Apple has explained why it has dropped the humble SD card slot from its new $1,499 MacBook Pro. The company said the highly controversial change was made because the slot is 'cumbersome' and gradually being replaced by wireless standards. Apple marketing executive Phil Schiller made the comments during an interview with The Independent. He discussed the development of the new MacBook Pro models, as well as the public's reception of the laptops.The company has updated the MacBook Pro for the first time in several years. Among the headline features are improved performance, a thinner and lighter design and a new 'Touch Bar' display above the keyboard. However, the hardware that's gaining the most attention is the lack of an SD card slot, a staple on even budget laptops.Schiller told the Independent that the decision was made because 'it's a bit of a cumbersome slot.' He noted 'you've got this thing sticking halfway out [of the laptop]' when a card is inserted, spoiling the MacBook's clean design. There's also multiple memory card formats to consider. Different cameras accept different standards but only one could be included on the MacBook. Most consumer devices use SD but there was always a trade-off to be made.Because increasing numbers of cameras are including wireless transfer features, Apple thought the best route forward was to drop memory card support altogether. Customers will need to transfer files wirelessly or use a dongle to connect SD cards to their Macs.The move has been heavily criticised by video editing professionals who frequently need to move large files from cameras to their computers. It continues Apple's tendency to anticipate the future ahead of time, creating scenarios that will be positive in the long-term but can be unwieldy at launch.The Independent also asked Schiller about the presence of a 3.5mm jack on the new MacBook Pros. The company dropped the jack from the iPhone 7, apparently creating an inconsistency by bringing it back on the Macs. Schiller noted that the 3.5mm jack powers more than just headphones on laptops. He pointed out that pros have audio equipment including studio monitors and amps that have no wireless alternatives, making the jack's inclusion a must-have.At another point in the interview, Schiller addressed the separation between macOS and iOS. He said Apple is 'steadfast in our belief' that the two are fundamentally different products. He noted that adding a full touchscreen display to the Mac would make it difficult to use key components of the interface, including the menu bar.Schiller also commented on the criticism directed at the new MacBook Pros since launch. The company has been accused of neglecting the brand with analysts noting the laptops don't actually feature 'pro' hardware. The entry-level model, coming in at $1,499, has a dual-core processor that would be equally at home in a Windows laptop costing $1,000 left. Quad-core chips only appear in the high-end models, retailing at above $2,000, and aren't available at all on the 13-inch version.Schiller said the criticism has 'been a bit of a surprise' but defended the launch. He said Apple 'took a bold risk' with the new MacBook's design and hardware, adding cutting-edge features like the Touch Bar that aren't present on rival machines.'We know we made good decisions about what to build into the new MacBook Pro and that the result is the best notebook ever made, but it might not be right for everyone on day one,' the executive said to The Independent. 'That's okay, some people felt that way about the first iMac and that turned out pretty good.'
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Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, talking to The Independent:
LOS ANGELES — I miss my SD card slot already. And I pine for the traditional USB slots on the MacBook Pro that I use to insert external hard drives, charge the iPhone, plug in my microphone for. I installed genuine copy of windows in my MacBook air. I am having issue with the SD card slot. When the computer goes in sleep and awakens back, the SD card slot stops working. SD card reader doesn't show even in hardware list at that time. I tried everything but couldn't get it fixed until rebooted. Here you can find selection of the best online No Sd Slot On Mac casinos for the US players. This selection is based on promotions, bonuses, security, cash out options, reputation, software robustness, graphics, customer service, game diversity and the overall respect of the players. No Sd Slot On Mac.
The new Pros have no SD card slot for a camera memory card. Why not?
Because of a couple of things. One, it's a bit of a cumbersome slot. You've got this thing sticking halfway out. Then there are very fine and fast USB card readers, and then you can use CompactFlash as well as SD. So we could never really resolve this – we picked SD because more consumer cameras have SD but you can only pick one. So, that was a bit of a trade-off. And then more and more cameras are starting to build wireless transfer into the camera. That's proving very useful. So we think there's a path forward where you can use a physical adaptor if you want, or do wireless transfer.
Schiller is a huge camera enthusiast, particularly for Leica, so he's well-versed in the limitations and pains involved in image and video transfer. That said, I think the frustration isn't so much that Apple removed the SD card slot — or any of the old ports — but when they chose to remove it.
Nobody thinks we'll be using SDHC or USB-A in a decade, but between now and then there'll be a lot of turbulence and anyone not on the bleeding edge of it will get battered around a fair bit before it passes.
I've been using the non-Touch Bar version of the MacBook Pro 2016 for almost a week. My DSLR uses SDHC cards and, on my last MacBook Pro, I could just pull the card from the camera, plug it into the Mac, and grab my photos or videos. On this one, I'd need an adapter. But here's the thing: I haven't shot with that camera since I got my iPhone 7 Plus. With that, I just shoot and AirDrop. My use case isn't everybody's, of course, but is it an increasing number of people's?
We've been through these transitions before, with FireWire, MagSafe 1, DVI, VGA, and more. I've bought and used dongles every time. No dongle I've ever used proved necessary beyond about a year, though, even when the MacBook lasted me three or four.
How would you describe the response to the new MacBook Pro?
There has certainly been a lot of passionate dialogue and debate about the new MacBook Pro! Many things have impressed people about it, and some have caused some controversy. I hope everyone gets a chance to try it for themselves and see how great the MacBook Pro is. It is a really big step forward and an example of how much we continue to invest in the Mac. We love the Mac and are as committed to it, in both desktops and notebooks, as we ever have been.
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.
That last part is illuminating.
Sure, there are technological constraints around what Apple could and couldn't do with these chipsets, but there's also a broader marketing question.
Traditional pros were the tip of an iceberg and now that iceberg has largely surfaced, thanks in no small part to computers being made more accessible and approachable than ever, and to technology becoming more mobile.
The kind of people who self-identify as 'pro' is broader and more diverse than it was in generations past. Just like making apps went mainstream with iOS, so has photography and videography with cameras like iPhone and services like YouTube. What are the needs of modern pros and how are they balanced against the traditional pro segment that really does want or need a supercomputer in their backpack?
If these really turn out to be record-breaking MacBooks Pros, we'll have our answer.
There are also some fascinating replies to keeping the 3.5mm headphone jack, to the requirements for 'Hey, Siri!' on the Mac, and more, so give it a read and let me know what you think!
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