Phil Schiller Defends MacBook Pro Against Fervent Criticism From Mac Diehards

While the sleek lines and lightweight chassis of the new MacBook Pros is beyond reproach, Mac fans were up in arms over the consequences of Apple’s design decisions. For one, maximum RAM capacity stands at 16GB, despite the fact that high-end 15-inch MacBook Pros can top $3,000. The AMD Radeon Pro graphics options fail to outperform even budget entry-level GPUs. Apple got rid of popular features like the MagSafe power adapter and the SD slot for photographers. In addition, Apple’s decision to adopt Thunderbolt 3 ports means that adding just about any peripheral to your MacBook Pro will require the use of (often expensive) dongles.

And speaking of expensive, the MacBook Pros have increased in price by hundreds of dollars, with the most basic 13-inch MacBook Pro starting at $1,499. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar starts at $1,799, while the 15-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,399.

With the internet absolutely blowing up with commentary about the MacBook Pro, Apple’s Phil Schiller decided to say a few words about the controversy. “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,” said Schiller. When asked if he was surprised at the backlash, Schiller continued, “To be fair it has been a bit of a surprise to me. But then, it shouldn’t be. We took a bold risk, and of course with every step forward there is also some change to deal with. Our customers are so passionate, which is amazing.”

He also went on to defend the removal of the SD slot, saying that many users now rely on wireless technology to transfer photos to their computers. He also says that there was an aesthetic and functional issue of having “this thing sticking halfway out” of your MacBook Pro. This is in reference to the fact that Mac notebooks have never allowed SD cards to insert fully into the chassis.

Schiller also defended the inconstancy in removing the 3.5mm audio jack from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but keeping it aboard the new MacBook Pros. “Many users have setups with studio monitors, amps, and other pro audio gear that do not have wireless solutions and need the 3.5mm jack.”

In the end, Schiller said that Apple had a lot of difficult design decisions to make with its new MacBook Pro family, and he feels that the right trade-offs were made to deliver an amazing product.

“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. That’s okay, some people felt that way about the first iMac and that turned out pretty good."