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Apple has responded to backlash over the pricing of its USB-C connector dongles by slashing the peripherals’ pricing.
The company introduced the latest edition of the MacBook Pro last month and immediately faced criticism as it offered only USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports. In order for users to use USB 2.0, which has become the standard over the past decade, they would be forced to purchase a conversion dongle. These were initially priced at $19 for a USB-C to USB 2.0 adapter, $49 for a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, or a whopping $69 for either VGA or HDMI.
Naturally as you’d expect, the internet was not happy about this.
Got an iPhone? Want a new Macbook? You'll need a new cable or dongle to charge it or transfer files. #Apple :Think Dongle
— AndrewB 🇺🇦 (@dcracy3) October 28, 2016
https://twitter.com/dbreunig/status/792034409788518401
Still not over the lack of ports on the new Mac book 😒 @Apple might as well change their name to Dongle…
— 🙂 (@TheLizCenteno) October 28, 2016
In response to this overwhelmingly negative response online, the company issued the following statement.
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. Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple’s USB-C adapters and cables.
Consumers were unhappy at the cost of the dongles when the latest MacBook form factor was introduced in 2015, but there evidently wasn’t enough of a hubbub to constitute anything as drastic as this price reduction.
This temporary price reduction should see more users through the door towards the holiday season, but with a 20 per cent price rise in the UK, and low value for money in terms of power, Apple might be hard pushed to meet expectations for its new premium notebook.
