Did Apple learn from failure?I examined what was revived on the new MacBook Pro and those that were abolished

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Magsafe 2 connector adopted by MacBook Air after the second generation.Apple also sold Magsafe and Magsafe 2 conversion adapters because the shape was slightly different from the first MAGSAFE.

A new MacBook Pro with M1 Pro and M1 MAX processor has appeared from Apple. Overwhelming performance has become a hot topic, but some equipment is unusual for IT equipment, and it can be said to be a "ancestor return" in which the old model is abolished. [Photo] Touch Bar is a software keyboard that allows you to apply different functions depending on the situation. The "HAPTICKEY" functional expansion that can obtain a tactile feedback appears from the third party, but this function should be standard. The resurrection of the interface once abolished is Apple -like rarity Apple when adopting a new standard. It is quite unusual to abandon and revive the legacy standards used before. In the old days, there are few cases of resurrection when replaced with another interface, such as Mac ADB, SCSI, Firewire, and iPod wheels. For Apple, new standards are proud that their standards are innovation (although there are rumors that they do not want to make mistakes). It should be a great situation for Apple to re -adopt the abolished standards again. Therefore, we examined the background of why the revived standard was re -adopted again. The first resurrection equipment for the "SD card" that professionals are still using is an SD card slot. The SD card is a memory card widely used in digital cameras and other digital devices, and the MacBook Pro by 2015 has an SD card slot, so it will be a resurrection for the first time in about six years. The installation of the slot is disadvantageous considering the thinning, but this time it was a resurrection. Of course, the purpose is to read data on digital cameras and video cameras. Regarding digital cameras, some high-end cameras use memory card standards such as XQD and CFEXPRESS instead of SD cards, and transfer using Wi-Fi and 5G has appeared, but as a whole. The share of the SD card is still high. Especially at outdoor shooting sites, there are many opportunities to exchange data in physical media regardless of power supply or radio waves. Some use a USB Type-C-connected card reader, but even if you say only one adapter, it is not a good idea to increase your luggage. For a professional tool, MacBook Pro, it can be evaluated as a reasonable revival. The second resurrection equipment for the "HDMI" that has completely stopped the standard position is HDMI. As you all know, HDMI is now widely used as a standard interface, from thin TVs to video recorders, game consoles, projectors, and PC displays. Latest HDMI 2.In 1, it supports up to 8K, but the new MacBook Pro's HDMI port stops 4K/60Hz, so HDMI 2.It is considered to be 0 correspondence. This resurrection is basically to directly contact various displays. VGA/DVI/HDMI output is possible by using an adapter for Thunderbolt (Type-C) as in the past, but as a result of HDMI as standard, convenience can be connected more quickly than preparing adapters. I focused on. It may be evil, but in the Apple company, it would have been unpopular to prepare an adapter each time when connecting to a large display or projector in a presentation etc. (If you are an enthusiastic Apple believer, connect to Apple TV with AirPlay. Do you want to do it?) Magsafe 3 is for high -speed charging stability and safety? The third resurrection interface is "Magsafe". The name MAGSAFE is very confusing because it is also used for iPhone 12 or later for non -contact charging equipment, but originally installed in the first MacBook Pro, which appeared in 2006, and was thinned in 2012. MAGSAFE 2 is an interface dedicated to power supply. Magsafe is a relatively shallow connector, and as the name implies, it is easy to come off due to the impact of hooking the power cord by holding the connection with magnetic force, and the MacBook falls for the whole code. It will prevent you. Originally, it was inspired by what was adopted in the electric pot, so the first generation was produced by Japanese manufacturers, but Magsafe 2 entrusted production to another manufacturer, and at this time. Due to the suspicion of a patent infringement, the power supply has changed to USB Type-C since 2015 (Magsafe 2 itself has obtained a patent, and the patent infringement lawsuit is also Apple. It has been a full -fledged prosecution). By the way, the new Magsafe 3, but as you can see in the photos, the appearance and functions seem to be different from Magsafe 2. However, in the new MacBook Pro, high -speed charging can be performed at 140W only when charging with Magsafe 3 (if high -speed charging is not used, charging with USB PD can be charged from Thunderbolt 4 ports as before). Magsafe 3 ports are internally USB PD 3.It supports the "USB PD EPR (Extend Power Range)" formulated in 1. The USB PD EPR is a new standard that was just formulated in May 2021. The USB PD, which had been supplied up to 100W at 5A and 20V, was expanded to up to 48V by using an EPR -compatible cable, up to 240W. Things that can be supplied. The added voltage mode is 28V, 36V, and 48V, and up to 140W can be supplied for 28V. The USB PD EPR is a new standard, but it is more versatile to leave the USB Type-C. Where is the meaning of making a dedicated interface? It can be pointed out that the USB PR EPR requires a dedicated cable. The EPR -compatible cable has an electronic mark that can supply 48V, and the IC chip "EMARKER" is embedded, and it is necessary to make a sign that users can understand (for Emarker, basically a USB PD compatible cable. Required). However, the Type-C cable is USB 2.0 Compatible/3.There are many types of corresponding standards, such as 0 compatible, Thunderbolt/DisplayPort compatible, USB PD. It would be terrible to tell the general consumers who would be confused by those who should have been in the industry for a long time and have expertise. In addition, the USB Type-C connector is actually quite fragile. If the connector is sideways, it will easily break, and the connector is long in the first place, and when connected, it often gets in the way. Nevertheless, it doesn't come out easily, so if you hook your feet on the cable while charging, you'll fall on the entire laptop, and the connector of the cable will break, and it's a catastrophe. So, Apple would have decided to use the connector for charging, saying, "If you need a dedicated cable anyway." The patent lawsuit has just settled down, and the name Magsafe is being revived on the iPhone and the recognition is increasing. Rather than receiving a complaint that you can't charge as expected using a non -compatible cable, it is an idea of ​​two birds with one stone that can only use high -speed charging with dedicated interfaces and reduce the risk of falling. However, the power supply for iPhone and AirPods is "Magsafe", which seems to be honest. It seems that the emphasis is placed on "stability firmly with magnetic force" than "Safe". "MINI", "AIR", "Pro", and "MAX" have a variety of modifiers used in recent Apple products, but there are some suspicious things that are consistent, so it was difficult to confuse naming rules. It is a thing. I want you to have a little more clear standards. What was the useless Touch Bar? By the way, if there is a resurrected interface, there is an interface that has disappeared quietly. The "Touch Bar", which was partially actively acting on the top model instead of the function key (F key), has been abolished, and the physical F key has returned as the fourth resurrection interface (of course, in the future model. Although Touch Bar may be revived). The Touch Bar is an interface that can be used as a sub -display that can change the content according to the application, as well as a software keyboard of the elongated OLED panel equipped with a touch function. At first glance, it seems to be useful, but the F key is registered as a shortcut key that increases work efficiency with many professional apps. I think some people are familiar with it, but if you are proficient in the work, you can understand the location with your fingertips even if you do not look at the physical keys, so you can enhance your work efficiency. By the way, in the case of Mac, the F key was not installed on the standard keyboard, but was installed only on the so -called extended keyboard. On the extended keyboard, it was usually placed in a place where one key was than the normal key, so I was able to confirm that it was an F key without visiting. In the notebook type, it was first installed in the PowerBook 500 series (1994), implemented as a slender key, which is half the depth than the normal key, and since then, this style has been established in the notebook type. On the desktop keyboard, after the F key once becomes a horizontal type in the USB Keyboard (PowerMac G3 or later) of the G3 to G4 era, the size of the F key in the Pro Keyboard (the key top is black) that appeared at the same time as the G4 Cube. Has returned to the standard size. In Pro Keyboard, four F keys became a group, and it was easy to understand because there was one key between the groups, but the General of Wireless Keyboard appeared (the key top became white). It was buried, and it became difficult to distinguish the F key and the normal key with a touch. It has a history that this has become a horizontal style in the aluminum era, and the notes and members have been shared, and the F -key has become a horizontal style. Quiet story rest. However, in the Touch Bar, the fingertips alone cannot confirm whether the soft keys are really necessary, and the content changes depending on the condition of the app, so they fall into the dilemma of whether to leave their fingers. While some people use it conveniently, many people say, "Return us the F key to us." As a result, Apple abolished the Touch Bar with the new MacBook Pro and returned the F key (after returning, the size became the same as the normal key, and there was no gap for each group, so it was understood by the fingertip. It has become difficult). Perhaps it was more severe than the compliment to Touch Bar. Personally, I think that Touch Bar was not bad itself, but it probably didn't have the merit to replace the "professional tools". People tend to put weights unexpectedly when we weigh used and benefits. Or if Touch Bar was placed as a more independent touch display above the F key, it might have been widely accepted, but it would not have been accepted by Apple's design standards that secure a wide palm rest. Apple's ideals were too sharp, and Apple was a manufacturer who was particular about making cable connections simplicity since Steve Jobs, and was willing to use dedicated interfaces. Currently, the cable itself, as it is now one step further, the cable itself is a symbol of the exclusion of the earphone terminal from the iPhone to actively sells AirPods with Bluetooth connection, and appealing Magsafe (for iPhone) for charging. It is a flow that is abolished and actively adopts wireless connection. The MacBook series eliminated various interfaces and unified to USB Type-C (Thunderbolt 3/4) was based on these aesthetics, despite the trigger of MacBook Air. This is beautiful, but various peripherals, such as displays, printers, mouse & trackballs, and memory cards, had to be connected through an adapter. If this is purely a hobby tool, you can endure, but MacBook Pro is a professional work tool. In the end, the fact that professionals have made tools that make it inconvenient, who are so focusing on the aesthetics in pursuit of ideals, may have been a failure that Apple has fallen in recent years. I am a recent Apple product (Magic Mouse charging port position and difficulty in lifting the Magic Keyboard/Magic Trackpad, it is difficult to check the charging status, the location of the Lightning connector for charging Apple Pencil, the location of the iPhone built -in battery. Case design, etc..) Regarding), I often feel dissatisfied as I think, "Do you use what you made yourself?"Of course, Touch Bar was one of them.At first glance, the resurrection of past equipment seems to be backwards, but I think it is a major progress that Apple has finally accepted and improved the voice of the user.I hope that improvement will be improved in other products in the future.

Akira Ebihara