The rmb has one port, that is a fact. All other comments about that fact being an issue, a mistake, a timing problem, ... are just opinions. If this laptop does not work for you, just buy another one, there is plenty of choice.
Actually it has two ports. A multi-function USB-C and a single function 3.5mm audio jack.
If they add a second USB C port on the next iteration, doesnt that make most of this irrelevant then?
It's unlikely Apple will replace the 3.5mm Jack with a 2nd USB-C port, especially if Apple drops the 3.5mm Jack on the iPhone 7 as rumored. If Apple does move to Lightning for wired mobile audio connections, then they will replace the 3.5mm Jack on the rMB with a Lightning 2 port, for cross platform compatibility with Lightning audio connections.
The up side of this is that there will be a second multi-function port capable of USB 3.0 speeds, and not just a single function, redundant audio port. The down side is that to use it with anything other than a Lightning accessory, it will require an adapter, which was the OPs problem to begin with.
Now to be fair, your assumption that replacing the 3.5mm Jack with a 2nd USB-C will improve the OPs situation, but it won't, since it doesn't solve the adapter problem, only the pass-through charging issue, and multiple device at once use. And it will require yet another adapter to plug in a set of headphones.
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When I need a USB flash drive,
Sandisk's dual USB has been a big help. No dongle required, and this will only increase as USB C starts to take off.
When is that going to happen exactly? The rMB is a year old now.
I carry my adaptor, along with my charging block and phone cord in my purse...
..maybe you needed a purse.
I carry my adapters, cables, and chargers in my backpack, along with my MacBook.
1. I bought it knowing it needed adapters, and was ok with the idea. Unfortunately, the reality of unplugging/plugging, forgetting things ,etc made it unbearable. I wanted it to be perfect for me and it was but it got old quick. At home I work on a 27 monitor so I needed that $80 adapter. It just became too annoying for me.
4. Yes I still have an external hard drive. After purchasing the mbr I did sign up for dropbox to go to cloud hosting. However, to begin using that I still needed the USB drive to transfer things. It took forever and by the time I returned it I still was nowhere done. The other stuff was my iPhone charger, my monitor at home, and printer setup.
I had to laugh at the suggestion that the solution to your core problem of using adapters to charge your phone, could be solved by leaving behind the adapter, which weighs nothing, and instead carry a charging cube!
Do you know how many charging cubes I've lost over the years? I had to start buying them by the dozen (literally $10/5 cheap Chinese knock-offs -- and they work great).
But I will say this, home is one thing, on the go is another. I have a MacBook Pro, which requires an adaptor for Ethernet! Apple doesn't make a MacBook with a built-in Ethernet port anymore. So working on a professional campus where the secure network can only be accessed by Ethernet is a real PITA. So the adapter thing is a little nuts, when I can't buy a pro notebook with an Ethernet port.
One of the selling points of the rMB is the exceptional battery life, making it the perfect charging port when on the go without carrying yet another thing. Normally, I would suggest you buy a USB-C to Lightning cable to eliminate the adapter problem, but of course the problem with that is Apple doesn't make one. In fact I'd suggest that and update your power bricks at home with adapters (that way you won't have to keep track of them, and you'll just have one cord for them all still). But then Apple doesn't make the cord, so ...
In the end, it seems like the biggest issue is needing all those adapters in the first place, which of course aren't cheap.
I do appreciate the post, since it highlights one of those things people often don't think about when buying the latest and greatest technology.