You seem to be describing a netbook... doesn't that worry you, given this is meant to be a "Pro" machine?
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Thunderbolt 3 Ports on Right Side of 13-Inch MacBook Pro Have Reduced PCI Express Bandwidth
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You seem to be describing a netbook... doesn't that worry you, given this is meant to be a "Pro" machine?
Yes I (and many others) will need dongles. In my case, I do photo and video editing with some equipment that has ports / connections that are not removable. New cables will work for some cases, but not all.
In Every "pro grade" powerbook / MacBook Pro ( that I can think of, and note I am omitting "MacBook") ever since the G3 models, there has been a stepping stone, mixing old ports with new. Last I checked, the new MBP is still far thicker than a standard HDMI port, SD slot, or , legacy USB port.
Mine is rarely home, and is running off battery 80% of the time, so I don't fit your complaint case. That said, I don't really feel I need to work out to carry my laptop. My camera gear, lighting, tripods, and other items could stand to lose some weight, but I don't have any expectations of that. My current retina MBP is lighter than my older non retina MBP, yet, I don't even notice it when carrying 2 cameras 4 lenses, and 3 flashes in one bag.
Read on, and see if by the end of my explanation, you won't start to question if you indeed are the problem (to Apple at least).
That's because as I said earlier, Apple has changed (As Apple is off wont to do). For one, Apple is a way bigger company today compared to 10 or even 5 years ago, and the challenges they face are very much different today as compared to back then. Apple is not going to be able to sustain its growth just by offering a limited lineup, hence their introduction of more product variations so as to hit as many price points as possible and appeal to more customers.
Second, Apple is clearly pushing their iPad pros as a viable replacement for Macs (for those of us who aren't power users). The timing is obvious. The holiday quarter is focused on iOS and WatchOS, the new MacBook pros are prohibitively expensive, and desktop Macs likely won't see an update until early next year. Apple clearly wants people to at least consider picking up an iPad instead of another Mac.
Or were you sleeping when Tim Cook demoed the iPad Pro on stage last year and claimed it was their vision of the future of mobile computing. Sure, many people laughed at that, but I for one do not think he is lying or joking. Apple is dead serious about positioning the iPad as a credible laptop replacement for the general populace, and all their actions thus far appear to have been geared towards that.
The high price of the new MacBooks makes them a less appealing option for users who aren't using them for "heavy" tasks, which would in turn make them evaluate whether the nature of their work really requires macOS so much over iOS.
I believe that Apple is slowly trying to transition users away from macOS towards iOS. Sure, some might decide to jump ship to windows because they don't think that iOS meets their needs. Fair enough. You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.
Better consumer Macs. Because as I have explained in detail earlier, that does not appear to be Apple's long term roadmap.
Profit-obsessed, maybe, but I guess that's a problem plaguing all huge, publicly traded companies.
Short-sighted? Apple's renewed push in the iPad area suggests to me the exact opposite.
I have a feeling that's precisely what Apple is prepared to do (lose you, the old guard, as a customer if it means being able to make a clean break with the trappings of the past). It takes "courage" to piss off their biggest fans. That's what I meant when I said that Apple hasn't changed. They march to their own beat as they always have and don't care two hoots about what the rest of the world thinks.
I remember when the first iPod was released and there was a lot of shock and disappointment from long-time Mac users who wanted to see new computers and felt that Apple had lost its way. This was the Apple you all fell in love with, so why are you complaining now when Apple is doing precisely the same thing?
I believe Apple will continue to update and improve their Macs, but it's going to be on their terms (as it always has been), and very often, the improvements will be so drastic that even their biggest fans and customers can't understand or appreciate them.
That's precisely the same cognitive dissonance you are experiencing now.
Can't disagree at all with that last bit. With the iPad Pro there should not be a choice between a larger screen and a smaller Wide Color, True Tone display. Both the larger and smaller iPad Pro should have the same display technology.
Here's the difference: The legacy USB and HDMI functionally is still completely there - you just need the cable to use them. I am a bit bumfuzzled at people who wanted Apple to saddle their workstation laptop with a pile of legacy ports instead of the latest and greatest connectivity that ALSO provides the exact same functionality and then some with the appropriate $10 cable. I would rather have the more advanced, more flexible ports, then I can pick and choose which technologies I want to use instead of being forced into legacy HDMI or legacy USB solutions.
I think this is the problem brought forth by what we call the "transition tax". It's safe to say that we can all see the benefits of transitioning to USB C. But there is also a cost involved (in purchasing more adaptors and USB C peripherals), and nobody wants to be the one to have to saddle this cost and put up with the inconveniences.
Life will be good many years from today, but that doesn't change the reality that it will suck now. That's why people are complaining.
The rMB already moved the headphone port to the right. I wonder why we haven't heard massive complaints about what a disaster that has been? Probably because it hasn't been a problem for anybody.
If it's a problem, buy some AirPods, or get a USB-C headphone adapter. At least you got a headphone jack.
You're revising history. When the PowerBook G3 arrived it dropped both ADB and Serial ports, replacing them with two USB ports. While it still had SCSI, the very next revision dropped SCSI for FireWire. So tell me, did I miss the revision that had both USB and ADB & Serial? Or the one that had both SCSI and FireWire? The answer is no there wasn't one. Nor has there ever been a Mac that mixed those ports. And since the G3s, where was the PowerBook with both VGA and DVI? And I don't recall any MacBooks that had both DVI and mini-DVI. Or the 13" Pro with FireWire 400 and 800? And where was the MBP with Thunderbolt and Mini-Display port? So seriously, what are you going on about?
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The transaction tax with this transition is so small compared to the $1.5k-$2.5k laptop being discussed that it comes off as people just being hilariously ignorant or just cheapskates, honestly. "Wah, I want to buy a $2,000 laptop but I don't want to spend $10 on a cable so I can use my legacy tech! Woe is me!"
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And the Caldigit USB-C that adds DP as well but doesn't have the SD card reader. Plus it charges peripherals with no computer connection.
I think it's more than that.
Adaptors are meant to be used to transition in the interim. The end game is to eventually transition entirely over to USB C tech so that no more adaptors and dongles are required, not to continue using them for perpetuity while staying married to older port standards.
I suppose it's no big deal if you work in a vacuum and don't need to interact with other people. I am a teacher, and my colleagues aren't the most tech savvy of users. They are likely going to continue using existing standards for as long as possible. Heck, our classroom projectors still use VGA (which made for awkward moments when you realise that our students' laptops only have HDMI). I had to buy my own 30-ft HDMI cable to use with my Apple TV, and I am the defacto go-to person when it comes to borrowing cables and adaptors.
If I walked into the staff room with a laptop sporting only USB C port, I am going to be the problem, not them, if they try to share a file with me via external storage and I am caught without the right adaptor.
I am all for newer, better standards because I recognize their potential and don't mind being an early adopter in this case if I believe it can help spur its adoption, but I am also realistic about the pace at which change can permeate throughout organizations and individuals.
There's also a degree of inconvenience involved that can't be quantified, but which cannot be completely dismissed outright either.
Plus, adaptors can't cheap. Just look at the price of the various dongles offered by Apple. Satechi's offerings seem more reasonable, but you are still easily looking at spending an additional $100+ in the very least.
Apple's dongle pricing is absurd, I'll give you that, but USB-C is USB-C. There are tons of more affordable options that are already out there. I can get you converted to legacy USB for under $10 on Amazon and converted to displayport or hdmi for under $20. Even USB-C to VGA (gack!) adapters are available in the $30 price range if you really need to support dinosaur tech. I just found a USB-C to 3x legacy USB3 + ethernet hub for just $10 on amazon! This is seriously just not a big deal. There are multiple USB-C dock options in the $150 price range if, you know, you're actually in the mobile workstation market.
My Nexus 5X only came with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C charger. I had to buy a USB-A to -C cable to hook it up with my 3.5 year old desktop. It was like $10 - and that was a charge on top of an only $250 phone. I guess I should have shook my fist in Google's face for daring me to have to spend money to connect my desktop to my new phone!
For better or worse, I believe your thesis is pretty much dead on. I also took note of Tim Cook's statement a while back that he claims to be able to get 80% of his daily work done on an iPad (pretty much like what you saw on Star Trek: Next Gen). And the much mocked commercial about the smaller iPad Pro flat out said it was where Apple thought personal computing was going.
I also think you are dead on that they are phasing out the consumer desktop. Not so much the consumer laptop, but it bothers me that they have chosen to so cripple their notebook line. Nowadays, you pay $1300 for a computer that does not do all that much more than an iPad Pro 12". For any heavy tasks like rendering a home video on iMovie, it does at about the same speed as an iPad.
I really am not sure I like the notion that Apple is trying to transition me away from MacOS, but you made a valid point that Apple marches to their own beat. If I don't like it, Microsoft or Google will be ready to welcome me with open arms. Whether we are prepared to going back to their intimate company, let alone enjoy it, is another matter entirely.
Or if the headphone socket on the right hand side is really a problem, why don't you loop the cable around the back of the screen so comes out the left? LOL first world problems!
I've got a FireWire audio interface. First MacBook Pro I had connected to it via FireWire 400 to FireWire 400 cable. When I upgraded my MBP I had to buy a FireWire 400 to 800 cable to connect. When I last upgraded I had to buy a Thunderbolt to FireWire 800 socket to plug it in. No doubt my next upgrade will necessitate another adapter or cable.
That's the way it has ALWAYS been.
Raped? Have you actually looked at USB c connectors? They're super cheap...you don't even have to buy them from Apple.
At least you can plug your new iPhone 7 into your new MacBook Pro....wait, you need a special adapter for that, also?https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/27/youll-need-a-new-cable-to-connect-the-macbook-pro-and-iphone-7/
"Profit-obsessed, maybe, but I guess that's a problem plaguing all huge, publicly traded companies.
Short-sighted? Apple's renewed push in the iPad area suggests to me the exact opposite."
This is exactly the problem. Tim is numbers/growth obsessed and is turning Apple into a lumbering giant.
In the short term it looks good on his spreadsheet, but long term it is the death knell that struck all giants before it. You'd think he'd be smart enough to study history and learn from it.
Apple's shortsightedness has nothing much to do with one particular device or OS, but rather the ugly move from a customer-focussed company to a profit driven one.
Pure profit focus was not the ethos that got them to where they are today and not what's going to keep them there in the long term.
The warning signs are everywhere and only the 'kool' kids and the ignorant are still defending Apple at this point.
- New MacBook Pro Has Better Keyboard Than 12-Inch MacBook, But It's Expensive and Lacking Ports
- New MacBook Pros Max Out at 16GB RAM Due to Battery Life Concerns
- Apple Says It's Out of the Standalone Display Business
- New MacBook Pros Don't Include Backlit Apple Logo or Power Extension Cable
- Thunderbolt 3 Ports on Right Side of 13-Inch MacBook Pro Have Reduced PCI Express Bandwidth
- Apple Continues to Sell Base Model 2015 MacBook Pros at Same Price Points (ty @Pentium)
When will the bad news stop?
The whining and bashing on this board is unbelievable. Go to Apple.com and see the pages and pages of improvements made to MacBook Pro
There are some unbelievably stupid people here. For those so upset about pricing, buy a $900 Dell and move to Windows
This the type of discussion I come to Macrumors for. We unfortunately don't see a lot of it.
Apple has always been driven by profits, considering that their products were never cheap to begin with. It just so happens that their profits came from selling excellent products that offered a great user experience.
I am not seeing much of a shift in this regard. I am using my 9.7” iPad Pro and Apple Pencil and AirPlaying them via my Apple TV in the classroom and am very satisfied with how they are working for me.
I guess I am not one to complain because I haven't really been affected by the dearth of new Macs in the marketplace and am someone who has greatly benefited from their renewed push in the iOS productivity area, having been greatly inspired by the likes of Federico Viticci who have successfully moved the majority of their workflows onto the iPad.
You don't exactly sound like the distillation of human intelligence yourself.
Thank you for your encouraging words. I would likely to see more intelligent discourse here as well. The quality of discussion we see over at Ars Technica is something I would like to see replicated here, hence my frustration at all the pointless flaming that tends to make up over 80% of the comments here.
MR and my iPad lost my original response when I switched tabs despite the auto save message
so I will make this shorter.I like the versatility of TB3, but I don't like Apple's decision to go all USB-C.
Those who are enthusiasts have a right to know the limitations of the hardware prior to purchase without having to dig up TSBs or KBAs.
Apple did have options, e.g., update the previous models with TB3 and leave the rest of the ports alone. Honestly the debut of this machine is really early and would have fit the upcoming Kaby Lake chipset better in that TB3 will then be incorporated into the main chipset. Perhaps a separate controller would then be able to provide full bandwidth to the side opposite the TB interconnect.
USB-C for all its versatility can't replace USB-A yet because the peripherals just aren't available yet. Using a wireless USB mouse and thumb drive with the new MBP will be very inconvenient when away from my workstation. This is my frustration. Convenience sells mobility, and the new MBPs do not offer much in the way of convenience. (Please do not confuse flexibility with convenience; they are very different.) Again docks are great, but I don't want to have to carry it everywhere for basic functions. That defeats the purpose of being mobile.
If USB-C thumb drives were faster than my current drive, with better capacities, at the same price, sure I would buy one. But I haven't seen one yet and my drives are very fast.
And yes some PC laptops still have VGA and still need VGA to interface with essential older equipment. Progress is not always possible everywhere for everyone.
As for Apple's inconsistency and compromises--TB2 is still offered on the previous MBP you suggested I purchase. This model is still available for purchase from Apple and sends a mixed message about TB. As long as Apple sells models with TB2, it is keeping TB2 around. This is a fact, not an errant claim.
As for the previous models, they are a poor value proposition and will be made obsolete by Apple sooner than many will want due to their previous gen graphics architecture. The GPU is more important for ROI and value than the CPU or even the ports. This is why I am waiting until Apple uses either Kaby Lake or AMD's upcoming Zen APU with Vega. This model is the beta version of what Apple really envisions.
Lastly, Apple seems to have planned its transition to USB-C very poorly. Even its own USB-C multiport AV adapter cannot properly charge the MBP when it is being used. Thus Apple suggests users use a separate port for charging. What then is the point of USB-C if I can't charge and use the adapter in a single port? I might as well have MagSafe back.
It is all the little details at which Apple is normally so good but with this iteration is so poor that has caused the uproar, not me, my friend.
Yup. An emoji-selecting bar. That's all it is. No hyperbole there. And apparently no imagination not being able to fathom what it might be used for.
Fortunately, many other people with imagination understand the potential. Which was nicely demonstrated during the presentation.
It's actually awesome if you take away that bar. I'll be excited to get some controls there and at my fingertips.