Facing significant backlash from consumers who faced a $250 dongle bill in order to upgrade to the courageous new MacBook Pro, Apple has cut the price of USB-C adapters across the board. The most necessary adapter, the USB-C to regular USB, has gone from $19 to $9.
Even though it’s only a drop in the bucket when you’re spending upwards of $1,800 on a laptop, the price cut is at least an admission that the future is hard, and courage is expensive.
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In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, an Apple spokesperson said that “We recognize 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.”
That’s a nice way of saying “Wow, people are mad about this dongle thing.”
The price cuts are only temporary, and will last until the end of the year. They’re applicable on all online orders and those in stores.
It’s still a surprise that Apple doesn’t include any adapters in the box, especially after it threw a Lightning-to-3.5mm jack in with the iPhone 7. That move managed to minimize backlash against the decision to remove the 3.5mm jack, which is arguably a more controversial omission than regular USB ports from the new MacBook Pros.
Cutting prices of dongles is probably not going to change many people’s decisions about buying a new laptop. MacBook Pro shoppers probably aren’t deterred by the extra $20 for an adapter, since they’re already paying over the odds for the laptop to begin with. But it’s a little bit of a concession to Apple’s loyal customers, and gives you the feeling you’re being screwed just a little bit less.
