to y2k is rife with would of, could of, should of. Industry would of been radically different if any of a dozens of seemingly insignificant decisions or choices had been made by many different people or companies.

Starting to go in circles now. I did specifically give credit to Xerox for the GUI invention. I only said Apple led to widespread adoption, not in a hypothetical scenario, but in the real course of history. I might disagree on the "someone would've done it" theory. Eventually yes, but the climate at the time was Microsoft having like 90% market share, Apple 9%, and others 1%. Rough numbers, this is all from bad memory. Apple was making it a mission to take on Microsoft. As we know, Windows eventually just ripped off the Mac GUI (who ripped it from obscure Xerox PARC who weren't selling consumer computers), but I don't know if they would've made the GUI any time soon. Microsoft in the 80's and 90's weren't really about innovation. They were about protecting their monopolies. I don't see them going out on a limb unless some other company pushed them to do so, i.e. Mac, Netscape, Lotus, database x, email client y, etc. So it probably would have been left to some small, ballsy company to jump into OS. High barrier to entry in that space if you recall. MS was destroying companies that even seemed like a competitive threat. Maybe Google would have eventually brought the GUI, but point is it would've had to be a company with the resources to take MS on. MS is a much different company now, and I applaud their innovation these days.

I am tech company agnostic. I use products from all the major players. I have a WinPC, PS4, Roku, Gmail accounts, Android devices, etc. The competition is good for all of us. They keep pushing each other to do better. I am going to give credit to Apple for GUI and usb-c mainstream adoption. Call me names if you like - "drinking koolaid", "apologist", "true believer", etc. Just calling like I see it. Apple is making a niche for higher end, "designer" machines. That's their place in my personal ecosystem. I don't buy them for gaming or other non core competency uses.
[doublepost=1480110074][/doublepost]

Cmon guys. Apple has always been this way. In with the new, out with the old. At least now the new is an industry standard, not some Apple-esque conector. In the near future (12 months?), chargers and cables will be much cheaper.

Apple is not strong arming people to upgrade from their current setup.

Word. Happy they are using a true "standard" and not proprietary **** like lightning or firewire. But I think they might have learned a lesson about mass adoption (at least from accessory makers perspective) that they need a real universal standard. Can you say "memory stick". I still hate Sony to this day because of their proprietary BS.

They are kind of strong-arming people. If you want on the MB or MBP train, usb-c or the highway. At least it's a good standard and truly universal and reasonably backwards compatible for most things with adapters/dongles.

Edit: Haha, old timers. "back when I was a whipper snapper..."

 

[macTW]

Your post is nice but regarding point 2. We live in the present.

Don't think about the future? So you don't have a savings account, or retirement, or even food in your house for dinner tonight, correct? That's living in the present.
[doublepost=1480110338][/doublepost]

And what would be the harm exactly, if the adoption took a little longer due to people having a choice of how to connect their peripherals

People DO have a choice... older models, other laptop producers, using adapters in the USB-C slots... just because Apple didn't give you everything you want doesn't mean they should change their design. You're not the CEO.

 

[nebo1ss]

Agree about a better way to push the standard, but I don't think it's relevant to discuss who invented it. As we know, it doesn't really matter who invents anything, just who gets mass adoption. Going back to GUI, yes, Xerox invented it and gets credit, but who cares. No one would use it if Apple didn't implement it in a usable way.

I don't know about other opinions, but I think Apple is going all in on the standard. The 12" MB was insane to only include one usb-c port and nothing else. I thought so too, but the more I thought about it, it was just better. We'd have to live with dongles and new cables for awhile, but the end result is a much better setup. Phones are different, they need one plug and we've seen it doesn't really matter what kind. It's nice that phones have jumped on the usb-c bandwagon, but going with some other random standard wouldn't have changed much.

Computers are very different. Forcing people to adopt the standard by not including any other option, forces the industry and consumers to adopt it, despite all of us having devices that use the other mish mash of standards. It really is for our benefit. Sure it's arrogant for Apple to presume what is good for me, but you know what, they're right in this case. My setup is so much cleaner and lighter and flexible now. I like being minimalist, and I don't like lugging around ports that I don't use normally when mobile like an hdmi, ethernet, SD reader. This is a big pain for some, but I think for most of us, we'd just like a laptop. Re-thinking my setup for this usb-c revolution has made me think about what I really need. I'm a light packer. I don't put into luggage items for every possible scenario. I go with what I'm likely to use, and I'm willing to buy something if a need suddenly arises. That rarely happens, but I'm not traveling to the African bush, I'm going to places that have stores. Same thing here. In a couple months, there will always be a dongle somewhere to borrow or buy should the need come up. The rest of the 365/24/7, I don't want to carry around useless crap.

I don't get why people bitch about buying new cables or dongles. You bought a MBP. You overpaid for a computer because it's nicer than similarly equipped and cheaper PC's. Spend a few bucks on cables. I have tons of expensive peripherals, but you know what, they all work with some adapter, hub, or cable. And it all works better now. I can go mobile by removing one cable. Laptops with 6 cables going in and out of them look ridiculous, not to mention it's just inefficient if this is how you setup on a daily basis. Also, if this is "too soon" to go all in on usb-c, you have options - refurb 2015's, PC's. If you don't want to be an early adopter and embrace this new minimalist world, vote with your wallet.

Don't hate on me. I agree with their decision and others don't. No problem with that. I have issue with people who bitch this issue to death (not anyone in particular, just in general). Getting others to agree with you may give you some short term validation of your feelings, especially after you've returned your 2016 MBP. Apple is not going to change for you. Apple failed you, so move on. I won't hate on you when you come back in a year or two. It's just a computer (that some of us love).

It is actually quite funny that you cannot take the latest iPhone out of the box and connect it to a MacBook pro out of the box. Seems there is something wrong there.

I am typing this on a MacBook air which has TB2, 2 x USB 3, SDXC, Headset and Macsafe and i use all of them and they serves me just fine. Just last week while travelling I needed to share my tethered iPhone connection with a second device which did not have WIFI and I was unable to do it because the Air has no Ethernet port like my previous MacBook Pro 2010 did.

This is the problem most people will have, It limits your flexibility particularly when travelling unless you drag along a range of Dongles.

 

[MarsViolet]

Because we are still getting Windows PCs at work with VGA ports on them. THAT is what happens when you keep offering ports.

Is that a problem for you?
[doublepost=1480118711][/doublepost]

If it stays true to that belief and no other alternative tech replaces USB-C then its a fantastic move and a far reaching one.

How could it be? USB-C is not infinitely fast or infinitely flexible. It will be obsolete in just a few years. It will probably be obsolete before most early adopters have managed to shed all of their dongles.

 

[OneMike]

Don't think about the future? So you don't have a savings account, or retirement, or even food in your house for dinner tonight, correct? That's living in the present.

I do think about the future, absolutely. You still have to live in the current.

I have savings, stocks and funds tied up in other places making money for me in the long term. I also have funds that are readily available.

You need a medium.

It would be crazy to say ok I'm only going to have savings for when I retire and nothing for now.

You need to support your current state and also think about the future. A lot of other manufacturers got it right. USB c and other ports.

Same as many monitors still have dvi or vga

 

[cube]

What pioneering? I bought my TB3 laptop one year ago.

 

[Abazigal]

Is that a problem for you?

In a sense, yes.

Because laptops still sport VGA ports, it could mean that one's workplace continues using projectors which sport only VGA ports. Which in turn means no HDMI, which means no access to other technologies like the Apple TV. Which was precisely the problem I faced at my school, where my classroom only finally got a projector with a HDMI port last year.

Very often, leaving a certain piece of technology in or or out of a product has a trickle-down impact on other technologies around you in your life, and that is something we tend to overlook or neglect if we are short-sighted and focus only on our immediate needs or on the product itself.

 

[protoxx]

In a sense, yes.

Because laptops still sport VGA ports, it could mean that one's workplace continues using projectors which sport only VGA ports. Which in turn means no HDMI, which means no access to other technologies like the Apple TV. Which was precisely the problem I faced at my school, where my classroom only finally got a projector with a HDMI port last year.

Nonsense young one. Easy to insist on being fashionable when you aren't paying the freight.

Welcome to business. Spending money where it is not needed, not just have the latest fashionable technology. Would you be glad to pay more tuition just to have more fashionable hardware?

In business you don't replace older equipment unless it is broken or makes more money for you replace it. Small businesses don't trade in their delivery vans because the latest ones get 1 or 2 mpg more. They buy them and use them into the ground. In the last year I've even been in small family cafes that were still using the old mechanical cash registers.

 

[Abazigal]

Nonsense young one. Easy to insist on being fashionable when you aren't paying the freight.

Welcome to business. Spending money where it is not needed, not just have the latest fashionable technology. Would you be glad to pay more tuition just to have more fashionable hardware?

In business you don't replace older equipment unless it is broken or makes more money for you replace it. Small businesses don't trade in their delivery vans because the latest ones get 1 or 2 mpg more. They buy them and use them into the ground. In the last year I've even been in small family cafes that were still using the old mechanical cash registers.

And that is precisely why we need influential companies like Apple to spearhead new technologies. Because people are obviously never going to do so on their own for precisely the reasons that you just mentioned, amongst many others.

 

[dyn]

Now one has to buy a USB-c or thunderbolt 3 dock to "get the ports back".

We've been doing that for decades so nothing changed. Well, one thing changed: in 2006 everyone was complaining about the lack of docks for Apple notebooks. The demand was so high that there were a couple of 3rd party companies creating this docks that were complex and clunky. But hey, at least there was a dock solution. Now we not only have a dock, we actually have more to choose from than in 2006 and we only have to use 1 cable now (which means I have even more ports available that can do whatever I want (and not what the manufacturer or you want) so no more useless ports like HDMI and finally a 3rd port I can use for a USB device). It's going to be even nicer in the future because we can get away with having a USB-C hub instead of using a dock.

USB-c will probably become as prevalent in the laptop computer market as was thunderbolt before it.
That is to say -- not all that successful.

There are way too much benefits with USB-C. After all it's just a connector and a cable. We are already seeing it being used to connect a display (the only protocol used is DisplayPort) and various other devices. The biggest thing is that it solves a rather big annoyance everyone has with any kind of connector: how cumbersome it is to plug something in. It's either the wrong way and you need to flip the connector a few times or you have these darn annoying screws (the only reason why I carry a multitool). Looking at the speed manufacturers are adopting USB-C I'd say it is already a huge success. Everyone wants to get rid of all those annoying connectors ASAP it seems.

My personal solution:
Buy a new MacBook Pro -- but a 2015 model. All the ports I'll need, good-enough performance, and WAY less money!

And what is your solution for the long term because everything is going to be USB-C from now one? Go ask HP and let them show you some products. You'd see that their main focus is USB-C and not those old ports. A really quick adoption has the benefit that dongles bought right now become obsolete rather quickly (if you even need one; the average USB device can do with a new cable with a USB-C connector on one end).

I disagree, I travel and there's been plenty of times where someone pulled the power cord and if it weren't for magsafe, my MBP would have ended up on the floor.

The issue with MagSafe was that it only worked when it was the only connection on the machine. If you had anything else plugged in it wouldn't do much, especially if one of the cables is an ethernet cable. The MagSafe version with the L-shaped connector was the worst iteration, it was rather easy to lift your notebook up in the air by the power cable alone and I've seen quite a few times where people tripped over the cable and someone with very quick reflexes saved the notebook as the MagSafe connector did not disconnect. Luckily they abandoned that design and went back to the T-connector that actually did disconnect.

I think its a need that is still relevent today. I was at Oracle OpenWorld this past fall, and the number of people hugging the walls to charge up their phones, and computers was significant.

I've seen people getting reprimanded for that because their cables were laid out in such a way that it was rather easy to trip over. In some countries that is illegal and in others it means that either you or the organiser can be held responsible for it (and they don't want that).

Bit of a mix feeling here when it comes to MagSafe. I'm not entirely sure if I'm going to miss it.