11 votes

Apple's Pro MacBook revival plan is stupid smart: Bring back old features

14 comments

  1. [12]
    petrichor
    Link
    Dang, I'd be thrilled if Apple launched an ARM-based MacBook Pro with function keys and a reasonable set of ports, but I can't help but feel like this article is a little too optimistic. I'd be...

    Dang, I'd be thrilled if Apple launched an ARM-based MacBook Pro with function keys and a reasonable set of ports, but I can't help but feel like this article is a little too optimistic. I'd be seriously surprised if Apple backtracked on their "courage" and added a USB-A slot (still vital for a laptop) again.

    12 votes
    1. unknown user
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      USB-A on MacBooks has definitely sailed. Unfortunately, unless we’re willing to live in a two-port purgatory for the rest of time, it’s necessary for market leaders to rip the bandaid off and...

      USB-A on MacBooks has definitely sailed.

      Unfortunately, unless we’re willing to live in a two-port purgatory for the rest of time, it’s necessary for market leaders to rip the bandaid off and switch to USB-C to force downstream manufacturers to also make the transition. I would say Apple deserves a lot of credit for pushing USB-C forward by several years, but it’s also been a painful several years. Without their support I’m not sure USB-A could’ve been viably superseded. The USB-IF group has not helped either, by making the USB standard a labyrinth maze of indecipherable, confusing specifications that are only realisable by manufacturers who can throw significant financial weight behind implementing compliant devices.

      The same cannot be said for the SD card slot. Full-frame mirrorless cameras aren’t going to stop creating bigger RAW files for a long time yet, and the pro-photographer workflow is pretty settled in.

      I’m not sure where HDMI sits in a world of Thunderbolt, however.

      9 votes
    2. [10]
      nothis
      Link Parent
      The return of MagSafe chargers was confirmed by at least two somewhat reliable sources. They stress that it also means potentially faster charging which is probably how it was pitched internally....

      The return of MagSafe chargers was confirmed by at least two somewhat reliable sources. They stress that it also means potentially faster charging which is probably how it was pitched internally.

      Everything else is speculation. There's definitely rumors of "more ports", though nothing about which ports. The removal of the touch bar is something they "tested", supposedly, but it's not confirmed that they actually went ahead and did it. I'd be overjoyed.

      6 votes
      1. [2]
        unknown user
        Link Parent
        I really hope the phasing out of the mentality that Schiller and Ive brought to Apple leads to them being able to take a fresh approach to a better balance of functionality and design. Schiller in...

        I really hope the phasing out of the mentality that Schiller and Ive brought to Apple leads to them being able to take a fresh approach to a better balance of functionality and design. Schiller in particular is responsible for a lot of the shit we’ve seen with App Store fiascos, and the insistence on all-USB-C on the MacBook line.

        Meanwhile, Ive clearly got bored working there. The iPhone matured into a stable project which became uninteresting for him to work on, and Apple Park was clearly his magnum opus at the company, one final grand design where money was truly no object.

        5 votes
        1. nothis
          Link Parent
          Apple sometimes quietly does that: Just drop shit that doesn't work. 3D-Touch was one such thing, fairly recently. Would be great if someone got in charge who understands that the "Pro" in...

          Apple sometimes quietly does that: Just drop shit that doesn't work. 3D-Touch was one such thing, fairly recently. Would be great if someone got in charge who understands that the "Pro" in "MacBook Pro" stands for "Professional".

          5 votes
      2. [2]
        nobody
        Link Parent
        Didn't the EU make USB-C a mandatory requirement in power chargers?

        Didn't the EU make USB-C a mandatory requirement in power chargers?

        3 votes
        1. nothis
          Link Parent
          I vaguely remember that but also it seems Apple just said "fuck that" an stuck with lightning cable chargers?

          I vaguely remember that but also it seems Apple just said "fuck that" an stuck with lightning cable chargers?

          5 votes
      3. [5]
        joplin
        Link Parent
        I suspect the MagSafe chargers are going to be the rebranded wireless ones we see in iPhones now, not the older corded ones.

        I suspect the MagSafe chargers are going to be the rebranded wireless ones we see in iPhones now, not the older corded ones.

        1. stu2b50
          Link Parent
          I don't think so, mainly because... how would that work? Unless Apple sticks some giant ass coils in the new macbooks there's no way you can get enough juice through wireless charging like you can...

          I don't think so, mainly because... how would that work? Unless Apple sticks some giant ass coils in the new macbooks there's no way you can get enough juice through wireless charging like you can on an phone.

          Unless it's like part of the bottom half below the keyboard that they add a magsafe wireless charger so you can charge your iPhone on it.

          4 votes
        2. [3]
          nothis
          Link Parent
          Aren't those "wireless" chargers just giant ass MagSafe chargers?

          Aren't those "wireless" chargers just giant ass MagSafe chargers?

          1 vote
          1. stu2b50
            Link Parent
            No, wireless chargers use induction to charge, while the old MagSafe is a yee olde electrical contact. It was just held in place with a magnet as opposed to friction/physical obstruction from the...

            No, wireless chargers use induction to charge, while the old MagSafe is a yee olde electrical contact. It was just held in place with a magnet as opposed to friction/physical obstruction from the shape of the port.

            3 votes
          2. joplin
            Link Parent
            I thought they were a different technology. The older ones in MacBooks made a physical connection, I thought.

            I thought they were a different technology. The older ones in MacBooks made a physical connection, I thought.

            2 votes
  2. [2]
    rkcr
    Link
    This article is all speculation on rumors reported elsewhere. I'd take it with a large grain of salt.

    This article is all speculation on rumors reported elsewhere. I'd take it with a large grain of salt.

    2 votes
    1. unknown user
      Link Parent
      The rumours come from good sources though: namely Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman who have fairly good records. I've added a [rumors] tag though, so you could add that to your filter list if you're...

      The rumours come from good sources though: namely Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman who have fairly good records. I've added a [rumors] tag though, so you could add that to your filter list if you're not interested in these sort of articles.

      4 votes