Last week, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo unveiled expectations for the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models later this year, including the return of the MagSafe charging connector, the removal of the Touch Bar, a new edged design flat and return multiple ports built into notebooks for extended connectivity.
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A modern MacBook Pro concept with SD card reader
Kuo did not specify which ports could return, however BloombergMark Gurman reported today that the following MacBook Pro models will have an SD card reader for transferring photos taken with a digital camera and other files:
The future MacBook Pro is an example of Apple’s renewed focus on Mac loyalists. The company plans to bring back an SD card slot for the next MacBook Pro so users can insert memory cards from digital cameras. This feature was removed in 2016, to the dismay of professional photographers and video creators, key segments of the MacBook Pro user base.
The latest MacBook Pro models only have Thunderbolt ports, forcing photographers to use an adapter or dock to access an SD card reader.
In his research note last week, Kuo noted that “most users may not have to buy additional dongles” for the next MacBook Pro, so an SD card reader may not be the only port coming back. Since 2015, the MacBook Pro has also been equipped with an HDMI port and USB-A ports, but it would certainly be surprising to see that the latter returns, given the transition of the technology industry to USB-C.
Kuo expects the new MacBook Pro models to be released in the third quarter, which runs from July to September. They would replace the 13-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models launched in May 2020 and November 2019. The basic 13-inch MacBook Pro model was already updated with Apple’s custom M1 chip a few months ago.