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Why the next MacbookPro WILL have an Ethernet port

A

Amerabian

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 25, 2011
142
0
This might not be new to many of you at all but I still feel like posting about it to share with you and everyone else:

I have been reading some posts where some users speculated and/or urged that the future MacBook Pro's would be better off not having an Ethernet port as means of further making the device thinner, cheaper to produce, better looking, etc..

I actually kept thinking about this small, yet significant issue. After analyzing the impact of such a change if brought on by Apple, I came to the conclusion that producing a Macbook Pro without an Ethernet port would actually bring down a "Macbook Pro" to a "Home-User-MacBook".

Apple has succeeded in attracting the "home user" to their products, they will 100% be shooting for the business sector to adopt their products in the near future.

At work we DO NOT have a single Wifi network, at least in the building/department I work at. That's of course to increase the security as we handle other companies' network designs, security, equipment, installation, support, etc.

To make this short;
- WIFI is no where nearly as secure as Ethernet is for handling sensitive data communication.
- Companies/Hospitals/Government organizations almost NEVER allow their employees to handle any work related data through their own personal laptops or use WIFI networks.
- Network engineers would find it difficult to work on their networks without having wired connectivity to a network.
- Reporters working in devastated areas usually use portable satellite transceivers which use Ethernet to connect to their laptops.
- Doctors/Lawers/etc.. would be better off using secure wired connections than using easily crackable wifi networks susceptible to packet sniffing and eavesdropping.

Some might argue that we can simply use USB connected Ethernet ports but that would really hurt Apple's sales for the business sector as the business decision maker would usually choose the most effective and efficient solution to match their requirements.

We all know that Apple likes to deliver the BEST PRODUCTS for the MOST BUCKS.

Targeting the business sector in the upcoming few years is definitely on their agenda, they would not jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars of deals to make the Macbook Pro slightly thinner while the MacBook Air sells pretty darn well as it is.
 
Last edited:
HellDiverUK said:
Cool story, bro.
Click to expand...

Epic ice-breaker! LOL




What I really want to see (even though it's not quite the Apple way of doing things) is a special extension dock that offers you more connectivity and functionality while you're stationary. Perhaps this dock can be an extension from a single Light Peak port?

I know it's not gonna happen.

What I really want to know is when will Apple announce the next revision to the MBP line. I got my money ready to upgrade. I need that new design!!
 
infernohellion said:
Epic ice-breaker! LOL




What I really want to see (even though it's not quite the Apple way of doing things) is a special extension dock that offers you more connectivity and functionality while you're stationary. Perhaps this dock can be an extension from a single Light Peak port?

I know it's not gonna happen.

What I really want to know is when will Apple announce the next revision to the MBP line. I got my money ready to upgrade. I need that new design!!
Click to expand...
Yeah true, I know what you mean.

Why don't Apple announce the new MBPs like they do with the iPad/iPhone? Rather than updating the store, but as long as I'm on here, I'll know when they're updated, but a little notice would be nice ;D
 
Liquinn said:
Yeah true, I know what you mean.

Why don't Apple announce the new MBPs like they do with the iPad/iPhone? Rather than updating the store, but as long as I'm on here, I'll know when they're updated, but a little notice would be nice ;D
Click to expand...

You mean hold an event to announce them? They do if the change is big enough, like the event to show off the new unibody design in 2008. Hopefully we'll see an event soon for a redesign :D
 
You should add you can forget wireless LAN on LAN Partys.
We tried it with only 4 people and in some games that doesn't work, I couldn't imagine 12+. Wifi works fine at home for web access and streaming with few participants but for many things it is still way to slow and corrupts to much data on the way.
At times Ethernet really is the only way and it just has to stay on any all round computer. I wouldn't miss it on an Air but a 15" MBP is a different story.
 
i think that the macbook pros should have only usbs and thunderbolt ports with bundled adapters that come standard with every laptop.

the less ports on the case, the better, but of course without reduced funcionality, hence the bundled adapter

i think thats apples way of doing things, and thats why i love them - less is more, but without reduced functionality, dont you think?
 
samac92 said:
You mean hold an event to announce them? They do if the change is big enough, like the event to show off the new unibody design in 2008. Hopefully we'll see an event soon for a redesign :D
Click to expand...
Yeah true, that's about right.

I check this site daily and will continue to do so for the years to come.

Time will tell :D
 
While I agree on your point about work - at my work they prefer everyone on Ethernet for security - I still think they will scrap the ethernet IF they downsize the laptop physically.

They will scrap it because you can buy the USB to Ethernet adaptor separately, which is what Apple what you to do.

I don't actually think Pros will go to the Air size. They will be somewhere in between I predict. So spaces for slots will still be there, if so, well they might keep the Ethernet. I can definitely imagine them scrapping the optical disk.
 
erasr said:
While I agree on your point about work - at my work they prefer everyone on Ethernet for security - I still think they will scrap the ethernet IF they downsize the laptop physically.

They will scrap it because you can buy the USB to Ethernet adaptor separately, which is what Apple what you to do.

I don't actually think Pros will go to the Air size. They will be somewhere in between I predict. So spaces for slots will still be there, if so, well they might keep the Ethernet. I can definitely imagine them scrapping the optical disk.
Click to expand...
I've not used my Ethernet port on my Windows based machines in years.
I hope they remove the Ethernet port on the MBPs to be honest.
 
erasr said:
While I agree on your point about work - at my work they prefer everyone on Ethernet for security - I still think they will scrap the ethernet IF they downsize the laptop physically.

They will scrap it because you can buy the USB to Ethernet adaptor separately, which is what Apple what you to do.

I don't actually think Pros will go to the Air size. They will be somewhere in between I predict. So spaces for slots will still be there, if so, well they might keep the Ethernet. I can definitely imagine them scrapping the optical disk.
Click to expand...

I pretty much fully agree with this.
 
They need to make Thuderbolt to Ethernet adapter if they ditch them on the Pros, USB isn't fast enough to be a replacement. Unless they put in USB3 ports, and make a USB3 to Ethernet adapter as well.
 
DWBurke811 said:
They need to make Thuderbolt to Ethernet adapter if they ditch them on the Pros, USB isn't fast enough to be a replacement. Unless they put in USB3 ports, and make a USB3 to Ethernet adapter as well.
Click to expand...

Actually that's what I meant, Thunderbolt to Ethernet. They will get rid of things that over 50% of people don't need, but can buy as an adaptor/add-on if required.
 
besides they can still go thinner and still include the ethernet port, the razer laptop is 0.88" and they could still do a taper design where the thicker part starts at that as well.

worst thing that could happen tho (due to price and inconvenience) is that they decide that you could just get an ATD to dock with

----------
erasr said:
Actually that's what I meant, Thunderbolt to Ethernet. They will get rid of things that over 50% of people don't need, but can buy as an adaptor/add-on if required.
Click to expand...

At the prices from sonnet it's currently 300$ to get a thunderbolt -> express card -> gbe "adaptor" i wonder how big a margin they have in their express card box
 
USB3 to Ethernet
Thunderbolt to Ethernet
PLASMA GUN to Ethernet

All won't matter..

The last thing Apple wants is to take out essential components to make their products look attractive.

"Looks Over Brains" is not something Apple is pursuing. They would not want to be perceived as the dumb blond of the tech world.

Plus, do not forget that the business world is after efficiency, not looks.

No company would buy their employees notebook computers AND their "essential peripherals" to just to have their employees sport the sexy back-lit Apple logo around.

They'll simply purchase Lenovo or Dell, especially with the lower price tag!
 
Amerabian said:
"Looks Over Brains" is not something Apple is pursuing. They would not want to be perceived as the dumb blond of the tech world.
Click to expand...

Uhh yeah it is. That's why we have Macbook Pros without Quadro cards, Docking ports, swappable batteries, 3g, and they even sport glass trackpads and screens. J Ives is a master of design and can do amazing things given .98 inch of space but there have been sacrifices in the name of design.

Not saying that they are bad rigs; I use an assortment of Apple technology in business everyday. But some businessey/techy features that you see on lenovo and dell are lacking.
 
Amerabian said:
This might not be new to many of you at all but I still feel like posting about it to share with you and everyone else:

I have been reading some posts where some users speculated and/or urged that the future MacBook Pro's would be better off not having an Ethernet port as means of further making the device thinner, cheaper to produce, better looking, etc..

I actually kept thinking about this small, yet significant issue. After analyzing the impact of such a change if brought on by Apple, I came to the conclusion that producing a Macbook Pro without an Ethernet port would actually bring down a "Macbook Pro" to a "Home-User-MacBook".

Apple has succeeded in attracting the "home user" to their products, they will 100% be shooting for the business sector to adopt their products in the near future.

At work we DO NOT have a single Wifi network, at least in the building/department I work at. That's of course to increase the security as we handle other companies' network designs, security, equipment, installation, support, etc.

To make this short;
- WIFI is no where nearly as secure as Ethernet is for handling sensitive data communication.
- Companies/Hospitals/Government organizations almost NEVER allow their employees to handle any work related data through their own personal laptops or use WIFI networks.
- Network engineers would find it difficult to work on their networks without having wired connectivity to a network.
- Reporters working in devastated areas usually use portable satellite transceivers which use Ethernet to connect to their laptops.
- Doctors/Lawers/etc.. would be better off using secure wired connections than using easily crackable wifi networks susceptible to packet sniffing and eavesdropping.

Some might argue that we can simply use USB connected Ethernet ports but that would really hurt Apple's sales for the business sector as the business decision maker would usually choose the most effective and efficient solution to match their requirements.

We all know that Apple likes to deliver the BEST PRODUCTS for the MOST BUCKS.

Targeting the business sector in the upcoming few years is definitely on their agenda, they would not jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars of deals to make the Macbook Pro slightly thinner while the MacBook Air sells pretty darn well as it is.
Click to expand...

This is what I keep telling myself.

The Macbook Pro is a professional's computer. It is meant to work in an efficient manner and using slow, unreliable wireless networks isn't how that's done. I know 802.11n has come a long way, but it still doesn't compare to gigabit ethernet. I personally don't even use wireless while I'm at home sitting at my desk.

I've said it before, but I will probably never buy an Apple computer again if they take ethernet off the Macbook Pro. It really makes me hope Thunderbolt takes off, that way I'll never have to worry about being stuck with a ****** HDMI port.
 
Thunderbolt has a shot at replacing Ethernet on MacBook Pros.

http://www.apple.com/displays/

The Thunderbolt display is connected by 1 cable. That single cable is able to deliver Ethernet, USB, PCIe, displays, FW800 and more.


Of course, this is great if the industry adopts this standard like USB. Which it probably won't.
And so Ethernet will stay.
 
well..what if Apple put 3 usb 3.0 ports into the 15" for instance, and gave you the option to buy a 10/100/1000 ethernet dongle? That wouldn't be such a bad tradeoff.
 
If ifs and buts were...

In theory, Apple could easily replace most of the ports (eg. line in, headphone, FW, SD card, ethernet) to USB or even TB. The fact of the matter is that its not going to happen, especially with ethernet (not in the few years anyway).

To take away such a port that is fundamental to basic networking would not only be crazy, but stupid.

My 2¢.
 
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