Apple 'appologies' for lack of full size USB port on the MacBook Pro... offers up to 50% off adapters (until year end)

[GoodBytes]

Apple "apologies" (not really) for the lack of full size USB (Type-A) on the new MacBook Pro.

Quote

We recognize that many users, especially pros, rely on legacy connectors to get work done today and they face a transition. We want to help them move to the latest technology and peripherals, as well as accelerate the growth of this new ecosystem. Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple’s USB-C adapters and cables.

Sadly, the company isn't offering any adapter for free, but  they will offer 50% off all of their USB Type-C adapter... I guess they still want to make some money (remember they are very costly for something that cost relatively nothing to manufacture). As for Canada, the company didn't say how much the price will be reduced, but it will be reduced.

Quote

The company will reduce the price of the USB-C adapters it sells in Canada. Pricing hasn’t been finalized just yet.

,says MobileSyrup.com

 

In the US, this is the pricing for adapters now:

Quote

• USB-C to traditional USB adapter from $19 to $9
• Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter from $49 to $29
• USB-C to Lightning cable (1 meter) from $25 to $19
• USB-C to Lightning cable (2 meters) from $35 to $29
• Multiport adapter with HDMI, USB, and USB-C from $69 to $49
• Multiport adapter with VGA, USB, and USB-C from $69 to $49

And offers 25% off third party adapters:

Quote

Apple is also cutting prices by around 25 percent on all third-party USB-C peripherals that it sells. SanDisk’s USB-C SD card reader is getting a slightly steeper discount, from $49 to $29

 

The offer is until the end of the year, after it is back to regular price. For Apple to make this offer, I mean... I guess when Phil Schiller said the company has received more online orders of the new MacBook Pro than ever before... I guess it was not entirely true, or there was a lot of returns/canceled orders. He said previously as an attempt to try and inform the media that the lack of much needed ports isn't an issue:

Quote

And we are proud to tell you that so far our online store has had more orders for the new MacBook Pro than any other pro notebook before. So there certainly are a lot of people as excited as we are about it.

 

Sources: http://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/02/phil-schiller-new-macbook-pro-interview/

http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/4/13524272/apple-cutting-usb-c-adaptor-prices-macbook-pro

http://mobilesyrup.com/2016/11/04/apple-cuts-price-of-usb-c-accessories-following-macbook-pro-outrage/

 

 

I believe this is a first time Apple admits its mistake. But they should be including adapters in the box for free, especially after the price hike. I mean several OEMs, like HP does that for its premium ultra thin laptops that has USB Type-C only. Not to mention also that they don't have a problem with dropping wireless when you use a port intensively (although more testing needs to be done by other users on this to confirm the issue)

[AresKrieger]

Well it isn't a bad gesture though the issues with port usage while the laptop is doing other tasks and it's non pro spec list still makes the macbook pro something to avoid

[givingtnt]

can't tell if apology, or disguised ad

[AresKrieger]

Just now, givingtnt said:

can't tell if apology, or disguised ad

[SteinerW]

They must have gotten a lot of flack for not putting on any type A ports. Good.

[bgibbz]

High still think the fact that a USB c to USB a adapter isn't included is ridiculous. Even if they included an adapter, we all know that most people would lose them and still end up buying replacements. 

[Bouzoo]

Quote

We recognize that many users, especially pros...

Yeah, you don't. If you did, you wouldn't do this.

 

Also a note not to miss

Quote

Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple’s USB-C adapters and cables.

As in this year? Like for 2 months? If so, @GoodBytes you might wanna add that to the title. 

[rwaalph]

Bottomline

"Dont Buy a Macbook"

[Xanthe_2871]

Strange to hear the standard USB port referred to as "legacy". That's a connection that we've had for +20 years and will likely have for a long time to come...

[ARikozuM]

Why does it not surprise me that a Canadian company is called Mobile Syrup?

[Mooshi]

Apple's new business model: Make adapters for functionality that was courageous to remove.

[AlTech]

12 minutes ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

Strange to hear the standard USB port referred to as "legacy". That's a connection that we've had for +20 years and will likely have for a long time to come...

It's Apple. They have the attention span of a 3 year old.

 

Anything which isn't brand new is legacy for them.

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, Mooshi said:

Apple's new business model: Make adapters for functionality that was courageous to remove.

Apple's fastest growing product category is adapters.

 

Because of their courageous acts and doing things like this.

[Xanthe_2871]

Just now, AluminiumTech said:

It's Apple. They have the attention span of a 3 year old.

 

Anything which isn't brand new is legacy for them.

Good point. This can't be sustainable for them, can it? Won't people stop putting up with it?

[MoonSpot]

11 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

It's Apple. They have the attention span of a 3 year old.

 

Anything which isn't brand new is legacy for them.

More seriously though, I see it only as apple trying to undermine these standards in favour of their own proprietary doodads in the minds of consumers by labeling them simply as legacy/old.

[AlTech]

1 minute ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

Good point. This can't be sustainable for them, can it?

Probably not but then again, environmental sustainability aside, when has apple ever been sustainable?

1 minute ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

Won't people stop putting up with it?

Recently, the only time i have seen Mac users use a USB Type A port is to charge their iPhone since their iPhone runs out of battery before the end of the day .

 

That's it! I never see any of them with any kind of USB or USB accessories.

[Arri]

Demand for the new MacBook Pros is higher than I expected. Looks like demand is so high that demand for adapters has increased as well so consumers can use their legacy products. There are two reasons I see for the price drop:

 

1) Apple has heard the cries of consumers who still wish to use older electronics with their MacBook Pro and is making the transition to USB-C easier by lowering prices.

 

2) Apple's business analytics crunched the numbers and predicts that by lowering the prices of the adapters, it will actually make more money by quenching holiday and early adopter demand.

 

Both reasons are valid and is smart move by Apple both PR and business wise.

[mrchow19910319]

Did any know that Apple have done that before???

Design a product then apologise for their own design???? 

If this is not the start of going downhill I don't know what is....

I think that people especially pros really HATE their new design trend: "Ignores people's populating demand and trying to be the next fashion trend. Cos there is more money in it.".

 

 

I mentioned this in another post, remember apple watch Edition??? Yes, we know it was a flaw at the end. But if it DOES become a trend, just imagine how much money apple is gonna bank rolling. That's their gamble. And now obviously they are doing the same thing when it comes to Macbooks. Started from 12 inch macbook. The macbook is more like a accessory that will give you some sort of social status than a portable computer.

Don't get me wrong, there are still gonna be a lot of people buying apple's new macbook pros. But a lot of the prosumers apple use to have in their pocket are slowly moving to windows. Go search at google or youtube you will find the evidence of my point. 

 

Spoiler

Alright. Rant complete. I think my next laptop is still gonna have a giant apple logo on it...... Just don't expect me to buy the latest generation. 

 

[RexinOridle]

Remember those days when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits. LOL

 

But seriously, apple used to release products that worked. They were still absolutely overpriced piece of shit, but they used to just work and the money was for the experience and service.

[rwaalph]

Yeah they pursue Innovation and yet they keep downgrading their products more like having shitty experience, they of all company should know what we consumers hate the most, tangled wires and the hassle just to untangle them

[JettaGetUpandGo]

26 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Probably not but then again, environmental sustainability aside, when has apple ever been sustainable?

Recently, the only time i have seen Mac users use a USB Type A port is to charge their iPhone since their iPhone runs out of battery before the end of the day .

 

That's it! I never see any of them with any kind of USB or USB accessories.

 

Hey now, I also used a USB to SD card reader because the one on my MacBook Pro conveniently stopped working just outside of warranty (very common issue).

 

14 minutes ago, RexinOridle said:

Remember those days when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits. LOL

 

But seriously, apple used to release products that worked. They were still absolutely overpriced piece of shit, but they used to just work and the money was for the experience and service.

My 2011 Macbook Pro was pretty much flawless aside from the SD card reader mentioned above.  At the time it was one of the few laptops built like a tank (who else made a laptop from a solid chunk of aluminum?), battery life was well above average, touchpad was leaps and bounds better than anything else, and the internals (RAM/HDD) were upgradable.  Even now, it's probably still worth $500.  You can't say that for any 5 year old PC laptop.  My only real gripes with it were the speed (built a new desktop earlier this year and spoiled myself) and the 13" 1280 x 800 display (just upgraded to 1440p monitors on the desktop).

 

The competition has caught up.  After the announcement of the new Macbook Pros I bought a Lenovo Yoga 910 as a replacement.  $1600 vs $2000, plus it has 16 GB of RAM vs 8, 4k touch screen, a real USB port, 4k touchscreen, sturdy 360 degree hinge to use it like a tablet, all aluminum construction, and it even has a fingerprint scanner.  It was one of the easiest decisions I ever made.  The only disappointing part is the lack of an SD card reader, but I've lived with an adapter the last 4 years already.  Sorry Apple.  You're losing it.

[zMeul]

instead of bundling the fucking thing with the laptop 

[Just Monika]

Holy shit, those "before" prices are horrifying. Doubly so when I realized I was thinking in CAD and the actual Canadian prices would be much higher. I don't buy cables often so I don't know if those are the typical prices for cables, but it doesn't look right at all.

[pk-man]

so generous of apple lol

 

even with the price cut, the profit margins for these adapters are insanely high.

[79wjd]

 

1 hour ago, pk-man said:

so generous of apple lol

 

even with the price cut, the profit margins for these adapters are insanely high.

The rest of the market isn't much better in that regard.