Why is there no Retina display?

[motrek]

They will leave the laptop with only one port. Why? it cost less to do so... And they can sell hubs/cables afterward.
...

I doubt the difference in cost is meaningful. I think it has much more to do with form factor. There simply isn't enough space anywhere on the rMB to put another port, except for where the headphone jack is now.

USB-C is a standard and Apple won't be making much money from USB-C accessories except for the people who buy them at the Apple Store out of convenience or sheer ignorance (that they can be purchased elsewhere for cheaper). Whatever revenue Apple was making from selling proprietary chargers will disappear.

 

[newellj]

They can use fusion drives, not plain HDDs.

SSDs are tiny for a lot of people.

Not a big fan of fusion drives - too many potential issues, but YMMV. There is a similar Intel tech for Windows machines that I've had terrible results with.

 

[redheeler]

Not a big fan of fusion drives - too many potential issues, but YMMV. There is a similar Intel tech for Windows machines that I've had terrible results with.

I agree, but it's still much better than HDD only drives and perhaps a good solution for those who are used to the convenience of having one internal HDD for storing data.

256 GB SSD + external storage is better for those who don't mind an external.

I think Mac Fusion drives are somewhat more reliable, but there's always the chance of HDD failure.

 

[quackers82]

Im going to take a guess that the Macbook Air is their best selling Mac by a huge amount. With the large growth the Mac is currently having i doubt they would want to rock that boat and thats why the Macbook Air is still around.

 

[redheeler]

I doubt the difference in cost is meaningful. I think it has much more to do with form factor. There simply isn't enough space anywhere on the rMB to put another port, except for where the headphone jack is now.

USB-C is a standard and Apple won't be making much money from USB-C accessories except for the people who buy them at the Apple Store out of convenience or sheer ignorance (that they can be purchased elsewhere for cheaper). Whatever revenue Apple was making from selling proprietary chargers will disappear.

Who knows how many people have bought Apple's $600 32 GB RAM upgrade for 27" iMacs

However, USB-C is still a new standard, and there's no doubt that Apple's prices on cables and adapters will go down with everyone else's. I'm sure there will always be cheaper options available though.

 

[darngooddesign]

I doubt the difference in cost is meaningful. I think it has much more to do with form factor. There simply isn't enough space anywhere on the rMB to put another port, except for where the headphone jack is now.

If Apple weren't using a terraced battery design I might agree with you, but Apple could have put a second port on the opposite side and only have a small impact of the battery.

 

[iamMacPerson]

I'm glad

I need the expandability (really a 1 TB HDD until I can afford a 1TB SSD) plus the ethernet and firewire + optical drive. I also use the IR sensor, I love the sleep sensor and I love the battery indicator sensor.

Yeah those SSDs are coming down quick I'm price! I remember just a few years ago 1TB SSDs were $1500. Now they're $400. Still too expensive for me, but they're getting there! I have need the optical drive a few times, I will admit that, but I haven't had a need for FW or Ethernet in years. Ethernet could still be needed for network diags though. Never used the IR sensor (always disabled them), I miss the sleep indicator, and battery indicator I do sometimes miss.

 

[motrek]

If Apple weren't using a terraced battery design I might agree with you, but Apple could have put a second port on the opposite side and only have a small impact of the battery.

Exactly, that's what I meant re: the headphone jack. Right now it's opposite the USB-C port. Apple could replace the headphone jack with another USB-C port and maybe include a USB-to-3.5mm adapter with the laptop? Although it is convenient sometimes to be able to plug headphones right into a laptop.

 

[darngooddesign]

Exactly, that's what I meant re: the headphone jack. Right now it's opposite the USB-C port. Apple could replace the headphone jack with another USB-C port and maybe include a USB-to-3.5mm adapter with the laptop? Although it is convenient sometimes to be able to plug headphones right into a laptop.

What I meant was that because of the battery design Apple could easily have both the USB and headphone jacks on one side.

 

[motrek]

What I meant was that because of the battery design Apple could easily have both the USB and headphone jacks on one side.

They only left enough space between the top of the keyboard and the "top" edge of the case for the USB-C port. They can't fit anything else in that space.

 

[jdechko]

Exactly, that's what I meant re: the headphone jack. Right now it's opposite the USB-C port. Apple could replace the headphone jack with another USB-C port and maybe include a USB-to-3.5mm adapter with the laptop? Although it is convenient sometimes to be able to plug headphones right into a laptop.

I'm all for technological progress but you can have the 3.5 mm headphone jack when you pry it from my cold dead hands.

 

[bap3221]

its simple, better resolution means that the battery would drain faster. Apple engineers will need to figure out how to waste less battery with such a thin laptop. Id rather sacrifice it for good battery.

 

[Pakaku]

I'm all for technological progress but you can have the 3.5 mm headphone jack when you pry it from my cold dead hands.

Technological "progress" is NOT removing basic port functionality for the sake of a paper-thin laptop.

I guess that's why we have "Pros", though, for however long that monikor will last.

 

[motrek]

Technological "progress" is NOT removing basic port functionality for the sake of a paper-thin laptop.

I guess that's why we have "Pros", though, for however long that monikor will last.

I think you figured it out--if you don't want a laptop with one port, then the rMB isn't for you.

 

[darngooddesign]

its simple, better resolution means that the battery would drain faster. Apple engineers will need to figure out how to waste less battery with such a thin laptop. Id rather sacrifice it for good battery.

The MacBook Pro is the thicker MacBook with a better battery. And it's more powerful.