Why did Apple remove audio input from cMBP 13"?

[Tragedies]

Soon I shall be upgrading from an '07 Alu. iMac to the base model cMBP, however I've been told that the 13" mid 2012 have no options for audio input? And that the models prior to the mid-2012 revision had the option via system preferences?

Any reason why Apple removed the audio input in the base model Pro? Frustrated as I was hoping to plug in a mic for GarageBand.

Hope I'm wrong though

 

[yusukeaoki]

Its both.
Audio in is inside audio out as well.
So its like Audio in/out

 

[el-John-o]

Well the title of your thread is "why", but that wasn't your question. Don't know why, but the jack itself does support audio in, it's the same jack that's on an iPhone or iPad, though it also adds optical audio.

However, the mid-2012 revision doesn't allow a standard mic to be plugged in. (At least, it appears the option to switch it from out to in is gone on the mid-2012) You can however, get an adapter. I wish it had what the old MBP's had (the ability to select the option), but a cheap adapter isn't the end of the world.

This adapter will work;

http://speechrecsolutions.com/iPad_audio.html#iphoneheadsetadapter

Anything marketed as an "iPhone" or "iPad" adapter will work.

Curiously, the retina MacBook Pro has lost this ability AND no longer contains optical audio. Seems like an odd step backward. At least, that's what I read the other day.

There are also USB line in options as well.

 

[Tragedies]

Oh okay thanks for that - didn't know an adaptar could solve the problem, thanks!

 

[el-John-o]

Oh okay thanks for that - didn't know an adaptar could solve the problem, thanks!

You got it.

I was googling around for USB toslink/optical sound cards, and happened to find out that it's built right in to the audio port and required only a simple plastic adapter, that I already happened to have in a junk drawer! Phew! Saved me a few bucks! haha.