Apple Dongle Confusion

Dongle dilemma provokes Apple price cut.

16:46 08 November 2016

Apple, with its ever-escalating war against connectivity ports, has released a new Macbook without the SD card port, the HDMI port, and a full-size USB port. This forces users to buy a dongle to convert those “legacy” connectors into the new, smaller USB-C port. 

 

In a statement, the company said: "We recognise 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."

 

The company offers a decent price cuts on dongles until the end of this year. The USB to USB-C adapter is now only for $9 down from $19. iPhone users who want to connect the device to Apple’s new computer will require a $19 Lightning to USB dongle but they could use an old Lightning to USB cable if they bought the USB to USB-C adapter. 

 

Although the whole strategy seemed to faze users, history suggests that Apple may be leading the industry in taking a step forward. Earlier, Macbook models did away with Ethernet ports and the CD/DVD driver, a move that seemed absurd at the time but today, it totally makes sense.