Apple: SD card slots on laptops are ‘clunky’

Apple has omitted the SD card slot on the new MacBook Pros, because many cameras can sync footage wirelessly. An SD card slot on laptops is ‘clunky’, says Apple CEO Phil Schiller.

Schiller says in an interview with the British newspaper The Independent that if wireless syncing is not an option, users can always use a dongle. This has the advantage that it can also accommodate memory cards of other types than SD, according to the CEO. “Then you can also use CompactFlash in addition to sd. In the past we opted for sd because more cameras have it, but you can only choose one. So that was always a compromise.”

According to Schiller, an SD slot on laptops is ‘clunky’ because of how it looks. “It’s a bit cumbersome. Then you have that thing that sticks out halfway.” According to Schiller, in addition to USB dongles for memory cards, wireless synchronization is also a solution. “So we think there’s a path forward where you can opt for a physical adapter if you want to or do a wireless transfer.”

In terms of audio, Apple has chosen to keep the 3.5mm jack, although it is missing on the iPhone 7 series. “These are Pro machines,” said Schiller. “Many users have setups with studio monitors, amps and other professional audio equipment that don’t require a wireless connection and only need the 3.5mm jack.” Schiller went on to say that there are more pre-orders for the new MacBook Pros than previous models of the laptop.

Apple unveiled three new MacBook Pro models last week. The cheapest only has two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3, the most expensive, which also have an OLED strip instead of function keys, have four. Furthermore, apart from a 3.5mm connection, there are no ports or locks in the housing. Apple thus follows the line of last year’s and this year’s MacBook with 12 “screen, both of which only have a USB-C port.