Here are some details regarding the ports that Apple has eliminated down the line.
The latest MacBook Pro devices have completely done away with the USB C port. The changes have not gone too well with hardcore users of the Mac devices. It is still worse that the company has killed the headphone jack for the iPhone 7 devices.
Ports Removed
The new line of MacBook Pros no longer has the regular USB A port. They also don’t come with the HDMI port for connection to TVs and there are no SD card readers to move your photographs from the camera. Users will now have to buy new cables or go in for adapters if they wish to keep their current devices relevant.
Drastic Change
The device that saw a drastic change was the iMac G3, where the floppy disk was discarded in 1998 along with SCSI ports and ADB ports of devices. These were used for the connections between hard drive, keyboard and the mouse. In its place came ports using the USB, which later became one of the most popular connectors in technology. Later, Apple got rid of the Ethernet ports in the first gen MacBook Air.
Lightning Feature
In the year 2012, Apple killed the dock connector and opted for Lightning in the iPhone 5, a thinner port. Then came dongles with the standard Lightning up to the 30 pin adapters available for $29, along with wired dongles for $39.
MacBook Air Last Year
It is not yet sure whether the ultra slim MacBook will ever be as popular as the preceding device. It was launched last year and has a single USB port, just as original Air devices. However, it was based on the USB C and there was no USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt or HDMI. Users can still buy several accessories to get more connectivity options for their MacBook, such as USB C, USB adapters or the USB Digital AV, Multiport adapters and so on.
Changes this Year
This year saw the elimination of the headphone jack in the iPhone 7. However, it is still to be seen whether the wireless audio decision will be the right one for Apple. Apple is promoting Bluetooth and replacing the 3.5 mm standard. There are some connection and battery life problems as well as audio quality problems related to Bluetooth. The company argues that the headphone jack was taking up much of the valuable space in the device. However, the iPhone 7 is not much thinner and does not last much longer when compared to the iPhone 6S. Those who want to remain wired will need to buy headphones that are based on Lightning. The latter is not yet as ubiquitous when compared to the 3.5 mm headphone pairs. Lightning is also more expensive for booting. The other option is to make use of the dongle that is included, but the extras for this might cost around $9.