What is the point of the thunderbolt port?

[themufanman]

There's only like what 8 expensive devices that work with it?

 

[GGJstudios]

You may find some useful information in one of the many existing threads on this topic:

Was thunderbolt a big rip-off?
So is it safe to say Thunderbolt has been ... Underwhelming thus far?
Thunderbolt accessories WHEN ???
Is anyone actually using thunderbolt.
has anyone used the thunderbolt port?

 

[thundersteele]

expensive devices for an expensive laptop


Seriously, it's a new interface that Apple adopted early. It offers a number of interesting possibilities that other interfaces like USB 3.0 can't provide. Only the future will show whether it will have a big impact on the consumer market, or if it will remain a port used mostly for expensive high-end tools. A few promising devices have been shown at the CES.

 

[kfergiez]

Wow, I wish I could go back in time to when people were saying "what's the point of an iPad, only like 8 people use them."

 

[mmomega]

Didn't it take USB almost 2 years before it really took off.
It isn't Apple fault for early adoption, we aren't paying anything extra for the ports which still act like the mini display port that was already there. The icon changed on the outside.
Now is the waiting game for the aftermarket world to start full on manufacturing.

The PC industry doesn't like change.
Anyone else remember GO-L computers? They were trying to push early SSD's called Pure-Ram hard drives 7 years ago, they were expensive (about $100/gig) and people weren't buying but they were so far ahead of the game. It took this long before others finally start trickling in.

We've had USB since 2000. Firewire since '95. I'm sure we'll start seeing a lot more Thunderbolt and USB 3 devices soon. Oh and Lightning Bolt ...