Apple introduced the future of notebooks in 2015 with its one-port USB-C MacBook. In the post-PC world, people were supposed to rely more on portable devices such as tablets and such. However, the analysts appear to have gone wrong with their predictions, as is evident with the increase in sales of traditional laptops.
Who would have expected the company that likes to make its products thinner and lighter every year to make a thicker and heavier laptop with more ports. In a not so shocking move, Apple introduced new MacBook Pro models at its Mac hardware event in October. The most noticeable changes (or the reversals) are the addition of ports such as HDMI, MagSafe, and SD-card slot.
More emphasis on the things that matter
Apple executives that introduced the new 14” MacBook Pro and the 16” MacBook Pro, openly talked about the new design that prioritizes cooling over design. For years, under the helm of the long-time design chief, Jony Ive, the company focussed on making its laptops more portable, taking inspiration from its popular siblings.
While the bets with the MacBook Air in 2008 and the 2012 MacBook Pro with Retina Display paid off, the 2016 MacBook Pro failed to impress the key audience. In 2008, the company introduced the MacBook Air which offered a glimpse at the future with its compact design. In 2012, the MacBook Pro ditched the traditional spinning wheel hard drive in favour of an all flash storage system.
Apple tried to emulate the success of its previous Mac machines in 2016 by doing things in its own way. When the PC manufacturers in the Windows world were busy adding touch input to their laptops, the iPhone maker decided to instead add a row of touch bar with variable controls atop the keyboard on the MacBook Pro.
The new 14” MacBook Pro and 16” MacBook Pro do not offer anything flashy. Apple finally begun to understand that the ‘Pro’ users need reliable laptops that get the job done.
