USB-C in 12-Inch MacBook Adds Limitations but Opens Up Possibilities

It will be great when we all charge with the same kind of cables, and I'm assuming that the cables will be double ended (same on both ends), so that could introduce some kind of direct computer-to-computer usb connections.
 
Eidorian said:
I love the fact that Apple kicked Blunderbolt to the curb
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Likely only temporary. Thunderbolt v3 likely to emerge as yet another alternate mode for Type-C connector. ( TB v3 getting lower z height connector. 100W of power , and connector modes of DisplayPort and USB ... sounds like Type-C or something building on Type-C as a foundation ).


but only one port that does everything, again?
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It is not so much one port, but one port with a multimodel a-b-c switch behind it.


At least it is an open standard but one port and dongle-itis gets old.
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The mode settings may be open but the switching/splitting infrastructure behind it won't be 100% open with Thunderbolt.

This Macbook has one port because it is basically taking the Intel reference design for Windows Tablets power by Core M and adapting it into a laptop. Since Macs don't have touchscreens need to attach a keyboard and add trackpad for touch input. The one port is as much a logic board minimization as anything else.

I suspect, the "Type C alt Thunderbolt" connectors are probably coming to all the Macs over the long term. The same place they are now. And to this Macbook when available; next Core M Skylake ( or perhaps Cannonlake if Skylake doesn't shrink the batteries a bit to grow and move the logic board a bit ).

The same can be said for the poor Mac Pro and SATA ports.
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The SATA ports on the Mac Pro are just unused. Most likely those will get flipped to additional PCIe lanes over time. SSDs don't particularly need SATA.

What would be gross OCD design on Apple's part would be to flip the Mac Pro solely to Type-C connectors. That's kind of loopy even for Apple's OCD design rules. There is more than enough room on the Mac Pro for legacy Type A style ports to be provisioned without running into some z-height constraint.
 
I'm seeing all these people squeal and cry and beg Apple for a second port, and claim they'll have it plugged into power 90% of the time, and ...

You realize with its battery life, you won't need to have it plugged in 90% of the time, right?

"What about a true second monitor? What about multiple drives connected, what about...?"

Notice how this is called the new MacBook? Not the new MacBook Pro? I think this will replace the Air in the coming years, and they'll have a Pro version with multiple USB-C ports to do all the things you've brought up here.
 
Bitching about this is just right for this group.

Just wait til the 15" MacBook Pro update!

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pingola said:
I'm probably being hopelessly naive here, but I think it all sounds really exciting.
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You in a scene where being naive is an advantage. This is a lot better than beaten to death with the "experience" of so many users on this board profess.
 
Djlild7hina said:
I'll wait for the skylake version. two USB-C 3.1 Gen2 ports, 720p webcam, and one-two more hours of battery life :p
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Doubtful you will get 3.1 Gen2. There is no room for discrete USB controllers on the logic board. Even if there was, Apple would likely go for a discrete Thunderbolt controller rather than Gen 2 3.1 one. A decent chance next upgrade won't budge on logic board size and internal structure, so won't get either one.

I suspect also that the headset jack will beat out a second Type-C port on the other side for the next round also.

Highly doubt that Skylake is going to bring anywhere near one-two hours more battery life. The display is one of the major power consumers at this point and Skylake doesn't do anything for that. Drop in Skylake SoC consumption could offset more storage/memory and modest bump in time.
 
Saturn1217 said:
I'm all for the future (eventually) of one universal small port. Sounds like it might be great in ~5-10yrs.
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Yes, and I thought this port would be Thunderbolt. The fact they come up with something like usb c now is really ugly.
/edit: Maybe they plan to establish TB for "pros" and USB-C for the masses?
 
TheRealTVGuy said:
I'm seeing all these people squeal and cry and beg Apple for a second port, and claim they'll have it plugged into power 90% of the time, and ...

You realize with its battery life, you won't need to have it plugged in 90% of the time, right?

"What about a true second monitor? What about multiple drives connected, what about...?"

Notice how this is called the new MacBook? Not the new MacBook Pro? I think this will replace the Air in the coming years, and they'll have a Pro version with multiple USB-C ports to do all the things you've brought up here.
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It says "up to 9 hours of life." As weak as the Macbook Pro 13" and weaker than the MBA battery claims. You put in a hard day's work at the office, and the thing is easily dead by noon.
 
A notable omission is the USB-C to Gigabyte Ethernet adapter. Yes, with gigabyte 802.11AC WiFi who still needs an Ethernet connection? But WiFi AC routers are still very rare, and a physical connection allows very great stability when you need to transfer gigabytes of data.
 
1. Where's the multiport hub?

2. Apple declared the PC dead.

3. Apple dented the public perception with rapid tablet adoption.

4. Apple kept it's foot to the metal on re-engineering the PC to do much more with much less.
- a. It still runs many OS's
- b. It IS UNIX, it's still X86!
- c. It has a lower power slower processor but still delivers more value once again shunning on specs for capabilities.
- d. NO LTE. You still NEED an iPhone to access LTE on a Mac. Apple is emphasizing iPhones.

5. External 3.2K display at millions of colors. How many commodity HD displays at thousands of colors can it support?

Rocketman

Why isn't Apple in POS and dedicated PC utility systems? It's HARDWARE!
 
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Poisonivy326 said:
It says "up to 9 hours of life." As weak as the Macbook Pro 13" and weaker than the MBA battery claims. You put in a hard day's work at the office, and the thing is easily dead by noon.
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I don't think it's meant for "a hard day's work at the office." It's meant for people on the go. Students will love it and that's a huge part of the Mac market.
 
haruhiko said:
A notable omission is the USB-C to Gigabyte Ethernet adapter. Yes, with gigabyte 802.11AC WiFi who still needs an Ethernet connection? But WiFi AC routers are still very rare, and a physical connection allows very great stability when you need to transfer gigabytes of data.
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I have an AC router and AC compatible computer, but the transfer rate is still way lower than what I get on gigabit ethernet. If I put the computer on top of the router I might get half the speed, anywhere else in the house maybe a fifth if I'm lucky. I don't see myself ditching the cables anytime soon either.
 
I remember buying the iPad 3 shortly before iPad 4 was introduced with the new lightning port.
Now, I just bought an iPad 2 mini and I reckon in a few months time it will be replaced with iPad 4 mini, with USB-C.

Oh, the perils with Apple!

But I really hope the next version of their iOS devices will come with USB-C - no more proprietary cables!!
 
It says it supports DP 1.2, but I haven't seen any kind of DP adapters. Anyone know where to get those? The only adapter apple sells is VGA (yuck) and HDMI that can only do 1080 resolution, I would really need DP to drive my screen with one of these.
 
Am I the only one who looks at the negative comments about having one port and laugh??

Come on, you are forgetting that Apple is constantly thinking about the future in mind. Were you one who freaked out when they didn't include a DVD/CD drive on the macbooks??? There's a reason why this computer doesn't have USB, HDMI, Displayport, etc. and it's not only to save space. See below:


Your World:

1. USB for external hard drive
2. Another USB for syncing your phone
3. HDMI port for watching movies onto your flatscreen
4. SD Card slot for your digital camera
5. Charging port for the obvious



Apple's World:

1. Time Capsule storage (no cables)
2. iphone sync over wifi (no cables)
3. Apple TV airplay for displaying onto your flatscreen (no cables)
4. iCloud for photos you took on your iphone (no cables)
5. Charging port (yes, still need this one cable)
 
Abstract said:
Personally, I think a 2nd USB-C port would have made more sense than a headphone port. People have had access to bluetooth headphones and headsets for years and years.

Even when USB-C products become ubiquitous, which it may not for many years because many of our existing products and cables still use standard USB-A (and many portable devices use micro-USB), you'd probably still want at least 2 of these ports, especially if one of them is meant be used for charging your laptop.
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Yes, but the iPhone comes with ear phones that have a jack connection. That is important to Apple. And you need to use headphones when you use this product to fly.

Now if iPhone 6S comes with Bluetooth headphones, then Apple can think about making that switch. But I still wouldn't drop that jack, it is useful.
 
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