Apple Is Cutting Prices on USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 Accessories Until the End of the Year

Apple, in a statement to iMore and a few other sites (including Daring Fireball):

“We are extremely excited about the new MacBook Pro, which is the best pro notebook we’ve ever made. It has the fastest CPU, graphics, memory, storage and I/O, best display, the innovative Touch Bar and more. MacBook Pro uses the most advanced industry-standard connector, USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, to provide maximum performance, expandability and compatibility.

“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.”

Rene Ritchie:

This price drop on dongles and gear seems to be the money-where-the-mouth-is to that sentiment. Here’s the new pricing for Apple’s adapters:

Not included are Apple’s USB-C power adaptors or the USB-C Charge Cable (2m), but a variety of third-party accessories are also discounted at Apple Online and at Apple Stores.

Based on the interview and, now, the discount, it feels like Apple was genuinely shocked by the reaction to the new MacBook Pro.

I think Apple wants to counter the notion that moving to all USB-C is a money grab — that they did it to make money selling adapters. $9 for the USB-C to USB-A adapter is the same price as the Lightning to headphone jack adapter.

★ Friday, 4 November 2016